Frà Giacomo Dalla Torre, the 80th Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, died in Rome on 29 April 2020 at age 75. His passing followed a period of leadership focused on constitutional reform and reconciling the order with the Vatican.
Leadership and Legacy of Giacomo Dalla Torre
Frà Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, an Italian expert in medieval art, assumed the leadership of the Order of Malta during a time of significant internal transition. He first served as interim grand master in 2017 following the resignation of his predecessor, Briton Matthew Festing. Pope Francis had requested Festing’s departure amid a public controversy involving a condom distribution program managed by the order’s personnel in Myanmar.
Dalla Torre was officially elected the 80th grand master in February 2018. During his tenure, he was widely credited by observers for mending the order’s strained relationship with the Vatican. His leadership style favored alignment with the reformist approach of Pope Francis, and he worked to ease out traditionalist elements within the organization. Under his guidance, the order initiated efforts to draft a new constitution intended to increase transparency and reform a monarchical hierarchy that had historically restricted commoners from attaining top administrative positions.
Historical Context and Operations of the Order
Founded in the 11th century as an infirmary in Jerusalem to aid pilgrims, the order has evolved into a global charitable entity. Today, it counts 13,500 members supported by 120,000 staff and volunteers who operate healthcare clinics and hospitals worldwide. The organization maintains a unique status, holding diplomatic relations with more than 100 states and issuing its own passports, stamps, and license plates.
While the position of grand master is traditionally held for life, the order typically expects to elect a successor within three months of a vacancy. However, the organization acknowledged that the coronavirus emergency, which was active during the time of Dalla Torre’s death in early 2020, might necessitate an extension to this timeline.
Artistic Perspectives During Global Conflict
As reported by <a href="https://www.bbc.
under missile attack…
Pavlo Makov, artist, via BBC
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