On Sunday 18 October 2026, three Knights and the Chief Chaplain of the Romanian Association of the @OrderofMalta together with Professed Knight and Member of the Sovereign Council of the Order, Fra’ Nicola Tegoni, took part in the annual procession with a relic of St Pope John Paul II, in Bucharest, Romania. The procession started from the St John Paul II Monument, located near the Apostolic Nunciature, and continued to St Joseph Cathedral in central Bucharest. Participants included Roman Catholic Archbishop Metropolitan of Bucharest HE Aurel Perca, Apostolic Nuncio to Romania and the Republic of Moldova HE Giampiero Gloder, Greek Catholic Bishop of Bucharest HE Mihai Fratila, Knights of the Order of Malta including Fra’ Tegoni, as well as priests, monks, nuns, and faithful from across the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest and the Greek Catholic Diocese of St Basil the Great of Bucharest. St John Paul II is commemorated in the Catholic calendar on 22 October, the date on which he inaugurated his pontificate, where the Bucharest procession is usually held annually on the nearest Sunday to this date. The relic consists of a small piece of cloth bearing several drops of the Pontiff's blood. It was donated to St Joseph Cathedral in Bucharest in May 2011, by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Archbishop Emeritus of Krakow and former personal secretary to Pope John Paul II.

The Romanian Association of the @OrderofMalta (AROM) held its Extraordinary General Assembly in Micfalău from 16 to 18 October 2026, in the presence of Fra’ Nicola Tegoni, a member of the Sovereign Council of the Order. The Assembly brought together members of the Association to review its activities and elect its leadership for the coming mandate. All nine members of the new Board of Directors were elected unanimously, reflecting the confidence and unity of the Association in carrying forward its work and mission. ____ Asociația Română a Ordinului Suveran Militar de Malta (AROM) a organizat Adunarea Generală Extraordinară la Micfalău, în perioada 16–18 octombrie 2026, în prezența Fra’ Nicola Tegoni, membru al Consiliului Suveran al Ordinului. Adunarea a reunit membrii Asociației pentru a analiza activitățile desfășurate și pentru a alege conducerea pentru următorul mandat. Toți cei nouă membri ai noului Consiliu Director au fost aleși în unanimitate, reflectând încrederea și unitatea Asociației în continuarea activității și misiunii sale.

Pe 13 octombrie îl sărbătorim pe Fericitul Gerard, fondatorul și primul Mare Maestru al @OrderofMalta. Exemplul său întruchipează spiritul unei misiuni care a dăinuit de-a lungul secolelor, călăuzită de deviza *Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum*: apărarea credinței și slujirea celor săraci. Acest ideal se reînnoiește în fiecare zi prin grija față de bolnavi, sprijinul acordat celor mai vulnerabili și slujirea celor aflați în nevoie.

The Secretariat of State reaffirms its position on chivalric orders, noting that The Holy See recognizes and protects only the Sovereign Military @OrderofMalta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, besides its own chivalric orders. vaticannews.va/en/vatican-ci… @HolySeePress @eohsj_info

Today, 10 October 2026, we mark the @OrderofMalta World Day, joining members and volunteers across the world in celebrating our shared mission of faith and service. For more than 900 years, the Order has remained faithful to 'tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum', the defence of the faith and service to the poor. Here in Romania, we give thanks for all those who continue this mission through prayer, fraternity and service to those most in need. – at Romania

We were thrilled to host the Grand Hospitaller of the @OrderofMalta, Josef D. Blotz, in Romania 🇷🇴

▶️🎙️ On the afternoon of 21 September 2026, during his visit to Romania, the Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Military @OrderofMalta, HE Dr Josef D. Blotz, gave an exclusive interview to Mr Bogdan Chirieac of @DCNewsRomania. The approximately 30-minute interview offered an opportunity to present the history, mission, and humanitarian activities of the Sovereign Order of Malta in different parts of the world, with particular reference to its work in crisis and conflict settings, including Ukraine, Gaza, and Venezuela. HE Dr Josef D. Blotz also outlined a number of the principal projects currently being implemented in Romania by the Order’s Relief Corps, Serviciul de Ajutor Maltez în România (SAMR/Maltez), highlighting its role in supporting vulnerable communities and strengthening the Order’s humanitarian presence in the country and beyond. facebook.com/share/v/1DuarD9…

On the evening of 21 September 2026, the Embassy of the Sovereign @OrderofMalta to Romania hosted a reception at the Ambassador’s Residence in honour of the Grand Hospitaller, HE Dr Josef D. Blotz. The reception offered the Grand Hospitaller an opportunity to meet, in an informal setting, members of the Embassy team and the Romanian Association of the Order of Malta (AROM), together with representatives of the diplomatic corps, Romanian authorities, and institutions that regularly cooperate with the Embassy. Among those attending were Secretary of State @Dr_RaedArafat; Mrs Constanța Iorga, Director of the Royal House; the Ambassador of Italy to Romania, HE Laura Aghilarre; representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine and @UNICEFRomania; and Mrs Andreea Oancea of Asociația Almater Home, an organisation working closely with the Embassy on social initiatives in Bucharest and Ilfov County. At the conclusion of the evening, Ambassador Roberto Musneci KM stated, “After an intensive afternoon of meetings and engagements, the reception offered our Grand Hospitaller the opportunity to meet, in a relaxed atmosphere, a small but significant group of people and institutions with whom the Embassy regularly cooperates.” The Ambassador added, “His visit will continue in the coming days with visits to several of the Order’s projects in Romania, accompanied by the President of AROM, Count Tibor Kálnoky, and the leadership of SAMR.” – at Romania

Order of Malta Romania is pleased to welcome HE Dr Josef D. Blotz, Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign @OrderofMalta, who is currently visiting Romania. The programme of the visit has included a meeting with Dr Raed Arafat, Head of the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), together with Count Tibor Kálnoky KM, President of the Romanian Association of the Order of Malta (AROM), and HE Roberto Musneci KM, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Romania. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for discussion on the Order’s humanitarian mission, emergency response, and new opportunities for cooperation in support of people in need. The Grand Hospitaller’s visit to Romania continues with meetings and visits to the Order’s programmes and services, offering an opportunity to gain a closer understanding of the work of Order of Malta Romania across the country. ____ Ordinul de Malta România are bucuria de a-l întâmpina pe HE Dr Josef D. Blotz, Marele Ospitalier al Ordinului Suveran de Malta, aflat în aceste zile într-o vizită în România. Programul vizitei a inclus și o întâlnire cu Dr Raed Arafat, șeful Departamentului pentru Situații de Urgență (DSU), alături de Contele Tibor Kálnoky KM, Președintele Asociației Române a Ordinului de Malta, și HE Roberto Musneci KM, Ambasadorul Ordinului Suveran de Malta în România. Întâlnirea a oferit un bun prilej pentru un dialog privind misiunea umanitară a Ordinului, răspunsul la situații de urgență și noi oportunități de colaborare în sprijinul persoanelor aflate în nevoie. Vizita Marelui Ospitalier în România continuă cu întâlniri și vizite la programele și serviciile Ordinului, oferindu-i ocazia de a cunoaște mai îndeaproape activitatea comunității malteze din țara noastră. – at Bucharest, Romania

Official statement regarding media reports of a fabricated “Order of Malta” diplomatic identification card: With reference to recent media reports concerning a diplomatic identity card allegedly issued by the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta in the name of an individual currently under investigation by the Romanian authorities, the Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Romania wishes to clarify that the document shown in the media is entirely fabricated and has no connection whatsoever with the Sovereign Order of Malta. The individual concerned is not a member of the Sovereign Order of Malta, and no such document has ever been issued or authorised by the Order. The Embassy also recalls that the Sovereign Order of Malta has repeatedly warned of the activities of self-styled or “mimic” organisations which illegitimately use names, insignia, and symbols resembling those of the Order in an attempt to present themselves as legitimate and thereby mislead the public. Such organisations have no connection whatsoever with the Sovereign @OrderofMalta. The Embassy has informed the competent Romanian authorities accordingly, and remains available to provide any further clarification that may be required.