The Sovereign Council is the primary government body of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta which deals with the Order's regular business between the meetings of the Chapter General which occur every five years. Its powers and responsibilities are defined in the Order's Constitutional Charter and Code.[1] It meets at least six times each year.
Membership
The Sovereign Council is made up of the following members:
- 1.The Grand Master, or the Lieutenant
- 2. The holders of the four High Offices
- a. The Grand Commander
- b. The Grand Chancellor
- c. The Grand Hospitaller
- d. The Receiver of the Common Treasure
- 3. Six Councillors.
The Grand Commander is the chief religious officer of the Order and serves as Lieutenant "ad interim" during a vacancy in the office of Grand Master. The Grand Chancellor is the head of the executive branch; he is responsible for the Diplomatic Missions of the Order and relations with the national Associations. The Grand Hospitaller coordinates the Order's humanitarian and charitable activities. The Receiver of the Common Treasure directs the administration of the finances and property of the Order.
The members, other than the Grand Master (or Lieutenant), are elected for a five-year term by the Chapter General by a majority of those present.[2]
The Grand Master (or Lieutenant), the Grand Commander, and at least four other members of the Sovereign Council must be Knights of Justice.[2]
All members of the Sovereign Council, other than the Grand Master, have the honorific address His Excellency (abbreviated H.E.)
Current members
The following are the current members of the Sovereign Council.[3] With the exception of the Lieutenant, they hold office until the next meeting of the Chapter General in 2024.
- H.E. Fra' John T. Dunlap, Lieutenant of the Grand Master
- H.E. Fra' Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas Boas, Grand Commander
- H.E. Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager, Grand Chancellor
- H.E. Dominique Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel, Grand Hospitaller
- H.E. János Count Esterházy de Galántha, Receiver of the Common Treasure
- H.E. Fra' Emmanuel Rousseau
- H.E. Fra' Gottfried von Kühnelt-Leddihn
- H.E. Fra' Roberto Viazzo
- H.E. Winfried Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck
- H.E. Mauro Bertero Gutiérrez
Notes
- ^ Constitutional Charter and Code, Sovereign Order of Malta.
- ^ a b Constitutional Charter, Article 20, Sovereign Order of Malta.
- ^ "Sovereign Council", Sovereign Order of Malta.
