The Grand Hospitaller invites all members of the Order to light a candle on World Leprosy Day (26 January 2025) to signify our commitment to the eradication of Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) across the world and our mission to care for those who have contracted this disease.
International charitable projects
15 January 2022 saw the eruption of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcano, triggering tsunami waves of up to 15m which struck the west coast of Tongatapu, ‘Eua and Ha’apai. The Grand Priory of New Zealand committed the sum of NZD 25,000 [eq. EUR 11,470] to support the people of Tonga; while an international call was made through the Office of the Grand Hospitaller for other jurisdictions to support this assistance. To the jurisdiction’s donation, a further EUR 20,000 were pledged from the Grand Hospitaller's Fund; and EUR 1,000 were pledged by the Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands.
This takes place annually on the last Sunday in January.
The Office of the Grand Hospitaller has encouraged all the jurisdictions to adopt this day as an important day in the Events Calendar
24 February 2022 marked the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since then, many of our jurisdictions have provided significant humanitarian support to the people of Ukraine, working through the on-the-ground humanitarian aid provided by the Grand Bailiff of the Czech Republic and the Grand Priory of Europe Humanitarian Unit (GPEU) or through other organisations. In 2022, the various jurisdictions of the Order donated the sum of EUR1,245,402 and 7,945 volunteer hours to support the Ukrainian victims of war.