Photo The Grand Bailiwick of the Czech Republic is sad to announce the passing of Grand Bailiff Emeritus HE Professor Dr. Ales Bluma DSM, GCLJ on Sunday 14 January 2024.

The Church of the Good Shepherd in Edinburgh was the setting for this year Christmas Carol Service for the Grand Bailiwick.  On a rather wet Sunday 10th December, some 24 members and friends met to worship the Lord at this annual service. The Bailiwick was honoured to have His Excellency Chevalier Ted White, Grand Commander of the Order, in attendance.

GCLJ Gen Basilio Viola, Grand Prior of Italy, writes:“We read every day about violence suffered by women, children and men, perpetrated by violent people lacking morality. One of the many evils that plagues our society, the whole world, and invalidates our personal freedom.” Members of the Grand Priory of Italy, who have always been concerned about these issues, were involved in the self-defence seminar, organized by the CSEN Centre, in Milan on October 7.

Saturday 21 October 2023 was a very special day in the life of the Grand Priory of England & Wales.  As we gathered, in the presence of the Grand Master Emeritus, HH the Duke of Seville, we were preparing not only for our Autumn National Investiture, but to say a formal farewell to our retiring Bailiff, HE the Chevalier Charles Holloway GCLJ, and to welcome his successor, Dr. David Woolf KCLJ (Commander of Wales) to his new position.

On the 8th and 9th of July, an important charity event was held in Pastrengo (Verona, Italy) in support of the ABEO Association https://www.abeo-vr.it/ which specifically cares for haematopoietic and oncological children hospitalised at the Paediatric Oncohaematology Unit of the Donna Bambino Hospital in Verona and their families.

In order to commemorate the Resurrection of Lazarus from Bethany (Saturday April 9, according the Orthodox Church), the Officers of the Hellenic Grand Priory attended the Holy Liturgy of the day in the Church of Agios Sostis in Athens together with members of the Commandery of Athens.

The City of Perth was the venue for this year’s Vigil and Investiture service in Scotland, held over the weekend of Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd of June. Both the Vigil on Friday evening and the Investiture on Saturday took place in St John’s Kirk of Perth, an ancient building dating back to 1126.

The sad news reached us last week of the death of Viscount Gough, who died peacefully on 14 April 2023, at the age of 81, after a short illness. Lord Gough’s funeral was a quiet private affair.

During his recent visit to Malta, H.E. Chev Don Francisco de Borbon Graf von Hardenberg, the Grand Master of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem and Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of the Castello, based at Torri Lanzun in Mensija, San Ġwann, paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency Dr George Vella, the President of Malta. The Grand Master was accompanied by Chev Paul Warren and Chev Carmel Bonello, respectively Commander and Former Commander of the Grand Commandery of the Castello.

The Grand Priory of England and Wales's Spring Investiture was held on Saturday 15th April 2023 at the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England. At 11.00am prompt, the procession entered the Church to the splendid organ voluntary ‘Tuba Tune, Op. 15’ by Craig Sellar Lang.