Order of Malta

The traditional annual pilgrimage of the Order to Lourdes saw about 6 000 members, auxiliaries and malades gather in Lourdes. There were groups from 44 countries: the biggest cheers were for the group from Iraq and Syria, who had been able to take part thanks to the support of the French Association. This year's pilgrimage was the first event attended by the new Lieutenant of the Grand Master in his official capacity.

This was the fifty-ninth time that the Order and its protégés assembled in Lourdes to honour our Virgin Mother.  Next year we will celebrate a double jubilee: the 150th anniversary of the appearances of Our Lady, and the sixtieth international pilgrimage of the Order of Malta. The Hungarian Association will celebrate a third jubilee: 1988 was the first year it first took part in the international pilgrimage.

The Hungarian delegation consisted of 18 malades and 39 Knights, Dames and volunteers accompanying them, under the leadership of our confreres László Sárdy and Ágoston Czigler, and the spiritual guidance of Fr. Zoltán Szabó. Our group included persons from the neighbouring countries of the Carpathian basin.

A specially poignant event characterised this year's pilgrimage: the elderly father of one of our confreres did not return home, but was peacefully called to his eternal home under Our Lady's protection from the hospital in Lourdes, attended by his family.