With profound sorrow the Grand Magistry announces the return to the home of the Father of His Excellency the Lieutenant of the Grand Master, Fra’ Marco Luzzago, which took place today in Villa Ciccolini (Sforzacosta, province of Macerata), following a sudden illness. According to Article 17 of the Sovereign Order of Malta’s Constitution, Grand Commander Fra’ Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas-Boas has assumed the functions of Lieutenant ad Interim and will remain at the head of the Sovereign Order of Malta until the appointment of its new high officer.

Fra’ Marco Luzzago was elected to the high office of the Sovereign Order of Malta on 8 November 2020.

Born in Brescia in 1950, after studying with the Franciscan Friars, Fra’ Marco Luzzago studied medicine at the Universities of Padua and Parma before being called to manage the family activities.

He was admitted to the Sovereign Order of Malta in 1975 in the Grand Priory of Lombardy and Venice and in 2003 he took his solemn religious vows. He participated in numerous Order of Malta international pilgrimages to Lourdes and national pilgrimages to Assisi and Loreto.

Since 2010 he had completely dedicated his life to the Order of Malta, moving to the Marche region to manage Villa Ciccolini, one of the Order’s Commanderies. From 2011 he was Commander of Justice in the Grand Priory of Rome. where he held the position of Delegate of the Marche Nord and library director. Between 2017 and 2020 he was a council member of the Order of Malta’s Italian Association.

Upon his election as Lieutenant of the Grand Master in 2020, Poste Magistrali issued a commemorative stamp, and dedicated the postal issue of March 23 last on “Travels and Visits of the Lieutenant of the Grand Master” to him. The Order of Malta’s coin issues for 2020 and 2021 are also named after him.

More information on the Order’s institutional website.