On the occasion of the feast day of St. John the Baptist, national day of the Sovereign Order of Malta, the Order’s Embassy in Poland held the traditional Mass at the Field Cathedral of the Polish Army in Warsaw, followed by a reception hosted by Ambassador and Mrs Lorijn at their residence.

Holy Mass was celebrated by His Excellency Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, Apostolic Nuncio to Poland, assisted by Rev. Father Marek Pieńkowski, Chief Chaplain of the Polish Association of the Order of Malta, Rev. Father Jan Słowiński, former Chaplain of the Order’s Headquarters in Rome, and Rev. Father Piotr Zamaria.

The late afternoon reception was attended by c. 80 members of the Chancellery of the President, the Government and the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps and multilateral organisations, as well as members and volunteers of the Order of Malta in Poland.

During his welcome speech, Ambassador Lorijn recalled the significance of the Order’s works, both in the field and on the international stage, to lessen the suffering of those in need. He also mentioned the record number of armed conflicts afflicting the world at present, including the wars in Palestine and Ukraine, the indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets, and the ever-growing number of forcibly displayed persons, thereby highlighting the need for a world system that adheres to the Charter of the United Nations, one that fosters closer bilateral and multilateral cooperation and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. He concluded by thanking the Polish government for the significant financial support received towards the Order’s humanitarian efforts in Moldova and Ukraine over the past decade, and by emphasizing the Order’s desire to continue to further the bilateral cooperation both in Poland and abroad.

To download Ambassador Lorijn’s speech please click Ambassador’s Speech_St John’s Day 2024