The First Hall of the Civil Court yesterday provisionally upheld an application for a warrant of prohibitory injunction.

The application was filed by Alfred Joseph Baldacchino as Grand Master of the Ordo Byzantinus Sancti Sepulchri against Carmel Sandro Calleja and David Formosa.

Baldacchino asked the court to prohibit respondents from holding an investiture ceremony of new knights in the Order or any other ceremony relating to this Order.

In his application Baldacchino declared that he had been appointed Grand Master for life of this Order by Dimitri Dimitrevich di Russia in December 1986.

Dimitrevich di Russia was the head of the Russian dynasty of Rjurik and was the son of the Grand Duke Basil of Russia.

The Order, Baldacchino said, had been incorporated in 1669.

However, Baldacchino claimed in his application that respondents were abusively and illegally portraying themselves as the Vicar Grand Master of the Order and as the Grand Chancellor of this Order. They were using letterheads carrying the emblems and name of the Order and were holding meetings in Malta.

Furthermore, Baldacchino claimed that Formosa was organising an investiture ceremony that was to take place on March 19 at premises in Valletta and invitations to a number of persons had been issued.

Baldacchino asked the court to issue the warrant of prohibitory injunction on the basis that he would otherwise suffer irremediable harm.

Dr José Herrera and Dr David Camilleri signed the application.