Annual service of the Lazarite Grand Priories

The congregation during the thanksgiving service at the Basilica of St Dominic in Valletta.

The Grand Priories of Malta and Gozo under the United Grand Priories of the Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem organised their 18th annual service at the Basilica of St Dominic in Valletta.

The United Grand Priories are an international Lazarite confraternity of Christian organisations in 46 regions worldwide, with more than 14,000 members and officers. The confraternity is duly registered within the UN. In Malta, the Grand Priories operate the St Lazarus Foundation, a registered voluntary NGO, which to date has distributed some €200,000 worth of donations locally since its inception 11 years ago.

The annual service was conducted by the Fr Michael Xuereb, chaplain of Gozo, and a number of international officers from Scotland and South Africa flew over for the event.

Delegations from a number of countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, England, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Scotland, South Africa, Ukraine and the US were also present for the service.

After the service, around 38 new and old members joined the organisation and/or received promotions; a number of donations were also announced, namely to the Malta Girl Guide Association, the Special Rescue Group and other NGOs, including more voluntary outreach programmes within the St Vincent de Paul Residence for the elderly.

The composition of the new committee for 2013-2014 was also announced at the reception held afterwards at the Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian’s, where the guest of honour was the Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties Helena Dalli.