馬爾他主權騎士團900週年慶
馬爾他主權騎士團900週年慶
【Comment】
It is the 900th anniversary since the Papal recognition of Sovereignty of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.從教宗在1113年承認馬爾他騎士團的主權後，至今正好900年。
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馬爾他騎士團梵蒂岡慶900歲誕辰◎BBC（2013.02.10）http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/trad/world/2013/02/130210_knights_of_malta.shtml
馬爾他騎士團慶祝成立900週年，在梵蒂岡獲羅馬天主教教宗本篤十六世接見。
始創於中世紀的馬爾他騎士團是極少數至今仍然活躍的騎士團，目前騎士團在全球120個國家和地區以國際人道組織的身份運作。
教宗星期六（2月9日）向來自全球100多個國家的1000餘名騎士與女爵士發表演說時，讚揚騎士團是「福音的愛的有效表達與鮮活見證」。
BBC駐羅馬記者威利指出，馬爾他騎士團正設法擺脫其「歐洲富裕貴族俱樂部」的形像，尋找新血領導其全球工作。
馬爾他騎士團於1048年由一群歐洲貴族十字軍創辦，專門照顧前往耶路撒冷途中生病的朝聖者，於1113年得到時任羅馬教宗帕斯卡二世的承認。
馬爾他騎士團曾以地中海馬耳他島為基地，1789年被法國軍事強人拿破崙驅逐後，成為沒有領土的主權實體，以羅馬為基地。
馬爾他騎士團目前具備聯合國觀察員身份，並與梵蒂岡、意大利、俄羅斯、菲律賓和東帝汶等104個國家建交。
北京並不承認馬爾他騎士團的主權實體地位；台北承認騎士團的地位，但並未建交。
去年9月，馬爾他騎士團總理兼外務大臣馬澤裏對台灣進行了官式訪問，馬澤裏當時表示有意在台灣設立辦事處。
Knights of Malta Catholic order celebrates 900 years◎BBC（2013.02.10）http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21388516
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The Knights of Malta military order of the Catholic church - which dates back to the time of the Crusades - has celebrated its 900th birthday in Rome. The order is one of the few created in the Middle Ages that is still active. It has now become a major international humanitarian organisation. The order says that its battles today are no longer fought with swords, but with "peaceful tools against disease, poverty, social isolation as well as protecting the faith". It was officially recognised by Pope Paschal II in February 1113.
Poverty, chastity and obedience
More than 1,000 knights and dames from more than 100 countries - all dressed in flowing black robes bearing their order's distinctive eight-pointed cross on their shoulders - walked in procession into St Peter's Basilica.
Continue reading the main story
The Knights of Malta
- Believed to have been formed around 1048
- Also known as Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem
- Founder was called Blessed Gerard
- All members are expected to conduct their lives in an "exemplary manner"
- They must live in conformity with the teachings of the Catholic Church
- They must also devote themselves to humanitarian assistance
- Ancient Knights in modern world
They attended a Mass led by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. At the end of the ceremony, the knights were addressed by Pope Benedict XVI who congratulated them for their charitable work among the sick and the poor.
"Your esteemed and beneficent activity, carried out in a variety of fields and in different parts of the world... is not mere philanthropy, but an effective expression and a living testimony of evangelical love," the pontiff said.
The current Grand Master of the Order, Briton Matthew Festing, told the BBC: "It's interesting that a small band of Crusaders has expanded into this huge worldwide organisation.
"The reason we've survived is because we have changed from knights in armour to what we are now in the 21st Century. We are still doing what we did then, looking after the sick."
The order was originally founded by a group of aristocratic European Crusaders who looked after sick pilgrims in Jerusalem in the 12th Century, when they received official papal recognition. Centuries later, they were chased from their headquarters in Malta by Napoleon and now have their headquarters in an ancient palace in the smartest and most fashionable shopping area of central Rome.
Today they run hospitals and humanitarian operations in more than 120 countries. Our correspondent says that the order is eager to shed its image as a club for wealthy European aristocrats and is now searching for new talent to continue its worldwide mission.
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