Grand Officers – Elect due to Postponement of the International Lazarite Symposium (March 2020)
The Supreme Grand Prior-Elect, HIRH Sandor Habsburg-Lothringen; The Grand Vicar-Elect, HIRH Herta Margarete Habsburg-Lothringen; The Grand Chancellor-Elect, HE Massimo J Ellul
The Deputy Grand Chancellor-Elect, HE Charles McWilliams; The Grand Secretary General-Elect, HE Steven Groeneveld; The Grand Marshall-Elect, the Chev. Peter Neuen
The Grand Receiver General-Elect, the Chev. Thomas Nash; the Grand Almoner-Elect, the Chev. John Ogden; the Grand Registrar-Elect, the Chev. James Schutz
The Grand Hospitaller-Elect, the Chev. Benjamin Anguiera; The Grand Geneologist, the Chev. Daniel Bugeja; Aides de Camp for the office of the Grand Chancellor, the Chev. Stefan Andras; the Chev. Robert Vella
As is known, the Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem intended to organise its International Lazarite Symposium in Malta during the month of April 2020. Delegates from more than 36 different jurisdictions within our Order registered as participants for this unique event and the hundreds of delegates from around the world were looking forward to coming together during this event and celebrate together the 25th Anniversary since the founding of the United Grand Priories in the United Kingdom in 1995. This event was officially announced in October of last year.
In the meantime, the Corona virus outbreak hit various countries, starting in China and making its way throughout most continents and countries. In a matter of days, COVID 19 became an international pandemic with all major countries enforcing severe travel and mobility restrictions.
Therefore, due to the above circumstances, we are announcing that the International Lazarite Symposium will be postponed - not cancelled - to a later date during this year 2020. We will be announcing the new dates as soon as the Maltese authorities lift the travel sanctions to and from Malta. Whilst apologizing for this postponement, we are sure that everyone understands that the situation was beyond our control.
In the meantime, the Supreme Grand Council is issuing the list of Grand Officers - Elect which will be leading the Order and its jurisdictions in the coming years. The Grand Officers will be solemnly invested in the Symposium later this year. However, for administrative purposes, and due to the fact that there was no contest for the various positions within the Supreme Grand Priory, the official list of Grand Officers - Elect is as follows:
| Position | Grand Officer | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|---|
| Supreme Grand Prior | HIRH Sandor Habsburg-Lothringen | LI |
| Grand Vicar | HIRH Herta Margarete Habsburg-Lothringen | AT |
| Grand Chancellor | HE Massimo J Ellul | MT |
| Deputy Grand Chancellor | HE Charles McWilliams | SKN |
| Grand Secretary | HE Steven Groeneveld | SA |
| Grand Marshall | The Chev. Peter Neuen | DE |
| Grand Receiver General | The Chev. Thomas Nash | CA |
| Grand Almoner | The Chev. John Ogden | IM |
| Grand Registrar | The Chev. James Schutz | DO |
| Grand Hospitaller | The Chev. Benjamin Anguiera | PR |
| Grand Genealogist | The Chev. Daniel Bugeja | MT |
| Aide de Camp | The Chev. Stefan Andras | HU |
| Aide de Camp | The Chev. Robert Vella | MT |
The Order witnessed immense growth and Hospitaller initiatives during the tenure of the Supreme Grand Prior, H.E. Richard Comyns of Ludston. Born in February 1933, the Supreme Grand Prior was one of the leading forces within the various Lazarite initiatives in Scotland and on the international circuit since the early seventies. As one of the founding fathers of the United Grand Priories of the Order in 1995, he was instrumental in ensuring that the first quarter century of the Order's history would be a success story from beginning to end.
This year (2020), the baton of leadership of the Order is being passed to a new Supreme Grand Prior and Royal Protector of the Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem. His Imperial Royal Highness Sandor Habsburg-Lothringen, Archduke of Austria and Prince of Tuscany, will be invested as the Supreme Grand Prior of the United Grand Priories of the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem in the International Lazarite Symposium later this year.
Sandor Habsburg-Lothringen is the elder son of Dominic Habsburg-Lothringen, also known as Dominic von Habsburg (born 4 July 1937, Sonnberg, Lower Austria). Both are members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, with the father also known by his ancestral titles as Archduke Dominic of Austria, Prince of Hungary, Bohemia, and Tuscany. Sandor Habsburg-Lothringen gained the title of Prinz von Toskana on the 7th January 2008 and the title of Erzherzog von Osterreich on the 21st of March 2010. Sandor’s grandparents from his father's lineage were Archduke Anton of Austria (1901-1987) and Princess Ileana of Romania (1909-1991).
He was born in Vienna, Austria, on the 13th February, 1965 and is a direct descendent of Maria Theresa - Empress of Austria, Catherine the Great - Empress of Russia, and of Queen Victoria of Great Britain.
On behalf of the newly elected Supreme Grand Priory, we congratulate our Supreme Grand Prior-Elect and look forward with anticipation for the next productive years of our international Lazarite confraternity which, whilst emulating its medieval namesake, is now under the royal protection of one of the oldest regal dynasties in Europe.