Fort St Angelo mourns resident knight Fra Jean Louis Mainguy
Tributes praise knight's dedication and welcoming presence at the fort
The resident Knight of the Order of St John at Fort St Angelo has died, the Order announced on Friday.
In a joint tribute posted on Facebook, Fort St Angelo together with the Order and Heritage Malta remembered Fra Jean Louis Mainguy, 71, as “a dedicated Knight, a true professional in his work, a devoted Christian, and above all, a remarkable human being”.
The Order said that Fra Jean “fell in love” with Fort St Angelo from the moment he set foot in it and dreamt of seeing it “reach new heights”. He had been resident at the fort for around two years.
An architect by profession, he curated exhibitions and oversaw the restoration and refurbishment of the Magistral Palace, as well as the revitalization of the Crypt.
“Fra Jean, we promise to make your dreams come true, in your honour,” they wrote.
Heritage Malta thanked him for “opening your doors to us” and for his full cooperation.
“You were not only the resident Knight – you were part of our family, part of us,” they added.
In a separate post, Heritage Malta said Fra Jean’s “presence and dedication to the historic legacy of the Order enriched the Fort’s story and inspired all who crossed its threshold”.
The only Lebanese knight, Fra Jean took his three solemn vows as a Professed Knight of the Order in Beirut in 2014, 600 years after the Order of Malta left the Holy Land.
In another social media tribute, French senator Olivier Cadic said Fra Jean was councillor elected to the Assembly of French Abroad from 2006 to 2021, and President of the Union of French Abroad in Lebanon, where he was remembered for his “constant commitment” to his fellow Frenchmen especially those in Lebanon.
Cadic, who had known Fra Jean for 19 years, remembered him as a “man of great independence of mind” who always managed to preserve his integrity and defend his convictions calmly and decisively.