The Ambassador of the Sovereign Order, Prince Augusto Ruffo di Calabria, and his wife, Princess Tana, hosted the annual reception for the feast of St John the Baptist on the terrace and inside the Main Hall of St John’s Cavalier, the bastion which houses the Embassy of the Order.

To commemorate the occasion, preceding the reception at the embassy, a concert was held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre with the exceptional participation of acclaimed pianist Gile Bae and  the String Quartet of Milan’s Teatro Alla Scala, Maestri Francesco Manara, Massimo Polidori, Daniele Pascoletti and Simonide Braconi.

Among the distinguished guests , led by President George Vella and Mrs Vella, were Cardinal Prospero Grech, Chief Justice Joseph Azzopardi and Members of the Bench, members of the House of Representatives, among whom Environment Minister José Herrera and Mrs Herrera, heads of various Diplomatic Missions resident in Malta, as well as many prominent personalities both from the business and philanthropic sectors of society. A large number of members of the Maltese Association attended together with their president, Marchesino Daniel de Petri Testaferrata.

From left: Miriam Vella, President George Vella, Prince Augusto Ruffo di Calabria and his wife Princess Tana.