Pope Francis has issued a new constitution for the Order of Malta, appointing a provisional Sovereign Council as part of an ongoing renewal process. The Decree issued at the weekend establishes the new Constitutional Charter and related Melitense Code of the Order, with revocation of the High Offices, and dissolution of the current Sovereign Council, while calling for an Extraordinary Chapter General in January 2023. Pope Francis said the Order has “always enjoyed special protection from the Apostolic See,” and that various popes have “acted to affirm the identity, to maintain operations, to help overcome crises, as well as to guarantee the existence and development” of the Order, including in its rights of sovereignty in the international sphere.