Giovanni Battista Ceschi a Santa Croce
Encyclopedia
Fra' Giovanni Battista Ceschi a Santa Croce (Trento
, 1827 – Rome
, 24 January 1905) was a leader of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, succeeding Alessandro Borgia
as its lieutenant in 1871, and then being chosen as the 74th Prince
and Grand Master in 1879, a decision approved by pope Leo XIII
on 28 March that year. This made him the Order's first Grand Master after seventy years of lieutenants and a peripatetic existence - this had begun to end with its becoming permanently based in Rome from 1834 onwards (from about 1889 onwards it also had extraterritorial rights). During his tenure, Ceschi initiated the creation of national lay associations of the order, made up of knights who would remain lay people and not take the Order's vows.
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
, 1827 – Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, 24 January 1905) was a leader of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, succeeding Alessandro Borgia
Alessandro Borgia (1783-1871)
Alessandro Borgia was a leader of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, succeeding Filippo di Colloredo-Mels as its lieutenant in 1845....
as its lieutenant in 1871, and then being chosen as the 74th Prince
Prince of the Church
The term Prince of the Church is nowadays used nearly exclusively for Catholic Cardinals. However the term is historically more important as a generic term for clergymen whose offices hold the secular rank and privilege of a prince or are considered its equivalent...
and Grand Master in 1879, a decision approved by pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
on 28 March that year. This made him the Order's first Grand Master after seventy years of lieutenants and a peripatetic existence - this had begun to end with its becoming permanently based in Rome from 1834 onwards (from about 1889 onwards it also had extraterritorial rights). During his tenure, Ceschi initiated the creation of national lay associations of the order, made up of knights who would remain lay people and not take the Order's vows.