On 19 November 2024, the Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of Austria, H.E. DI Sebastian Prinz von Schoenaich-Carolath, was admitted to advance to the 2nd Class of the Order. The admission took place during a solemn service in the Malteser Church in Vienna, which was led by Conventual Chaplain h.c. Albin Scheuch. By taking this step, the Ambassador, who has been a member of the Order since 1989, has strengthened his bond with the Order by taking the so-called ‘pledge of obedience’ to the Grand Prior of Austria, Fra’ Gottfried Kühnelt-Leddihn, on behalf of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta. Ambassador Schoenaich-Carolath is therefore, in the terminology of the Order, ‘in obedience’ with immediate effect and thus belongs to the 2nd Class of the Order.

While the Third Class consists of lay members who do not profess religious vows or the Promise, but who live according to the principles of the Church and of the Order, the Second Class, by virtue of the Promise of Obedience, are committed to living according to Christian principles and the inspiring principles of the Order and hence represents a much stronger commitment to the Order of Malta.

Amongst all members of the Order, there exists also a First Class, who are Knights of Justice, or Professed Knights, and the Professed Conventual Chaplains, who have made vows of “poverty, chastity and obedience aspiring to perfection according to the Gospel”. They are religious according to Canon Law but are not obliged to live in community.