During the international pilgrimage of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Lourdes, which took place from 1 to 5 May 2025, the Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of Austria, H.E. DI Sebastian Prince von Schoenaich-Carolath, met the Grand Master of the Order, Fra’ John T. Dunlap. Traditionally, the Grand Master accompanies the Order’s pilgrimage to Lourdes, in which more than 3,000 MALTESER pilgrims from all over the world take part.
Ambassador Prince von Schoenaich-Carolath travelled to Lourdes as a delegate of the MALTESER Hilfsdienst Deutschland (Maltese Relief Service Germany). Before his accreditation as Ambassador, he held numerous positions of responsibility within the MALTESER Hilfsdienst Deutschland and the German Association of the Order. He uses the pilgrimage to Lourdes every year to actively provide care services for sick and mobility-impaired pilgrims and supports them during the journey, which lasts several days. “It makes no difference what rank we hold within the Order of Malta when it comes to serving the sick and needy. We all wear the same uniform – we have all made the same promise, namely to actively combat the ‘Eightfold Misery’ in the world – sickness and hunger, homelessness and abandonment, lack of love and indifference, as well as guilt and unbelief,” he affirms.
The Ambassador also used the pilgrimage to Lourdes to discuss with the Grand Master the current status of projects made possible by the Order of Malta’s international diplomacy. Together with the Archbishop of Salzburg, H.E. Franz Lackner, Ambassador Schoenaich-Carolath has established a monitoring centre for Human Trafficking in Austria. “As a historic link between East and West, Austria remains a hotspot for international Human Trafficking. This is a despicable crime against humanity that has developed into a major industry, ranging from sex slavery and harvest labour to factory work and the construction industry. Billions of euros are involved. Tracing these financial flows is one way to combat international Human Trafficking,” said Ambassador Schoenaich-Carolath.
