Bishop of Santiago Apóstol de Huancané Appointed Grand Prior of Peru

The Grand Chancellor proposed and oversaw the unanimous decision of the Council of Knights of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem to bestow upon His Excellency the Most Reverend Giovanni Cefai MSSP CMLJ, Bishop of Santiago Apóstol de Huancané, the title of Grand Prior of the Grand Priory of Peru of the Order. His Grace was also bestowed with the Order’s prestigious accolade of Knight of Merit of the Companionate of Merit of the Order for his unparalleled work in favour of the impoverished communities within twenty Peruvian parishes spread across 18,000 square kilometres with a population of around 200,000 people, 85% of which are Catholic.

His diocese is situated in the far flung, jungle areas of Peru under the archdiocese of Arequipa, in the south of Peru. Present for the ceremony was Chev. Lawrence Bonavia KCLJ, Hospitaller of the Grand Priory of Malta and Chev. Mario Calleja KCLJ, Deputy Chancellor of the Grand Priory of Malta. In July this year, Mayor Mario Calleja will be leading a number of our members to Peru so as to offer hands-on assistance in the building of schools in the diocese of Bishop Cefai.