The order's Sovereign Council in Rome on Saturday accepted the resignation of Grand Master Fra' Matthew Festing, who had sacked the order's foreign minister, Albrecht von Boeselager. The minister was removed as grand chancellor following revelations that condoms were distributed in Myanmar under his watch.
But the Vatican intervened on the minister's behalf.
On Saturday, the council scrapped the disciplinary procedures launched against von Boeselager, who immediately resumed his post, a statement from the Knights of Malta said. The Knights say Francis in his letter Friday stressed the order's sovereignty.
The sovereignty tussle was a touchy matter, since the Vatican is a sovereign entity as is the Knights of Malta order. Each side has diplomatic relations with scores of countries worldwide.
Until Festing's successor is elected, Fra' Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein serves as its interim leader. Francis in his letter noted that the interim leader "assumes responsibility over the Order's government, in particular regarding relationships with other States."
But the pontiff also made clear his special delegate "will be operating on the spiritual renewal" of the order, according the statement.
The statement also said it would "ensure its full collaboration with the Special Delegate whom the Holy Father intends to appoint."
Earlier in the week, Festing met with the pope and said he would resign, after losing an internal power struggle. The Vatican said Francis had accepted his resignation.
(AP)
In this June 23, 2016 file photo, Pope Francis, flanked at left by Grand
Master of the Knights of Malta Matthew Festing, stands during a family
photo at the Vatican. The Knights of Malta is still insisting on its
sovereignty in its showdown with the Vatican, even after Pope Francis
effectively took control of the ancient religious order and announced a
papal delegate would govern it through a "process of renewal."