In the desire to express the most sincere gratitude for providing spiritual assistance to the activities and works of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Albania,  His Excellency the late Lieutenant of Grand Master Fra’ Marco Luzzago and the Sovereign Council decided on the 6th of April to confer the Cross pro piis meritis pro Merito Melitensi to the former Director of Caritas Albania, Rev. Father Antonio Leuci.

On the occasion of the National Feast of Albania, November 28, Ambassador Stefano Palumbo conferred the high honour on father Leuci in the presence of His Most Reverend Excellency Msgr. Luigi Bonazzi, Apostolic Nuncio in Albania, and His Most Reverend Excellency Msgr. Ottavio Vitale, Bishop of Lezhë, at the Apostolic Nunciature in Tirana.

Ambassador Palumbo thanked Father Antonio Leuci for his deep respect and special attention in supporting the activities of the Order in this land, helping in every possible way the volunteer’s organization in Shkodër and Lezha by facilitating customs clearance procedures, supporting the activities of the Embassy with constant respect and profound esteem for towards our Sovereign Order, allowing the Albanian Organization of the Order of Malta to rank among the main Catholic organizations in Albania.