Once each year a Priory of Knight of Malta is opened and the Malta Grades are conferred. On this evening no Preceptory is opened beforehand or afterwards. The work of the Priory is to confer the Malta Grades upon Knights who have joined the Preceptory during the preceding season. The fee for becoming a Knight includes the Malta. There is a read-across of many of the Offices of the Preceptory and those of the Priory. The Priory has a completely different uniform to the Preceptory. Many of the Knights choose to wear the uniform of the Preceptory, but many choose to acquire a Malta uniform of tunic, mantle, cap, baldrick, jewel, sword and belt, all of a different design to the Preceptory.
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