Derelitus ACG 2004 Kraków n.

He obtains his office by canonical election and remains in it for nine ten years. The time is computed from one elective chapter to the next elective chapter, disregarding whatever
few months—not, however, more than six months—which fall short of or exceed nine ten years.

1. A general chapter shall be held:
   1. every three years; four years after an elective chapter,
   2. three years after a chapter of diffinitors or a chapter of priors provincial;
   3. 2. whenever the office of Master of the Order falls vacant.
2. A chapter may, if it judges it opportune, call the next chapter within a shorter period of time.

This is the sequence of chapters: the elective chapter, the chapter of diffinitors, the chapter of priors provincial, and so on. A new series of chapters in the aforesaid order begins with the elective chapter even if the election of a Master has to be held before the completion of the nine-year ten-year period.