Government

Il Sovrano Ordine Ortodosso di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme , noto come Malta, fu istituito nell’anno 1118 da Raimondo de Podio “Governatore di San Giovanni d’Acri (attuale Città dello Stato di Israele)” ex Generale di Goffredo di Buglione. Ha organizzato la Milizia di San Giovanni, diventando il 1 ^° Maestro. L’Ordine di San Giovanni, oggi, Cavalieri di Malta, è stato istituito per la difesa dei pellegrini di Terra Santa e della civiltà cristiana in Oriente. Dall’anno di nostro Signore 138, in mezzo a tante oppressioni e miserie, alcuni cristiani greci e siriani vivevano a Gerusalemme, vicino al Sepolcro di Cristo, praticando nella loro Chiesa il rito greco. L’Ordine fu subito sovrano, successivamente, nelle isole di Rodi e poi a Malta.L’Ordine è di carattere religioso laico, di natura, tradizionalmente militare, cavalleresco e nobile

Institutes of the Order of Jerusalem
The Order has two Institutes, Hospitality and Militia, a constant tradition of six centuries assures us that Hospitality was established in the first foundation by Rector Gerardo Sasso, the other was solemnly adopted in 1118 by the General Chapter held in Jerusalem under the First Master Raimondo of Podio. The Institute of Hospitality was held by the Order by keeping a large hospital in its convent of Malta open to all kinds of sick people from all the nations that presented themselves. That of the militia has used ships, galleys and troops in continuous action to maintain the trade of all nations in the Mediterranean.

The first Institution of the Government of the Order
The observance of the two Institutes of Hospitality and Militia, of which the Order is constituted, obliged them to put the life of each Knight in permanent danger. The solemn vow of obedience required a blind execution of the orders of the Government, it constituted the superior master complete of all the substances and properties of each individual. According to this model of society, it would be possible to agree on a governmental structure in which each member of the Order would be protected from any abuse of his life and property. None of the three species of government was chosen:

The monarchist, because subject to frequent changes;
The aristocrat, because in a short time you could reduce it;
The Democrat because in all nations, at the time, he became vicious.

The wise legislators of the Order chose a government that closed the three models, considering it more firm and stable, because: one looks at the other, being in the same city, the Principality, the Nobles and the People. The Licurgo system, to which we owe the long term of eight hundred years of the Republic of Sparta, according to the unanimous opinion of the wise partisans of the Order.

Ecumenic Inspiration
The Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, known as the Order of Malta, has developed over the centuries an ecumenical aspiration to respect for all religious practices of Christian and non-Christian inspiration. The concept of ecumenism derives from the conception of the Order which, in way of the profound meaning of the universal message, men of good will must direct their actions towards the promotion of the unity of peoples throughout the world.

Loss of Territory
Napoleon Bonaparte expelled the Knights of the island of Malta. The Order has reorganized and adapted to the new territories. The 95% of the Knights went to Russia, keeping the government of the Order stable. Russia recognized it in this case as a sovereign state without territory, under bilateral agreements and arrangements. The Order is a State, under general international law, the loss of a territory as a result of occupation does not affect the identity and continuity of a State. A state does not automatically cease to exist when it is temporarily deprived of its territory or an effective government. Later, the Order was reconfirmed as a sovereign state without territory by the Treaty of Amiens 1801 – 1802.

Definizione della denominazione attuale dell’Ordine
Il Grand Prieurè Melitense: la definizione esatta di questo acronimo è “Ultimo Dominio dei Cavalieri dell’isola di Malta” anticamente si chiamava Melita, da cui deriva, l’acronimo “Grand Prieurè Melitense”

SOVRANO ORTODOSSO ORDINE MELITENSE DI SAN GIOVANNI DI GERUSALEMME – CAVALIERI DI MALTA