Sovereign Order of Malta. 900 years at the service of the poor and the sick.

Sovereign Order of Malta

At the service of the poor and the sick

T he Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta – better known as the Order of Malta – is

one of the oldest institutions with a mission of care in Western and Christian civilisation. Founded in the 11th century in Jerusalem, the Order of Malta has a history of over 900 years of service to the poor and the sick. Its mission began in its hospitals in Jerusa-lem, Acre and Cyprus, and continued after its move to Rhodes [1310–1522] and to Malta [1530–1798]. In Rhodes and in Malta the Order was the territorial sov­ereign for almost five hundred years, leaving behind a significant medical, cultural and historical legacy for the whole of the Mediterranean area. In 1798, Napo­leon Bonaparte occupied Malta for its strategic value. The Order was forced to leave. In 1834, the Order’s government settled definitively in Rome. In the second part of the 19th century, the original hospitaller mis­sion became once again the main focus of the Order, growing even stronger during the last century, thanks to the activities carried out by its Grand Priories and NationaI Associations in so many countries around the world. On 11th March 2008 Fra’Matthew Festing was elected head of the Sovereign Order of Malta, becom­ing the Prince and 79th Grand Master since the foun­dation of the Order by the Blessed Gerard.

1048 Italian merchants from Amalfi found hospital in Jerusalem.

1099 The Hospitallers, led by Blessed Gerard, care for the sick and pilgrims in the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.

1113 Papal Bull of Pope Paschal II: the Hospitallers becomes a religious order.

Over 900 years of history

Blessed Gerard, founder of the Order, XI century

Sacred Infirmary, Malta

Celebration of 900 years since the papal recognition, 2013

Key events in the Order’s history

T he Sovereign Order of Malta is one of the most ancient Catholic lay religious orders and at the same time it has always been

recognised by nations as an independent subject of international law. The Order’s mission is summed up in its motto: nurturing, witnessing and protecting the faith [tuitio fidei] and serving the poor and the sick [obsequium pauperum].The governmental seat of the Order is in Rome, where it enjoys the privilege of extraterritorial status. The Sovereign Order of Malta exercises functions of sover­eignty, recognised as such by more than 100 States and by the European Union, with which it exchanges ambassadors. It has permanent observer missions at the United Nations (New York, Geneva, Vienna, Paris, Rome, Nairobi, Bangkok), and with the principal inter­national organisations. Its activities around the world are largely facilitated by its diplomatic network, which strengthens its relationships with the governments of the countries in which it operates. Benefitting from all the prerogatives of sovereignty, the Order signs in­ternational cooperation agreements with other states which further facilitates its humanitarian mission. The Order of Malta is neutral, impartial and non-political and does not pursue any economic goal. It does not depend on any other state or government.

1310 After 20 years in Cyprus, the Hospitallers of the Order of St. John conquer Rhodes and transfer there.

1523 The Great Siege of Rhodes: the Hospitallers are forced to abandon the island.

1530 Emperor Charles V cedes the island of Malta to the Hospitallers.

1565 The Order, led by Grand Master Jean de la Vallette, defeats the Ottoman army in the Great Siege of Malta.

Characteristics of the Order

Pope Francis receives Fra’Matthew Festing

Ban Ki-moon with the Ambassador of the Order of Malta at the UN

The Order’s flag flying at the European Commission

The President of the Italian Republic with the Grand Master

L argely decentralised in its interventions, the Order of Malta is permanently present in most countries in the world, both developed

and developing. Its 13,500 members, 80,000 perma­nent trained volunteers and a qualified staff of over 25,000 professionals – most of whom are medical personnel and paramedics – form an efficient net­work that includes everything from hospital work, health and social care and emergency relief for the victims of war or famine, to interventions in areas hit by natural disasters. Hundreds of medical, social and humanitarian projects are carried out every day on five continents. Some of these programmes – run independently or within a framework of partnerships with governments and international agencies – are unique: the medical aid given to African immigrants at their arrival on the Italian coast; healthcare for in­mates in Nairobi’s prisons; help for the homeless on two barges on the Seine in Paris; medical care for the Karen ethnic minority refugees in camps on the Thai­Myanmar border. Emergency or routine, the mission is always the same: to care for the elderly, the disabled, refugees, the homeless, those with terminal illnesses, abandoned children, drug addicts. It is a constant com­mitment to care for those in greatest need, whatever their background or creed.

1798 Napoleon Bonaparte occupies the island and forces the Order to abandon Malta.

1834 The government of the Order of Malta is established in Rome.

1859 The first National Association of the Order is formed in Germany.

1994 The Order is admitted to the United Nations.

Care beyond boundaries

Key events in the Order’s history

International summer camp for disabled, Great Britain

Fight against leprosy, Brazil

Maternity Hospital, Bethlehem

Assistance to the needy, South Africa

H elping victims of armed conflicts consti­tutes one of the traditional missions of the Order of Malta. A mission that in the 20th

century – in particular during the First and Second World Wars – took part in major events and carried out significant emergency and medical aid. The Order’s commitment has continued during many dramatic scenarios of our own times: the crises in the Great Lakes of Africa, in the Balkans, in Lebanon, in Congo, in Iraq, in conflict stricken Darfur, and in the regions of Asia laid waste by the tsunami. More recently, it has worked in Myanmar devastated by cyclone Nargis, in Pakistan struck by serious flooding and in Haiti hit by a catastrophic earthquake. The impact of such events is often concentrated on vulnerable populations. With the objective of reducing poverty and vulnerability, the Order of Malta, through its Priories, National As­sociations, volunteer corps and its international relief agency, Malteser International, provides emergency medical and humanitarian aid all over the world and implements reconstruction programmes and long­term development. The Order of Malta teams stay after others have gone, working with the affected populations to introduce risk reduction measures and undertake disaster preparedness planning.

1997 The Order’s General Chapter approves the new con­stitutional Charter and Code.

2006 The 47th National Asso­ciation is found in Singapore.

2008 Fra’Matthew Festing is elected Prince and 79th Grand Master.

2013 The Order of Malta celebrates 900 years since its recognition by Pope Paschal II.

Intervening in emergencies

Care for Syrian refugees, Turkey

Aid post earthquake, Italy

Humanitarian intervention post typhoon, Philippines

AmericasThe Order of Malta’s activities in North America embrace specialised programmes in health care, home visits to the sick, shel­ter for single mothers and women who have suffered domestic violence. It provides medi­cal care for disadvantaged children and the homeless, and runs soup kitchens and drug programmes. Active in 26 countries in South America, medical services include screen­ing for diabetes, and care in hospitals and homes for the elderly. There are programmes for street children, for HIV­positive mothers and infants, as well as food aid centres for the homeless.

AfricaWith activities in over 30 countries, the Or­der’s projects here concentrate on care for HIV­positive mothers and infants, on treat­ment for malaria, tuberculosis, on providing clean water facilities and health and psycho­sociological care to women victims of vio­lence, as well as basic health care. The Order runs health centres and dispensaries in many rural areas, treats and supports leprosy suf­ferers and cares for internally displaced per­sons fleeing famine or civic conflict.

A symbol of hope in l20 countries

Social assistance, Albania

EuropeThe Order’s Associations in Europe look after the elderly, the lonely, the homeless, and those who are disadvantaged or hand­icapped. They run care homes and trans­port schemes, hospices, hospitals and soup kitchens and provide medical care for dis­placed persons and immigrants, and sum­mer camps for disabled youngsters. They provide first aid at major events, and in emergencies, as well as training sessions for the coming generation of first-aiders. The Order has volunteer corps in 23 coun­tries on the continent.

Middle EastIn the Middle East, the Order of Malta runs a range of outreach and health clinics, and programmes for disabled children in Lebanon. It provides Syrian refugees flee­ing their country with emergency aid and medical care in Lebanon and Turkey. At the Order’s maternity hospital in Bethlehem, 3,000 babies are born each year. The hos­pital is the only possible place for women of the region to give birth under good medical conditions.

Asia PacificDisasters and civil conflicts, as well as dis­aster prevention measures and training, rehabilitation, and support for internally displaced persons and refugees. The Order also runs projects for leprosy sufferers and supports orphaned children. In Australia the Order runs care programmes for the homeless and supports a detoxification centre that provides a refuge for people battling with addiction.

Assistance to HIV/AIDS sufferers, South AfricaIntegration programmes for Dalit population, India

The Order of Malta in BulgariaIn 2014 we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Sovereign Order of Malta and the Republic of Bulgaria, established on 11th November 1994. From 2005 – the year the Embassy in Sofia was open – until May 2014 there were 230 humanitarian and social initiatives carried out in 90 different locations across all regions of the Country.

Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of BulgariaBlvd. Vasil Levski 92 – 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria | Tel. and Fax: +359 2 8439861

Email: [email protected] | Site: www.facebook.com/EmbassySovereignOrderofMaltatoBulgariaOfficial website of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta

www.orderofmalta.int | www.malteser-international.org