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Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John

The Sovereign Order of the Hospitaller Knights of Saint John was founded in Jerusalem, in 1176 by Master Gioberto, Prince of the dynasty Frigia d’Amorio.

This Order initially constituted a branch of the Gerosolimitani Orders, but under the lash of the pressing historical events the Order defined itself with its own independent, independent and corporate foundation.

Under the guidance of this enlightened highly inspired philanthropic Prince, who honourably combined his Christian life with the warrior fervour of the, dynasty and with an innate sense of charity, he subjected the Order to the imperial and royal protection of the Sovereign House of Byzantium.

Gioberto also placed the Order under the patronage of St. John and made an oath of obedience with other Knights to the rule he compiled

These high ideals of brotherhood, liberty, justice and ecumenism were the foundation of the Order subdivided by the following Spiritual guidelines and symbol:

1.    Ecumenical, to encourage, promote and join the Ecumenical spirit;

2.    Hospitaller, to fight the invisible enemies such as leprosy and all the illnesses, which decimated the pilgrims and the Crusaders in the lands of Galilee, Judea and Samaria.

3.    Knights, to fight the enemies and to protect the holy land.

This spirit tended to reach a certain religious and humanitarian purpose, modeled on the virtues of any religion, and in this lies the substantial difference with the other Knighthood Orders, mostly military.

The Order continued its perennial journey of solidarity with the needy and the oppressed, and its glorious existence was marked by chronological succession in the Grand Magisterium of the princes of imperial and royal blood of the Casa d’Amorio and Galizia, Byzantine imperial Dynasty.

The Order never had the need to seek asylum under the protection of political or pontifical powers and, for its peculiar extra ecclesiam ecumenical spirit, continued its unceasing work over the centuries through its obedient, devoted and God-fearing Knights.

In the year of grace 1922, to implement the purposes and prepare new statutes more in keeping with the spirit of the times, complete dignitaries and Grand Magisterium were solemnly gathered in Alessano, in that of Lecce, where, under Augusta guide of Luigi Cesario Spiridione, Grand Master of the Sovereign Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John, the proposals were formalized, the articles discussed and the new constitutions were accepted and approved.

The Order thus assumed - through literal aggregation - the renewed name of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta.

In 1962, aware of the grave responsibilities to him deriving from hereditary right, His Imperial Highness the Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Paleologo of Aragon, as descendant for straight line masculine of Michele II of Amorio the Balbo, Roman Emperor of East and founder of the Imperial Dynasty Frigia of Amorio and Galizia, decided in due legal formalities, faithful to the very ancient and noble traditions of his illustrious House already reigning in Byzantium; guided by sentiments of the greatest piety towards the immortal memory of his Augusti Ancestors and of Gioberto, Master Prince-founder of the Order; having regard to its indisputable rights and privileges of seniority on all the other branches of the Sovereign House of Amorio and Galizia; to give a worthy continuation and splendor to the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta, assuming the Sovereign Grand Magisterium, constituting a new Chapter and dictating regulatory norms of the same.

On the assumption that the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta is the private patrimony of the Frigia and d’Amorio Dynasty, porphyrogenised and native, in whose veins flows the blood of the Byzantine Emperors who wrote shining in the Eastern Roman Empire pages of history, and that, therefore, the descendants possess the prerogatives for a well-founded dynastic begging independently of Governments, States and Crowns on the Throne or of pretense, His Impirial Highness the Grand Master Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Palaeologus of Aragon is Authority which legitimately competes the jus honorum, that is the right to reward and confer chivalrous honors to whom, for particular merits, is considered worthy, and to invest others of the power to grant such honors.

With Imperial Decree 10/17/2001, H.I.H. Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Paleologo of Aragon, Imperial Prince of Byzantium, exponent as such of Dynasty recognized with all the titles, rights and honors and privileges, by the Italian Magistracy with judgments pass in what is judged, by the grace of God and by dynastic law, the undisputed heir and Grand Master of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta, expressed before the notary his solemn and irrevocable will to appoint H.S.H. the Prince Don Peter Joseph Iossif - for the Grand Chancellor and Grand Cross of Justice of the aforementioned Order - as Grand Master ad vitam of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta, to replace him definitively as head of the aforementioned Order and in the aforementioned Government of the Order to replace His Augusta person.

Consequently, all the powers inherent to the Authority and Supreme Dignity of the Sovereign Prince Grand Master were assumed and accepted by H.S.H. Prince Don Peter Joseph Iossif without limitation either in the prerogatives or in the appointments, promotions and assignments of any knightly title or office Head of the Order itself, with the faculty to issue, through the Registry, the Decrees and the relative Letters Patent.

These rights and powers are also valid for his legitimate heir’s and/or adoptive children and in special cases,  by right of succession.

This irrevocable determination of  H.I.H., long thought out, is granted in the supreme interest of the Order but above all because Prince Don Peter Joseph Jossif has constantly shown a natural and marked predisposition of heart, of mind and mind to cultural issues and human solidarity, as well as the careful government of the Order, unexceptionably and impeccably complied with up to that time.

These ideals and activities - in chivalrous intentions - expression of high solidarity of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of Saint John - Knights of Malta, want to materialize in the merit and work of those who truly believe and love those universality of values ​​that preside over the chivalrous spirit, combined with that solemn tribute to the History of the Homeland and to the Ecumenical Spirit but, above all, to the people of God and to his best children, who, through the infinite spaces of time and their alternating vicissitudes, renew the ancient virtues, thus creating, through the deserved teachings and authentic moral nobility, that ethical value that from the white octagon redeeming cross of the nine beatitudes flows.

In the Amoroso Dynasty Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Paleologo d’Aragona flows the blood of six distinguished dynasties (with the only exception of praised d’Aragona who obtained recognition with a diploma 11-06-1500 from King Federico d’Aragona) they descended as legitimate heirs from Imperial Byzantine and the Roman Emperor of the East, Michele II (Balbo) from 820 to 829.

This was also sanctioned by the Bull 16-04-1464 of Pope Pius II, addressed to the Imperial Prince Ruggiero, in which we read that "in view of your imperial origin, that is, your descent in a straight masculine line from the Eastern Roman Emperor Michele II Balbo d'Amorio, whose dynasty, by an inalienable and imprescriptible right of legitimacy, you today jure sanguinis and which unquestionably represents the head of your house, we have decided to declare and recognize you titular emperor of Constantinople, even if lacking territorial power, with the right of succession in your legitimate and natural descendants in perpetuity according to the laws of the Eastern Roman Empire, with all the honors, rights and privileges to such imperial dignity relevant, not excluding the right of majesty and the right of honors, that is that of rewarding and honoring merit and charity, in you, as well as in your successors in perpetuity ”.

Such union, in a single name and in a single lineage, inherits and legitimizes the historical continuity of each of them and creates a clear and homogeneous genealogical synthesis by chronological linearity and authentic affinity of blood and sovereign tradition.

The unbinding unitary of the successions up to the heirs and the actual depositaries, puts into effect constitutes them in historical and human testimony of one distinguished class.

The Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta assumed this denomination on November 21, 1922, following the approval of the new Statute of the Order by the will of H.I.H, Prince Don Luigi Cesario Spiridione, who thus modified the old, original designation of the Sovereign Ecumenical Order of St. John.

In 1962, H. I. H. Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Palaeologus of Aragon, in his capacity as Imperial Prince of Byzantium, etc. etc., and of legitimate descendant of Dynasty recognized with past judgments in what judged he indisputable heir, by the grace of God and by dynastic law, of the Imperial dynasty Frigia of Amorio and Galizia, assumed the position of Sovereign Grand Master of the Ecumenical Order San Giovanni Hospital - Knights of Malta.

On this august occasion, the new Sovereign Grand Master renewed the Chapter and issued a new Statute of the Order, to adapt the discipline to the normative evolution of independent knightly Orders.

To H.I.H. Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Palaeologus of Aragon, as a direct and legitimate descendant of Michael II the Balbus, Roman Emperor of the East and founder of the Imperial dynasty Phrygia of Amorio and Galizia and Sovereign of Constantinople from 820 to 829, it is also the fons honorum with reference to the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta, whose founder in Jerusalem and first Grand Master was, in 1176, Gioberto, a descendant of the Frigia dynasty of Amorio and Galizia.

The prerogatives of the Crown are summarized in the jus imperii, that is to say in the power of political command; in the jus gladii, or in the power of civil and military command; in the jus majestatis, that is, in the right to respect and to the honors of rank; in the jus honorum, meaning with this attribute the personal right to reward merit, virtue and charity, with titles, decorations and privileges, of meritorious persons towards the person and family of the Sovereign as well as towards the State.

The Sovereign, albeit dispossessed or even in the case of constitutional delegation of his powers to the people, continues to preserve the right to jus honorum for himself and for his descendants. The prerogative of the fons honorum remains the basis of sovereign attributions and the object of lawful exercise, and constitutes for each Sovereign Head of Family a hereditary and transmissible personal right to descent even if he is deprived of territorial power, because the pretender to the throne cannot be stripped of its sovereign quality, which prevails to infinity and remains unchanged and imprescriptible, in time and space, being regulated in succession in the same way as an inexhaustible hereditary good.

In the hypothesis in which a Sovereign has lost the power of empire on his own territory due to circumstances to which he had to bend due to force majeure - that is in the case of a Sovereign not defeated - he and his descendants remain in the right of pretension to the exercise of power effective in the territory of which they were deprived.

The exercise of this right, in which the jus imperii and the jus gladii are identified, undergoes a practical suspension for reasons of public order, while it is allowed to exercise the jus majestatis and the jus honorum, since they are abstract and formal activities that do not involve any political disturbance for the State in which the Sovereign resides, that hosts it or of which he may be a citizen.

The qualification of Prince natus or Prince of Blood therefore entails the legitimization of the conferral of noble titles and chivalrous honors relating to the Collation Orders and hereditary family titles as a manifestation of the fons honorum and the jus majestatis, characterizing only the Chiefs of Dynasties already reigning ousted from the throne without having suffered the debellatio.

The Bascapè, already Ordinary at the University of the Sacred Heart of Milan, wrote in fact that "the princely Family, already sovereign, always has the character of a dynasty, and its Head retains the title and attributes of the last Sovereign dispossessed with the name of 'suitor'. This is not a private princely family, but always an ancient dynasty that, as such, would continue to distribute appointments. "

The above mentioned legal principles alone are enough to ensure that the Chief of arms and name of the Imperial House of Amoriense possesses the prerogative to confer as such and as Sovereign Grand Master the dynastic Orders pertaining to him, titles and honors. This innate prerogative has been repeatedly confirmed by Sovereigns and Popes with diplomas and bubbles whose authenticity was recognized by judicial expertise and sanctioned by multiple judges of the Italian magistracy.

We can mention the Diploma of Baldovino I, Latin Emperor, of the East, 18-03-1205; the Diploma 22-08-1259 of Baldovino II; the Papal seal 02-02-1206 of Pope Innocenzo III, the Papal seal 16-03-1464 of Pope Pio II; the ordinance 22-09-1860 of Francesco II, King of the two Sicily.

Gioberto, born in Jerusalem around the year 1132, was the VII Grand Master of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem from 1173 to 1177, today Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), and founded in 1176, under the lash of historical events at that time the Sovereign Ecumenical Order of Saint John was pressing.

This Order had an autonomous, independent militia foundation, and its institution pursued the aim of encouraging and uniting the ecumenical spirit, because the words of the Savior - "Be in me as I am in my Father" - remained alive and actual, and to promote unification (or at least a practical rapprochement) among Christians of every confession.

The Order was placed under the patronage of St. John, and Gioberto shook the original Knights, who with him at the head were thirteen in number, within a rule of obedience, condensing the symbolic and highly evocative spirit of the chivalrous epic in color graceful purity - the white of the cross - and of martyrdom, the red field.

The sign is a bifurcation white cross in a red field, it’s characteristic four wings that stand out like the cardinal virtues became to be known as (prudence, justice, strength and temperance), the centre, where the octagonal converges is blessings, the nine blessings:

1.    Blessed are you who are poor, or yours is the kingdom of

god;

2.    Blessed are the meek, they will own the Earth;

3.    Blessed are those who cry, they will be consoled;

4.    Blessed are those who are thirsty and hungry for justice; they will be filled;

5.    Blessed are the merciful, because they shall find mercy;

6.    Blessed are the pure at heart, as they shall see God;

7.    Blessed are the peaceful, as they shall be called God’s children;

8.    Blessed are those who are persecuted; theirs is the Kingdom of heaven;

9.    Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man, Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.

The Knights wore a very long velvet crimson cloak, bordered with gold and the lined inside with white silk the coat of arm is placed on the right hand side. The knights take an oath of loyalty with a defined formula, which is an embroided bag with the family coat of arms, filled with soil from the birth land, it’s deposited in the church where the initiation takes place; it shall remain there until its last trace. The Knights have the duty to be loyal and defend the Grand Master, to drive back with arms the enemies who want to harm the holy sites and fight for the faith.

The Sovereign Ecumenical Order of St. John, initially confined to members of ancient nobility, was later extended to meritorious and illustrious Knights by deeds and virtues, with certain obligations and conditions of at least conjugal chastity and birth by Christian parents. Thus it endured for centuries in its double hospital mission and defense of Christian ecumenical civilization, thus preserving the dignity of the institution

Gioberto the heir of the Byzantine Empire through his farther Nicola (born in Bari around the year 1101, transferred to Jerusalem following the crusades), and so on leading to, Giovanni (b. in Bari two 1068); Puerto (b. in Bare around 1042); Amorutzios (b. in Bari around 1006); Caloianne (b. in Bari a round. 972);  Geronimo (b. in Bari around 938); Passaro (b. in Bari around 900); Michele (b. in Bari around 877); Costantino (b. in Bisanzio towards 840 seeks refuge in Bari after the accession to the throne of the Macedonian dynasty, died around 902); Teofilo (Emperor of the East from’ 829 all’842); Michele II Balbo (Emperor of the East, from 829 to 829).

The II Grand Master of the Ecumenical Order of Saint John was Giovanni (b. in Bari around 1130), heir of Gioberto as died without any offspring that could succeed him therefore his heir was his nephew, son of Mele (b. in Bari around 1099), always from the same Imperial Byzantine a Frigia d’Amorio and Galizia dynasty was Nicola’s brother, father of Gioberto.

Giovanni was succeeded by the Crusader Prince Aminado or Aminade de Amerusio (b. in Bari around 1167), III Grand Master of the Sovereign Ecumenical Order of Saint John and I Grand Master of the Military and Hospitaller Order of San Giovanni d'Acrì and San Tommaso, which he founded on 12 January 1205 in the city of Acrì, the ancient Tolemaide (now St. John d’Acrì). This Order was approved by Pope Innocent III with Bull 02-02-1206 entitled Zelo Sollicitudine Curisque Tuis and, following the historical events in the Holy Land - the conquest of Palestine by the Turks, which took place on 2 October 1187 - was aggregated (as reported from the Abbot Giustinian) to that of St. John of Jerusalem, who took refuge together with the other Orders in St. John d’Acrì.

The IV Grand Master of the Sovereign Ecumenical Order of Saint John and II Grand Master of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John d’Acrì and San Tommaso was John (II Grand Master of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John d'Acrì and St. Tommaso, born in Bari around 1193), which was succeeded by Bonusmiro (respectively V and III Grand Master, b. in Bari around 1248, son of Aminado - b. in Bari around 1223 - and nephew of Giovanni).

The VI and IV Grand Master was Mazziotto (b. in Bari around 1250), then Nicola (VII e V Grand Master, b. in Bari around 1254, previous brother).

The VIII and VI Grand Master of the two Orders was Benenato (born in Bari around  1280), followed by Sergio (IX e VII Grand Master, (born in Amalfi around 1311) and Iacopo (X e VIII Grand Master, (b. in Amalfi around 1343).

Francesco (b. In Amalfi around 1364) and Ruggiero (b. in Amalfi around 1394) were the XI (and IX) and XII (and X) Grand Master of the Ecumenical Orders and of Acrì. Nicola (b. in Naples around 1460, son of Giovanni and nephew of Ruggiero) was the XIII and the XI Grand Master. After Ferdinand, XIV and XII Grand Master (b. in Naples around 1504, son of Francesco - b in Naples around 1458 - and nephew of Nicola), there was Aminado (son of Giovanni and nephew of Ferdinando), XV and XIII Grand Master from 1589 to 1595

Giovanni Ferdinando, son of Aminado, was XVI and XIV Grand Master from 1595 to 1620, and Carlo Augusto, son of Giovanni Ferdinando was XVII and XV Grand Master from 1620 to 1635. Costanzo Vittorio (from 1635 to 1684) and Donato Alberto (from 1684 to 1722), respectively son and nephew and direct descendent of Carlo Augusto, were the XVIII (XVI) and XIX (XVII) Grand Master.

Filippo Augusto (from 1722 to 1744) and Carmine Mattia (from 1744 to 1762), son and nephew of Donato Alberto were the XX and XXI (XVIII & XIX) Grand Masters.

The XXII Grand Master of del Sovereign Ecumenical Order of Saint John and the XX Grand Master of the Hospitaller and Military Order of Saint John d’Acrì and Saint Thomas was Ippazio Alessandro Filippo (from 1762 to 1779, son of Carmine Mattia).

Vito Nicola Carmine (from 1779 to 1821), Felice Vito (from 1821 to 1881) and Salvatore (from 1881 and 1899, son, nephew e great-grand child nephew direct descended of Ippazio Alessandro Filippo), were respectively the XXIII, XXIV and XXV Grand Master (& XXI, XXII & XXIII).

Luigi Cesario Spiridione (from 1899 to 1931, XXIV and last of this line of the Military and Hospitaller Order of San Giovanni d'Acrì and San Tommaso), son of Salvatore, was the XXVI Grand Master of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta, named after the statutory changes made on 21 November 1922.

Salvatore (from 1931 to 1962), son of Luigi Cesario Spiridione, was the XXVII Grand Master.

His Imperial Highness Prince Francesco (from 1962 to 2001), son of Salvatore, was the XXVIII Grand Master Sovereign Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of Saint John – Knights of Malta (and the last from the Imperial Frigia d’Amorio and Galizia Dynasty).

H.S.H. Prince Don Peter Joseph Iossif, by notarial deed signed on 17 October 2001, was designated by His Imperial Highness Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Paleologo of Aragon, Sovereign Grand Master of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of Saint John - Knights of Malta.

H.S.H. Prince Don Peter Joseph Iossif, for the Grand Chancellor and Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of Saint John - Knights of Malta, was therefore legitimately succeeded by H.I.H Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Paleologo of Aragon in all the rights, sovereign and perpetually transferable, inherent to this Order, without any limitation either in the sovereign prerogatives or in the appointments, promotions and assignments of any knightly title or charge due to the Sovereign Grand Master in relation to the Order same.

This also applies to your legitimate descendants and / or adopted children and with the right to call for a worthy continuation. These determinations have been irrevocably assumed by H.I.H.. since H.S.H. Prince Don Peter Joseph Iossif has always shown in the government of the Order attentive and very high regard, above all else, to its supreme interest

H.S.H. Don Peter Joseph Iossif (since 2001) is therefore the XXIX Sovereign Grand Master of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John - Knights of Malta.

Even today the Order pursues with multiple activities purposes of hospital care, promotion of ecumenism, assistance to particular categories of needy, of a spiritual nature, as well as of a cultural nature.

It is significant and relevant what the Ecumenical Order is realizing in the world. The more projects are implemented, the greater the desire to do and always do better.

To fully appreciate the strength of the Ecumenical Order of Saint John, it is of course necessary to consider the inspiration, the dedication of the Grand Master "Prince Peter Iossif de Lemessos", the noble roots from which it arises and the unity and strong ideals of all his Knights.

Today's Knights of the Ecumenical Order of Saint John who are present today, active, more than ever determined to carry out their mission, are proud to call themselves the "Knights of 2000", as if to underline a substantial difference with respect to the Knights who have preceded. These in fact defended the values ​​with the sword, they carry it out in forms that respect the lives of others, taking up arms of will, economic and operational commitment, solidarity and love for others, creating an international collaboration service, implementing international understanding and interculturality, planning new organizational and operational mechanisms, suitable for modern operations, to allow a real, effective and active presence in the Society.

From 2016, the colors of the distinguished Ecumenical Order, consist of a red bifurcated cross in a gold field. The four wings of the cross signify the cardinal virtues (prudentia, iustitia, fortitudo, temperantia), and the eight points, and the center in which they converge, the nine beatitudes.