Venerable Order of Saint John
Encyclopedia
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal
order of chivalry
established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations
, Hong Kong
, Ireland
and the United States of America
, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and injury, and to act to enhance the health and well-being of people anywhere in the world." It is commonly referred to simply as the Order of St John, or as the Venerable Order of Saint John (VOSJ) when distinction from other similarly named orders is desired.
The Order's approximately 25,000 confrères, supported by 4,000 employees and 300,000 volunteers, are mostly of the Protestant faith, though those of other Christian
denomination
s or other religions are accepted into the Order, but usually honorary membership is awarded to deserving and distinguished adherents of other religions. Except via appointment to certain government or ecclesiastical offices in some realm
s, membership of the Order is by invitation only, and individuals may not petition for admission. It is perhaps best known through its service organizations, St John Ambulance and St John Eye Hospital Group
, the memberships and work of which are not constricted by denomination or religion.
(the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta) in France
sought to raise through private venture, funded by subscription, sufficient money to restore a homeland for the resurrected society. However, this was essentially a ploy by which to create a mercenary
army of unemployed English
soldiers using readily available cheap war surplus. Philippe de Castelain, a French knight, was thus appointed by the Council to negotiate with suitable persons in England
, where Scotsman
Donald Currie was given the authority to raise £240,000. Anyone who subscribed to the scheme and all commissioned officer
s of the mercenary army were granted the right to be created Knights of the Order, but this attracted few donations; the Greek War of Independence
had been won without the help of the Knights of the Council of the French Langues. In response, de Castelain and Currie were allowed by the so-called Chevalier de Sainte-Croix to form the Council of the English Langue, which was inaugurated on 12 January 1831, under the executive power of a man who called himself "Count" Alexander Mortara, and headquartered at the "Auberge of St John, St John's Gate
, St John's Square, Clerkenwell
". This was the "Old Jerusalem Tavern", a public house
occupying what had once been the gatehouse to the ancient Clerkenwell Priory
, the mediæval
Grand Priory of the Knights Hospitaller
, otherwise known as the Knights of Saint John. A lapel-pin
depicting St John's Gate is one of the symbols helping to promote London 2012.
The Reverend Sir Robert Peat, the absentee Perpetual Curate
of St Lawrence in Brentford
, Middlesex
, and one of the many former Chaplain
s to Prince George, The Prince Regent
(later King George IV
), was recruited by the Council as a member of the society. He and other British members of the group, with the backing of the Council of the French Langues, then, on the grounds that he had been selling knighthoods, expelled Mortara, leading to two competing English chivalric groups between early 1832 and Mortara's disappearance in 1837. Peat was thus credited as being the first Grand Prior of the association, though this is not mentioned in any of his obituaries
, leading W.B.H. in January 1919 to write in the journal Notes & Queries: "His name is not in the knights' list, and he was never 'Prior in the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem": he became an ordinary member of that Order [sic] on Nov 11, 1830." Regardless, Peat died in April 1837 and Sir Henry Dymoke
was appointed Grand Prior and he re-established contact with the knights in France and Germany
, where the group had also by that time expanded to. However, up to the late 1830s, the British arm of the organization had only considered itself to be a Grand Priory and Langue of the Order of St John, having never officially been recognized as such by the established order. Dymoke sought to rectify this by seeking acknowledgement from the Roman Catholic
headquarters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, but that group's Lieutenant Grand Master, then Philippe de Colloredo-Mansfeld, refused the request. In response to this rebuff, the British body declared itself to be the Sovereign Order of St John in the United Kingdom, under the title The Sovereign and Illustrious Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Anglia, thereby founding the modern myth of the order's direct and continuous succession from the Order of St John that was established in the 11th century.
This new order grew in population over the ensuing decades, during which The 7th Duke of Manchester
was in 1861 recruited as Grand Prior and a national hospitaller organization was formed when the Order of St John formed a corps of ambulance
s. In 1871, a new constitution brought about further changes to the group's name, offering the more modest Order of Saint John of Jerusalem in England, and, five years later, Princess Alexandra
, Princess of Wales
, was recruited into its membership, followed by her husband, Prince Edward
, Prince of Wales
. In 1877, the order established at large railway centres and mining districts various St John Ambulance associations, so that railway men and colliers could learn how to treat victims of accidents; in 1882, the Grand Priory founded a hospice and ophthalmic
dispensary
in Jerusalem (known today as the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group
); and by 1887, had created the St John Ambulance Brigade which undertook practical and life-saving work.
The Order of St John's most substantial leap forward, however, came in 1888 when Queen Victoria
granted the society a Royal Charter
, yet again renaming the Order, this time as the Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in England. This was amended in 1926 to the Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, and further in 1936 to the Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. It in 1961 played a role, together with the Protestant
Continental
branches of the original Order of Saint John (the so-called "Johanniter Orders", in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and elsewhere), in the establishment of the Alliance of the Orders of St John of Jerusalem
, and thereafter finally received through a concordat in 1963 collateral recognition by the Order of Malta. The most recent Royal Charter was issued in 1955, with a supplemental Charter granted in 1974, recognizing the world-wide scope of the organization by setting its present name. In 1999, the Order was granted special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
.
of each of the Commonwealth realm
s is at the apex of the Order of St John as its Sovereign Head, followed by The Duke of Gloucester
, as Grand Prior since 1974. He, along with the four or five other Great Officers the Lord Prior of St John, who acts as the lieutenant of and deputy to the Grand Prior; the Prelate
, a member of episcopal
rank in the Church of England
; the Deputy Lord Prior or Priors, depending on the Grand Prior's needs, who act accordingly as lieutenants and deputies to the Lord Prior; and the Sub-Prelate, who has interests in the Commanderies and associations of the organization as well as the Priors and Chancellors of each of the order's eight priories, and the Hospitaller, make up the Grand Council. On recommendation of that body, the Grand Prior appoints all the Grand Officers, besides himself, and may also appoint members of either Grade I or Grade II as other officers, known as the Principal Officers, such as the Secretary-General
, and honorary officers, such as the Genealogist, who all hold office for a period not exceeding three years. The Grand Prior may also appoint a Secretary
of the Order, who holds office at the pleasure of the Grand Prior or until resignation. A subset of the Grand Council is the Honours and Awards Committee, which considers all recommendations for appointment or promotion into the grade of Bailiff
or Dame Grand Cross, appointment or promotion into any grade of a person not resident within any Priory's territory, and advises the Grand Council in respect of the award of the Life-Saving Medal and Service Medal
.
Thereafter follow the members of the Order, who are divided into six hierarchical grades, all having accordant post-nominal letters
. Grade I is limited to only the members of the Grand Council plus no more than 21 others, though any heads of state
and members of the Royal family of a Commonwealth realm, other Commonwealth of Nations
member-state, or foreign country, may be appointed as a Bailiff or Dame Grand Cross without counting towards the total population; All Priors, should they not already be in the grade or higher, are made a Knight or Dame of Justice upon their assignment; this formerly enabled them, along with all Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross, to nominate two personal Esquire
s, just as each Knight or Dame of Grace could nominate one personal Esquire, subject to the Grand Council's scrutiny. This practice has now been discontinued, although Priories may appoint Priory Esquires who, whilst not officially members of the Order, volunteer to participate in the Order's ceremonial events.
Knights and Dames receive the accolade from the Grand Prior when they are touched on the shoulder with a sword and are given their robes and insignia. However, post-nominal letters of the order are not used outside the organization itself, and a Knight and Dame may not use the prefix Sir or Dame, though they may request from their local heraldic
authority a personal coats of arms
, should they not already be entitled to use one, and have it adorned with emblems of the Order of St John; Knights and Dames Grand Cross additionally have the right to be granted heraldic supporters for life. Further, membership in the order only grants precedence within the society, which is as follows:
Precedence within each grade is dictated by date of appointment, save for those in Grade I who are either a Head of State or a member of the Royal family of a Commonwealth realm, another Commonwealth country, or foreign State, in which case they all precede the other members of the grade in the following order:
of England and The Islands was established (including the Commandery
of Ards in Northern Ireland
) alongside the existing Priories of Wales
, Scotland
, Canada
, Australia
(including the Commandery of Western Australia
), New Zealand
, South Africa
, and, since 1996, the United States
, each of which is governed by a Prior and a Priory Chapter. Commanderies, governed by a Knight or Dame Commander and a Commandery Chapter, may exist within or wholly or partly without the territory of a Priory, known as Dependent or Independent Commanderies, respectively. Any country without a Priory or Commandery of its own is assumed into the "home priory" of England and The Islands, many of these being smaller Commonwealth of Nations
states in which the order has only a minor presence.
The Order of St John is said to have arrived in Canada in 1648, as the second Governor of New France
, Charles de Montmagny
, was a member of the original order, but it was not until 1883 that the first branch of the modern organization was established in the country, at Quebec City
, growing to 12 branches by 1892. The Order of St. John today forms part of the Canadian national honours system, and the Priory, established in 1946 out of the Commandery of Canada, is the largest outside of the United Kingdom, with some 6,000 members. The Canadian monarch's viceroy
, the Governor General
, serves as the Prior and Chief Officer in Canada, while the provincial viceroys the Lieutenant Governors
act as the Vice-Priors, overseeing the administration of the order in their respective Province
. These individuals thus automatically become Knights or Dames of Justice or Grace upon their swearing-into viceregal office.
An American Society of the Order of St John was established in 1957 as a foundation to assist the Order with charitable work, after 1961 focusing its efforts specifically on the St John Opthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem and some other organizations aiding the sick. This branch was successful enough that Queen Elizabeth II in 1996 officially created the Priory of the United States of America, the seventh priory at the time, with John R. Drexel
as the first Prior. By late 2000, the U.S. Priory had approximately 1,100 members. As citizens of a country that did not have the sovereignty of the Order of St John vested in its Head of State, American inductees who first joined the new Priory were specifically asked to only "pay due obedience" to the governing authorities of the order "in all things consistent with your duty to your own country," thus eliminating any question of loyalty to a foreign Head of State superseding American postulants' duties as U.S. citizens.
, consisting of an eight-pointed Maltese Cross
embellished in the four principal angles alternately with two lions
passant guardant and two unicorn
s passant. That for the Sovereign Head is gold with arms of white enamel and the embellishments rendered in gold
, all surmounted by a jeweled St. Edward's Crown
, while those for the Officers of the order are the same save for the Grand Prior's having the crown made only of gold; the Lord Prior's having in place of the St Edward's Crown the coronet in gold of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales
; and the Prelate's having instead a representation of a mitre
in gold. Thereafter, the badges are prescribed as follows:
All Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross may wear their badges either at the left hip on a 101.6 millimetres (4 in) (for men) or 82.5 millimetres (3.2 in) (for women) wide, black watered silk ribbon over the right shoulder or from a 16.5 millimetre (0.649606299212598 in) wide black band at the collar. Male Knights Justice or Grace must carry their badges on a 16.5mm wide ribbon at the neck, and Commander
s, Officers, and Members have theirs on a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) straight ribbon suspended from a medal bar on the left breast, while females in all grades may wear their insignia either on a ribbon bow pinned at the left shoulder or hung from a medal bar in the men's fashion, depending on the circumstance and clothing worn. Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames of Justice or Grace, and Chaplains may all also wear a breast star, which appears the same as their badges, only at a diameter of 88.9 millimetres (3.5 in) and without embellishments for those in Grade I and 76 millimetres (3 in) for those in Grade II. Further, those in these groups are also given a button for wear on the lapel of non-formal civilian clothing, for events such as business meetings of the order. In general, the insignia of the Order of St John may be worn at all occasions where other decorations are worn, not only those connected with the ceremonies of the order.
All members of the Order of St John are also required to wear specific robes for formal occasions of the society, including a mantle
, sopra vest, and hat. The mantles of the Sovereign Head and Grand Prior are all of black silk
velvet
and lined with white silk, the former's differentiated by an additional train
. Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross and, before 1926, Knights of Justice formerly wore black silk robes with a lining of the same material and colour; these members now wear the same mantle as Commanders, Officers, and Esquires, which are made of black merino wool faced with black silk. The only other unique mantles are those of the Medical Officer of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital, which bears a special pattern, and of Chaplains, which is a black silk robe with full sleeves. Each cloak also bears on its left side a rendition of the order's star in white silk: the Sovereign Head, Grand Prior, and those in the first two grades of the Order all have a 300 millimetres (11.8 in) diameter emblem; the Sovereign's and Grand Prior's are of white silk with gold adornments, the former's also surmounted by a St. Edward's Crown
, while those for Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames of Justice, and Knights and Dames of Grace are rendered in white linen, the first two groups having embellishments in gold silk, the latter in white silk. Similarly, the star for Commanders and Officer
s is of white linen with white silk ornamentation, though they are only 228.6 millimetres (9 in) and 152.4 millimetres (6 in) in diameter, respectively. The Secretaries of the Order, the Priories, and the Commanderies also wear the badge superimposed upon two goose
quill pens embroidered saltire
-wise in white silk.
The sopra (or supra) vest is a long drape of thin, black cloth that buttons close down the neck and to one side, falling to the ankles and cut so as to entirely cover the body. It is similar to a cassock
, though it is actually derived from the supra vesta a black surcoat worn in the mid 13th century by the Knights of St John. Confrères in Grade I have a plain, white, 300mm diameter Maltese Cross on their sopra vests, while members of Grades II and III, plus Chaplains, have a plain garment, though the wearer's Order of St John insignia is displayed outside the vest, 152mm below the collar. Clerical inductees of the Order may, when officiating, wear over their cassock and surplice a tippet
of black with red lining, edging, and buttons, a 76mm wide star worn on the left breast and the accordant badge suspended at the neck. When full mantles and sopra vests are worn a black velvet Tudor
style hat is included.
To be inducted, new members must recite the organization's declaration:
Notwithstanding the Order's devotion to Christian
ideals of charity, and its official position that the Order has a "Christian character," its Grand Council has since 1999 affirmed that "profession of the Christian Faith should not be a condition of membership of the Order." The issue of the Order's Christian character and the issue of "inclusive membership" was dealt with in the Grand Council's Pro Fide Report in 2005, wherein it was said that the Order's life is shaped by Christian faith and values, but that "[r]ather than the emphasis being primarily upon 'spiritual beliefs or doctrine' it is on works of mercy rendered through St. John"; therefore, while the Great Officers are required to profess the Christian faith, the same is "not an essential condition of membership" and "[t]he onus is on the man or woman who is invited to the privilege of membership to decide whether he or she can with a good conscience promise to be faithful to the stated aims and purposes of this Christian lay order of chivalry." On the subject of inclusive membership, the report stated "Christian hospitality is a criterion which can be applied to the Order's relationships to persons of other religious faiths," and "the Order needs to be characterized by a hospitable disposition towards other faith traditions while holding fast to its own origins and foundational identity in Christian faith."
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
order of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and injury, and to act to enhance the health and well-being of people anywhere in the world." It is commonly referred to simply as the Order of St John, or as the Venerable Order of Saint John (VOSJ) when distinction from other similarly named orders is desired.
The Order's approximately 25,000 confrères, supported by 4,000 employees and 300,000 volunteers, are mostly of the Protestant faith, though those of other Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denomination
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
s or other religions are accepted into the Order, but usually honorary membership is awarded to deserving and distinguished adherents of other religions. Except via appointment to certain government or ecclesiastical offices in some realm
Realm
A realm is a dominion of a monarch or other sovereign ruler.The Old French word reaume, modern French royaume, was the word first adopted in English; the fixed modern spelling does not appear until the beginning of the 17th century...
s, membership of the Order is by invitation only, and individuals may not petition for admission. It is perhaps best known through its service organizations, St John Ambulance and St John Eye Hospital Group
St John Eye Hospital Group
The St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group is a Foundation of The Order of St John, the oldest order of chivalry in the world. The Hospital Group is based in Jerusalem and is the main provider of eye care in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem...
, the memberships and work of which are not constricted by denomination or religion.
History
In June 1826, the Council of the French Langues a self-proclaimed revival of the Order of MaltaKnights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
(the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta) in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
sought to raise through private venture, funded by subscription, sufficient money to restore a homeland for the resurrected society. However, this was essentially a ploy by which to create a mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
army of unemployed English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
soldiers using readily available cheap war surplus. Philippe de Castelain, a French knight, was thus appointed by the Council to negotiate with suitable persons in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where Scotsman
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Donald Currie was given the authority to raise £240,000. Anyone who subscribed to the scheme and all commissioned officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
s of the mercenary army were granted the right to be created Knights of the Order, but this attracted few donations; the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
had been won without the help of the Knights of the Council of the French Langues. In response, de Castelain and Currie were allowed by the so-called Chevalier de Sainte-Croix to form the Council of the English Langue, which was inaugurated on 12 January 1831, under the executive power of a man who called himself "Count" Alexander Mortara, and headquartered at the "Auberge of St John, St John's Gate
St John's Gate, Clerkenwell
St John's Gate is one of the few tangible remains from Clerkenwell's monastic past; it was built in 1504 by Prior Thomas Docwra as the south entrance to the inner precinct of the Priory of the Knights of Saint John - the Knights Hospitallers. The substructure is of brick, the north and south...
, St John's Square, Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
". This was the "Old Jerusalem Tavern", a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
occupying what had once been the gatehouse to the ancient Clerkenwell Priory
Clerkenwell Priory
Clerkenwell Priory was a priory of the Monastic Order of the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem, located in Clerkenwell, London. Run according to the Augustinian rule, it was the residence of the Hospitallers' Grand Prior in England, and was thus their English...
, the mediæval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Grand Priory of the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
, otherwise known as the Knights of Saint John. A lapel-pin
Lapel pin
A lapel pin is a small pin often worn on the lapel of a dress jacket. Lapel pins can be purely ornamental or can indicate the wearer's affiliation with an organization or cause; for example, American Flag lapel pins became very popular in the United States, especially among politicians, following...
depicting St John's Gate is one of the symbols helping to promote London 2012.
The Reverend Sir Robert Peat, the absentee Perpetual Curate
Cure of souls
In some denominations of Christianity, the cure of souls , an archaic translation which is better rendered today as "care of souls," is the exercise by a priest of his office. This typically embraces instruction, by sermons and admonitions, and administration of sacraments, to the congregation...
of St Lawrence in Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, and one of the many former Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
s to Prince George, The Prince Regent
Prince Regent
A prince regent is a prince who rules a monarchy as regent instead of a monarch, e.g., due to the Sovereign's incapacity or absence ....
(later King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
), was recruited by the Council as a member of the society. He and other British members of the group, with the backing of the Council of the French Langues, then, on the grounds that he had been selling knighthoods, expelled Mortara, leading to two competing English chivalric groups between early 1832 and Mortara's disappearance in 1837. Peat was thus credited as being the first Grand Prior of the association, though this is not mentioned in any of his obituaries
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
, leading W.B.H. in January 1919 to write in the journal Notes & Queries: "His name is not in the knights' list, and he was never 'Prior in the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem": he became an ordinary member of that Order [sic] on Nov 11, 1830." Regardless, Peat died in April 1837 and Sir Henry Dymoke
Dymoke
Dymoke is the name of an English family holding the office of king's champion. The functions of the champion were to ride into Westminster Hall at the coronation banquet, and challenge all comers to impugn the King's title . The earliest record of the ceremony at the coronation of an English king...
was appointed Grand Prior and he re-established contact with the knights in France and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where the group had also by that time expanded to. However, up to the late 1830s, the British arm of the organization had only considered itself to be a Grand Priory and Langue of the Order of St John, having never officially been recognized as such by the established order. Dymoke sought to rectify this by seeking acknowledgement from the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
headquarters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, but that group's Lieutenant Grand Master, then Philippe de Colloredo-Mansfeld, refused the request. In response to this rebuff, the British body declared itself to be the Sovereign Order of St John in the United Kingdom, under the title The Sovereign and Illustrious Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Anglia, thereby founding the modern myth of the order's direct and continuous succession from the Order of St John that was established in the 11th century.
William Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester
William Drogo Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester, KP , known as Lord Kimbolton from 1823 to 1843 and as Viscount Mandeville from 1843 to 1855, was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.William Montagu was the eldest son of George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester...
was in 1861 recruited as Grand Prior and a national hospitaller organization was formed when the Order of St John formed a corps of ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
s. In 1871, a new constitution brought about further changes to the group's name, offering the more modest Order of Saint John of Jerusalem in England, and, five years later, Princess Alexandra
Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
, Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
, was recruited into its membership, followed by her husband, Prince Edward
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. In 1877, the order established at large railway centres and mining districts various St John Ambulance associations, so that railway men and colliers could learn how to treat victims of accidents; in 1882, the Grand Priory founded a hospice and ophthalmic
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
dispensary
Dispensary
A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital or other organization that dispenses medications and medical supplies. In a traditional dispensary set-up a pharmacist dispenses medication as per prescription or order form....
in Jerusalem (known today as the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group
St John Eye Hospital Group
The St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group is a Foundation of The Order of St John, the oldest order of chivalry in the world. The Hospital Group is based in Jerusalem and is the main provider of eye care in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem...
); and by 1887, had created the St John Ambulance Brigade which undertook practical and life-saving work.
The Order of St John's most substantial leap forward, however, came in 1888 when Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
granted the society a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
, yet again renaming the Order, this time as the Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in England. This was amended in 1926 to the Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, and further in 1936 to the Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. It in 1961 played a role, together with the Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
Continental
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
branches of the original Order of Saint John (the so-called "Johanniter Orders", in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and elsewhere), in the establishment of the Alliance of the Orders of St John of Jerusalem
The Alliance of the Orders of St. John of Jerusalem
The Alliance of the Orders of St. John of Jerusalem is a federation of Protestant religious orders in Europe that claim shared inheritance of the tradition of the mediaeval military Knights Hospitaller ....
, and thereafter finally received through a concordat in 1963 collateral recognition by the Order of Malta. The most recent Royal Charter was issued in 1955, with a supplemental Charter granted in 1974, recognizing the world-wide scope of the organization by setting its present name. In 1999, the Order was granted special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
.
Structure
Officers and grades
The reigning monarchMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of each of the Commonwealth realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s is at the apex of the Order of St John as its Sovereign Head, followed by The Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family. Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974. He is currently 20th in the line of succession...
, as Grand Prior since 1974. He, along with the four or five other Great Officers the Lord Prior of St John, who acts as the lieutenant of and deputy to the Grand Prior; the Prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
, a member of episcopal
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
rank in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
; the Deputy Lord Prior or Priors, depending on the Grand Prior's needs, who act accordingly as lieutenants and deputies to the Lord Prior; and the Sub-Prelate, who has interests in the Commanderies and associations of the organization as well as the Priors and Chancellors of each of the order's eight priories, and the Hospitaller, make up the Grand Council. On recommendation of that body, the Grand Prior appoints all the Grand Officers, besides himself, and may also appoint members of either Grade I or Grade II as other officers, known as the Principal Officers, such as the Secretary-General
Secretary-General
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
, and honorary officers, such as the Genealogist, who all hold office for a period not exceeding three years. The Grand Prior may also appoint a Secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
of the Order, who holds office at the pleasure of the Grand Prior or until resignation. A subset of the Grand Council is the Honours and Awards Committee, which considers all recommendations for appointment or promotion into the grade of Bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
or Dame Grand Cross, appointment or promotion into any grade of a person not resident within any Priory's territory, and advises the Grand Council in respect of the award of the Life-Saving Medal and Service Medal
Service Medal of the Order of St John
The Service Medal of the Order of St John is an award given to those that have provided a requisite number or years service to the Venerable Order of St John...
.
Thereafter follow the members of the Order, who are divided into six hierarchical grades, all having accordant post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
. Grade I is limited to only the members of the Grand Council plus no more than 21 others, though any heads of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and members of the Royal family of a Commonwealth realm, other Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
member-state, or foreign country, may be appointed as a Bailiff or Dame Grand Cross without counting towards the total population; All Priors, should they not already be in the grade or higher, are made a Knight or Dame of Justice upon their assignment; this formerly enabled them, along with all Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross, to nominate two personal Esquire
Esquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
s, just as each Knight or Dame of Grace could nominate one personal Esquire, subject to the Grand Council's scrutiny. This practice has now been discontinued, although Priories may appoint Priory Esquires who, whilst not officially members of the Order, volunteer to participate in the Order's ceremonial events.
| Grades of the Order of St. John: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Grade I | Grade II | Grade III | Grade IV | Grade V | Grade VI |
| Title (English) | Bailiff/Dame Grand Cross | Knights/Dames of Justice or Grace | Commander | Officer | Member | Esquire |
| Title (French) | Bailli/Dame grand-croix | Chevallier/Dame de justice ou grâce | Commandeur | Officier | Membre | Ecuyer |
| Post-nominal letters | GCStJ | KStJ/DStJ | CStJ | OStJ | MStJ | EsqStJ |
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
authority a personal coats of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, should they not already be entitled to use one, and have it adorned with emblems of the Order of St John; Knights and Dames Grand Cross additionally have the right to be granted heraldic supporters for life. Further, membership in the order only grants precedence within the society, which is as follows:
- The Sovereign Head
- The Grand Prior
- The Lord Prior of St. John
- The Prior of a Priory or the Knight or Dame Commander of a Commandery when within the territory of the establishment
- The Prelate of the Order
- The Deputy Lord Prior or the Deputy Lord Priors and if more than one in the order of seniority in their grades
- The Sub-Prior of the Order
- Former Great Officers
- Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross
- The Prior of a Priory or the Knight or Dame Commander of a Commandery outside the territory of the establishment
- Members of the Grand Council not included above in the order of seniority in their grades
- The Principal Officers in the order of their offices
- The Sub-Prelates and the Honorary Sub-Prelates
- The Hospitaller of the Order
- Knights and Dames
- Chaplains
- Commanders
- Officers
- Serving Brothers and Serving Sisters
- Esquires
Precedence within each grade is dictated by date of appointment, save for those in Grade I who are either a Head of State or a member of the Royal family of a Commonwealth realm, another Commonwealth country, or foreign State, in which case they all precede the other members of the grade in the following order:
- Members of the Commonwealth realms' royal family
- Heads of state from the Commonwealth of Nations
- Foreign Heads of State
- Members of other Commonwealth royal families
- Members of foreign royal families
Priories and Commanderies
Following constitutional changes made in 1999, the PrioryPriory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
of England and The Islands was established (including the Commandery
Commandry (feudalism)
Commandry , or commandery , was the smallest division of the European landed estate or manor under the control of a commendator, or commander, of an order of knights...
of Ards in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
) alongside the existing Priories of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(including the Commandery of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
), New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and, since 1996, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, each of which is governed by a Prior and a Priory Chapter. Commanderies, governed by a Knight or Dame Commander and a Commandery Chapter, may exist within or wholly or partly without the territory of a Priory, known as Dependent or Independent Commanderies, respectively. Any country without a Priory or Commandery of its own is assumed into the "home priory" of England and The Islands, many of these being smaller Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
states in which the order has only a minor presence.
The Order of St John is said to have arrived in Canada in 1648, as the second Governor of New France
Governor of New France
The Governor of New France was the viceroy of the King of France in North America. A French noble, he was appointed to govern the colonies of New France, which included Canada, Acadia and Louisiana. The residence of the Governor was at the Château St-Louis in the capital of Quebec City...
, Charles de Montmagny
Charles de Montmagny
Charles Jacques Huault de Montmagny was governor of New France from 1636 to 1648. He succeeded Champlain, who was Lieutenant General of New France, although treated de facto as if he were governor...
, was a member of the original order, but it was not until 1883 that the first branch of the modern organization was established in the country, at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, growing to 12 branches by 1892. The Order of St. John today forms part of the Canadian national honours system, and the Priory, established in 1946 out of the Commandery of Canada, is the largest outside of the United Kingdom, with some 6,000 members. The Canadian monarch's viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, the Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, serves as the Prior and Chief Officer in Canada, while the provincial viceroys the Lieutenant Governors
Lieutenant Governor (Canada)
In Canada, a lieutenant governor is the viceregal representative in a provincial jurisdiction of the Canadian monarch and head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, who resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United Kingdom...
act as the Vice-Priors, overseeing the administration of the order in their respective Province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
. These individuals thus automatically become Knights or Dames of Justice or Grace upon their swearing-into viceregal office.
An American Society of the Order of St John was established in 1957 as a foundation to assist the Order with charitable work, after 1961 focusing its efforts specifically on the St John Opthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem and some other organizations aiding the sick. This branch was successful enough that Queen Elizabeth II in 1996 officially created the Priory of the United States of America, the seventh priory at the time, with John R. Drexel
Drexel
-People:* Anthony Joseph Drexel I, a Philadelphia banker, founder of Drexel University* John Armstrong Drexel, aviation pioneer* Elizabeth Wharton Drexel, socialite and author* Francis Anthony Drexel, a Philadelphia banker...
as the first Prior. By late 2000, the U.S. Priory had approximately 1,100 members. As citizens of a country that did not have the sovereignty of the Order of St John vested in its Head of State, American inductees who first joined the new Priory were specifically asked to only "pay due obedience" to the governing authorities of the order "in all things consistent with your duty to your own country," thus eliminating any question of loyalty to a foreign Head of State superseding American postulants' duties as U.S. citizens.
Vestments and insignia
Upon admission into the Order of St John, confrères are gifted various insignia of the organization, each level and office being represented by different emblems and robes for wear at important occasions for the order. Common for all members except Esquires is the badgeHeraldic badge
A heraldic badge is an emblem or personal device worn as a badge to indicate allegiance to or the property of an individual or family. Medieval forms are usually called a livery badge, and also a cognizance...
, consisting of an eight-pointed Maltese Cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
embellished in the four principal angles alternately with two lions
Lion (heraldry)
The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolises bravery, valour, strength, and royalty, since traditionally, it is regarded as the king of beasts.-Attitudes:...
passant guardant and two unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
s passant. That for the Sovereign Head is gold with arms of white enamel and the embellishments rendered in gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, all surmounted by a jeweled St. Edward's Crown
St. Edward's Crown
St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...
, while those for the Officers of the order are the same save for the Grand Prior's having the crown made only of gold; the Lord Prior's having in place of the St Edward's Crown the coronet in gold of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
; and the Prelate's having instead a representation of a mitre
Mitre
The mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...
in gold. Thereafter, the badges are prescribed as follows:
| Badges of the Order of St. John: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Bailiffs/Dames Grand Cross | Knights/Dames of Justice | Knights/Dames of Grace | Commanders | Officers | Members |
| Insignia | ||||||
| Diameter | 82.5 millimetres (3.2 in) 57.2 millimetres (2.3 in) suspended |
57.2 millimetres (2.3 in) | 57.2 millimetres (2.3 in) | 57.2 millimetres (2.3 in) | 44.4 millimetres (1.7 in) | 44.4 millimetres (1.7 in) |
| Material | Enamel | Enamel | Enamel | Enamel | Enamel | Silver |
| Backing and embellishments | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Silver | Silver |
All Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross may wear their badges either at the left hip on a 101.6 millimetres (4 in) (for men) or 82.5 millimetres (3.2 in) (for women) wide, black watered silk ribbon over the right shoulder or from a 16.5 millimetre (0.649606299212598 in) wide black band at the collar. Male Knights Justice or Grace must carry their badges on a 16.5mm wide ribbon at the neck, and Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
s, Officers, and Members have theirs on a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) straight ribbon suspended from a medal bar on the left breast, while females in all grades may wear their insignia either on a ribbon bow pinned at the left shoulder or hung from a medal bar in the men's fashion, depending on the circumstance and clothing worn. Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames of Justice or Grace, and Chaplains may all also wear a breast star, which appears the same as their badges, only at a diameter of 88.9 millimetres (3.5 in) and without embellishments for those in Grade I and 76 millimetres (3 in) for those in Grade II. Further, those in these groups are also given a button for wear on the lapel of non-formal civilian clothing, for events such as business meetings of the order. In general, the insignia of the Order of St John may be worn at all occasions where other decorations are worn, not only those connected with the ceremonies of the order.
Mantle (clothing)
A mantle is a type of loose garment usually worn over indoor clothing to serve the same purpose as an overcoat...
, sopra vest, and hat. The mantles of the Sovereign Head and Grand Prior are all of black silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
velvet
Velvet
Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed,with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive feel.The word 'velvety' is used as an adjective to mean -"smooth like velvet".-Composition:...
and lined with white silk, the former's differentiated by an additional train
Train (clothing)
A train in clothing is the long back portion of a skirt or dress that writes a trail on the ground behind the wearer in ruler , or a separate trailing overskirt. It is a common part of a court dress or a wedding dress....
. Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross and, before 1926, Knights of Justice formerly wore black silk robes with a lining of the same material and colour; these members now wear the same mantle as Commanders, Officers, and Esquires, which are made of black merino wool faced with black silk. The only other unique mantles are those of the Medical Officer of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital, which bears a special pattern, and of Chaplains, which is a black silk robe with full sleeves. Each cloak also bears on its left side a rendition of the order's star in white silk: the Sovereign Head, Grand Prior, and those in the first two grades of the Order all have a 300 millimetres (11.8 in) diameter emblem; the Sovereign's and Grand Prior's are of white silk with gold adornments, the former's also surmounted by a St. Edward's Crown
St. Edward's Crown
St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...
, while those for Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames of Justice, and Knights and Dames of Grace are rendered in white linen, the first two groups having embellishments in gold silk, the latter in white silk. Similarly, the star for Commanders and Officer
Officer
-Shipping industry:*Captain the person in charge of a merchant ship*Chief Officer typically the person in charge of the deck department of a merchant ship*Second Officer typically the navigator and medical officer on a merchant ship...
s is of white linen with white silk ornamentation, though they are only 228.6 millimetres (9 in) and 152.4 millimetres (6 in) in diameter, respectively. The Secretaries of the Order, the Priories, and the Commanderies also wear the badge superimposed upon two goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
quill pens embroidered saltire
Saltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
-wise in white silk.
The sopra (or supra) vest is a long drape of thin, black cloth that buttons close down the neck and to one side, falling to the ankles and cut so as to entirely cover the body. It is similar to a cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
, though it is actually derived from the supra vesta a black surcoat worn in the mid 13th century by the Knights of St John. Confrères in Grade I have a plain, white, 300mm diameter Maltese Cross on their sopra vests, while members of Grades II and III, plus Chaplains, have a plain garment, though the wearer's Order of St John insignia is displayed outside the vest, 152mm below the collar. Clerical inductees of the Order may, when officiating, wear over their cassock and surplice a tippet
Tippet
A tippet is a stole or scarf-like narrow piece of clothing, worn over the shoulders. They evolved in the fourteenth century from long sleeves and typically had one end hanging down to the knees...
of black with red lining, edging, and buttons, a 76mm wide star worn on the left breast and the accordant badge suspended at the neck. When full mantles and sopra vests are worn a black velvet Tudor
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
style hat is included.
Eligibility and appointment
The Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order as she, in her absolute discretion, shall think fit, though the constitution does impose certain limitations: the maximum number of members is set at 35,000, and appointees to the level of Esquire may not be under the age of 16, nor appointees to all other grades under the age of 18. Recommendations are made by the Grand Council, and those selected have generally acted in such a manner as to strengthen the spirit of mankind as reflected in the Order's first motto, PRO FIDE and to encourage and promote humanitarian and charitable work aiding those in sickness, suffering, and/or danger as reflected in the order's other motto, PRO UTILITATE HOMINUM.To be inducted, new members must recite the organization's declaration:
- "I do solemnly declare that I will be faithful and obedient to The Order of St John and its Sovereign Head as far as it is consistent with my duty to my [Sovereign/President] and to my country; that I will do everything in my power to uphold its dignity and support its charitable works; and that I will endeavour always to uphold the aims of this Christian order and to conduct myself as a person of honour."
Notwithstanding the Order's devotion to Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
ideals of charity, and its official position that the Order has a "Christian character," its Grand Council has since 1999 affirmed that "profession of the Christian Faith should not be a condition of membership of the Order." The issue of the Order's Christian character and the issue of "inclusive membership" was dealt with in the Grand Council's Pro Fide Report in 2005, wherein it was said that the Order's life is shaped by Christian faith and values, but that "[r]ather than the emphasis being primarily upon 'spiritual beliefs or doctrine' it is on works of mercy rendered through St. John"; therefore, while the Great Officers are required to profess the Christian faith, the same is "not an essential condition of membership" and "[t]he onus is on the man or woman who is invited to the privilege of membership to decide whether he or she can with a good conscience promise to be faithful to the stated aims and purposes of this Christian lay order of chivalry." On the subject of inclusive membership, the report stated "Christian hospitality is a criterion which can be applied to the Order's relationships to persons of other religious faiths," and "the Order needs to be characterized by a hospitable disposition towards other faith traditions while holding fast to its own origins and foundational identity in Christian faith."
Precedence in each Realm
As the Order of St John is open to the citizens of sixteen different countries, each with their own system of orders, decorations, and medals, the Order's place of precedence varies from country to country. Unlike those of other hierarchical orders, all grades of the Order of St John rank between the Order's predecessor and successor. Some examples follow:| Country | Preceding | Following | |
 AustraliaAustralia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... Order of precedence Australian Honours Order of Precedence - Order of wear :Order of precedence for the wearing of decorations and awards within the Australian Honours System.Articles marked with * are awards of the British Empire/United Kingdom and are now considered foreign.... |
Medal of the Order of Australia Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"... (OAM) |
Distinguished Conduct Medal Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean... (DCM) (if awarded prior to 5 October 1992) Conspicuous Service Medal Conspicuous Service Medal The Conspicuous Service Medal is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force, it is awarded for meritorious achievement or dedication to duty in non-war like situations. The CSM was introduced in 1989 and is a distinct Australian military award. It is the second... (CSM) |
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 CanadaCanada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... Order of precedence Canadian order of precedence (Decorations and Medals) The following is the Canadian order of precedence for decorations and medals. Where applicable, post-nominal letters are indicated.-Awards of valour:-National orders:-Provincial orders:-National decorations:-National medals:... |
Member of the Royal Victorian Order Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys... (MVO) |
Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec National Order of Quebec The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec... (GOQ) |
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| New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... Order of precedence New Zealand Honours Order of Precedence - Order of Precedence :Order of precedence for the wearing of decorations and awards within New Zealand's honours system.Medals in bold are distinctly New Zealand awards.-Special awards:* Victoria Cross for New Zealand VC* George Cross GC... |
Royal Red Cross (Class II) Royal Red Cross The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member... (ARRC) |
Distinguished Conduct Medal Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean... (DCM) |
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| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
Royal Red Cross (Class II) Royal Red Cross The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member... (ARRC) |
Distinguished Conduct Medal Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean... (DCM) |
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See also
- List of the priors of St John of Jerusalem in England
- Museum of the Order of St JohnMuseum of the Order of St JohnThe Museum of the Order of St John tells the story of the Venerable Order of Saint John from its roots as a pan-European Order of Hospitaller Knights founded in Jerusalem during the Crusades, to its present commitment of providing first aid and care in the community through the St John Ambulance...
- Sovereign Military Order of Malta
- Service Medal of the Order of St JohnService Medal of the Order of St JohnThe Service Medal of the Order of St John is an award given to those that have provided a requisite number or years service to the Venerable Order of St John...