Knight of Justice

The Knights of Justice or Professed Knights, form the first of the three classes of members of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta together with the professed conventual chaplains. They make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. According to the Order's Code, "they are religious in all respects and they comply with the universal and particular norms that concern them."[1]: Code Article 6 

The religious superior of the Knights of Justice, under the Prince and Grand Master, is the Grand Commander, currently Fra' Emmanuel Rousseau.[2] Most Knights of Justice are members of a Priory or Subpriory.[clarification needed]

All Knights of Justice have the title Fra' (an abbreviation for the Latin word frater meaning brother). They are divided into the following ranks:

  • Venerable Bailiff Knights Grand Cross of Justice Professed in Perpetual Vows
  • Knights Grand Cross of Justice Professed in Perpetual Vows
  • Commanders of Justice Professed in Perpetual Vows
  • Knights of Justice Professed in Perpetual Vows
  • Knights of Justice Professed in Temporary Vows
  • Knights admitted to the Novitiate

Until 1989 all Knights of Justice had to be nobles, but since then non-noble Knights of Magistral Grace have been permitted to advance into the category of Justice. Until 2022 the Prince and Grand Master was elected from among the Knights of Justice who have the nobiliary requirements prescribed for the category of Knights of Honour and Devotion; this requirement no longer exists.[3]: 1997 Constitution Article 13 

  1. ^ "Carta costituzionale e Codice" (PDF). Rome: Sovereign Military Order of Malta. 2022-09-03. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  2. ^ Pope Francis (2022-09-03). "Decree for the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta".
  3. ^ "Constitutional Charter and Code of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta" (PDF). Rome: Sovereign Military Order of Malta. 1997. Retrieved 2016-09-05.