Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)

This article is about the modern order chartered in the 19th century. For the Catholic military Order of Saint John, see Knights Hospitaller.
Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
Breast star of a Knight of Grace
of the Order of St John
TypeOrder of chivalry
Established1888
MottoPro Fide Pro Utilitate Hominum[1]
EligibilityService to the order
StatusExtant
Sovereign HeadCharles III
Grand PriorThe Duke of Gloucester
Lord PriorProfessor Mark Compton
Grades
  • Bailiff/Dame Grand Cross (GCStJ)
  • Knight/Dame of Justice or Knight/Dame of Grace (KStJ/DStJ)
  • Commander/Chaplain (CStJ/ChStJ)
  • Officer (OStJ)
  • Member (MStJ)
Precedence
Next (higher)Dependent on State
Next (lower)Dependent on State

Ribbon of the order

The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (French: l'Ordre très vénérable de l'Hôpital de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem),[n 1] commonly known as the Order of St John,[3] and also known as St John International,[4] is an order of chivalry constituted in 1888 by royal charter from Queen Victoria and dedicated to St John the Baptist.

The order traces its origins back to the Knights Hospitaller in the Middle Ages, the oldest surviving chivalric order which is generally considered to be founded in Jerusalem in 1099, which was later known as the Order of Malta. A faction of them emerged in France in the 1820s and moved to Britain in the early 1830s, where, after operating under a succession of grand priors and different names, it became associated with the founding in 1882 of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital near the old city of Jerusalem and the St John Ambulance Brigade in 1887.

The order is found throughout the Commonwealth of Nations,[5] Hong Kong, the Republic of Ireland, and the United States of America,[6] with the worldwide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and injury, and to act to enhance the health and well-being of people anywhere in the world."[6] The order's approximately 25,000 members, known as confrères,[5] are mostly of the Protestant faith, though those of other Christian denominations, as well as adherents of other religions are accepted into the order. Except via appointment to certain government or ecclesiastical offices in some realms, membership is by invitation only and individuals may not petition for admission.

The Order of St John is perhaps best known for the health organisations it founded and continues to run, including St John Ambulance and St John Eye Hospital Group. As with the order, the memberships and work of these organisations are not constricted by denomination or religion. The order is a constituent member of the Alliance of the Orders of Saint John of Jerusalem. Its headquarters are in London and it is a registered charity under English law.[7]

Flag of the Order of St John
Arms of the Order of St John
  1. ^ Elizabeth II 2004, p. 10, s. 3
  2. ^ Elizabeth II 2004, p. 10, s. 2.1.k
  3. ^ Elizabeth II 2004, p. 6.
  4. ^ "Our History". St John International. Archived from the original on 2014-08-27. Retrieved 26 August 2014. The Order of St John, now known as St John International
  5. ^ a b "Who We Are". The Order of St. John. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Canada Wide > About Us > The Order of St. John". St. John Ambulance Canada. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  7. ^ "The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (The Order of St John), registered charity no. 235979". Charity Commission for England and Wales.


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