Sovereign Military Order of Malta stamp issue

On the 26th February 1999, Maltapost plc will issue a set of four stamps commemorating the 900th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta (S.M.O.M.).

The 2c stamp shows an aerial view of Fort St. Angelo, the 6c stamp depicts Grand Master L'Isle Adam's entry into Mdina, Grand Master La Valette is shown on the 16c stamp, and the 27c stamp shows the facade of the Auberge de Castille.

The stamps, designed by Frank Ancilleri, are available in sheets of 10, and have been offset printed by Bundesdruckerei in Germany. The stamps will remain on sale up to the 24th February of the year 2000 unless stocks are previously exhausted.

Founded in the late eleventh century, the Order was originally intended to protect on the one hand, the Holy Land from the forces of Islam and on the other, the Faith (TUITIO FIDEI) being at the same time of service to the poor (OBSEQUIUM PAUPERUM) especially in the hospitaller field. It eventually developed as a hospice/infirmary for pilgrims to the Holy Land, administered by a monastic community ruled by its founder, Blessed Gerard. The institution of the hospital itself was accorded Pope Pascal II's approval on the 15th February 1113, placing it under the protection of the Holy See and granting the Order at the same time the right of freely and alone electing Gerard's successor without any interference from any other ecclesiastical or lay authority.

Following the conquest of the Holy Land by the forces of Islam, the Order moved to Cyprus and by 1310 acquired Rhodes, obtaining at the same time sovereignty over the island, being however forced by the Islamic forces in 1522 to give it up and seek refuge elsewhere.

Malta was offered to the Order by Emperor Charles V of Spain as a possible seat; an offer which was taken up in 1530, after which the Order made Malta its home for the next two hundred and sixty-eight years, until the Island was ceded to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798. During this period, the Knights fortified the islands, built churches, palaces, hospitals, founded universities and seats of learning, built a magnificent new city - Valletta - and through constant and generous patronage of the arts left a cultural, artistic and historic legacy which compared to the islands' size, is rivalled by few others worldwide.

In time the Order settled in Rome, where it still has its Headquarters to this very day. The members in the various countries formed themselves into different Priories or Associations. As a Sovereign Order, it enjoys diplomatic relations with eighty-one countries. It is governed by the Sovereign Council, headed by the Grand Master, His Most Eminent Highness Fra Andrew Bertie.

The recent gathering of the Knights in Malta, in December of 1998 was held to commemorate the 9th Centenary of the Foundation of the Order.