Chivalric Orders
Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem
Created after the First Crusade in 1099 by Godfrey of Bouillon, the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem is an association of Christian faithful, established in accordance with ecclesiastical law; the Holy Father, the Order's sovereign, has entrusted them with the special mission of providing economically for the Church in the Holy Land and reinforcing the practice of a Christian life.
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
According to tradition, the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George was founded by Emperor Constantine the Great. The Order was placed under the Rule of Saint Basil by Pope Saint Leo the Great in 456. In 1190 Isaac II Flavio Comneno, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, granted its statutes.
Under the Grand Master, HRH Prince Carlo, Duke of Calabria, the Order has clearly reaffirmed its equestrian-religious nature and its mission: Glorification of the Cross, propagation of the Faith and defense of the Holy Roman Church.
According to the statutes of the Order, Constantinian Knights and Dames must not only live in keeping with the Christian ideal, but they must also participate in all demonstrations which contribute to the exaltation of religious principles and cooperate through all means to recover the practice of a Christian life, focusing especially on areas of social action, hospital assistance and charity work.
Sovereign Order of Malta
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta is a religious and hospitable Order with more than 900 years of history, whose motto is "Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum" ("The Defense of the Faith and helps those most in need") without distinction of gender, creed or condition. It is also a Sovereign state with bilateral diplomatic relations with 105 countries, including Spain and also a presence as a Permanent Observer before numerous international organizations, such as the United Nations.
It is precisely its character as a Sovereign State, its longevity and its humanitarian character, which allows the Order of Malta to be in the forefront to provide assistance as an international body in humanitarian catastrophes, conflicts and places of war. Its 13,500 members, 80,000 permanent volunteers and 25,000 qualified professionals (most of them doctors and health professionals) form an effective network that ranges from emergency aid for refugees and internally displaced persons in situations of war or conflict, to interventions in areas hit by natural disasters , hospital management, medical care and social services. Its programs are developed independently or in a framework of collaboration with governments and international agencies.
