Ordo Sancti Lazari - Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands

Volume 6, Issue 3 August 2011
Inside this issue:
Humanitarian Appeal 2
Special Rescue Group 2
News & Activities 2
Historical titbits 3
Order of Charity 4
Memorabilia items available 4
Lazarite Book Club 4
Senior Officers of the
Grand Priory
• Grand Prior:
Chev. Dr Joseph R. Pace
• Chancellor:
Chev. Michael Ciavola
• Commander of Gozo:
Chev Paul Banavage
Editor:
Chev. Prof. C. Savona-Ventura
Email:
Ordo Sancti Lazari
Newsletter: Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands
incorporating the Commandery of Gozo
saven@vol.net.mt
Unsigned articles are written
by the editor. Any relevant
news items or articles are
solicited. Kindly send material
in electronic format to the
editor.
Summer Message from the Grand Prior
Dear Confreres and Consoeurs,
It always gives me pleasure to be able to communicate with you
through the medium of our Newsletter. Thanks to our tireless (though
extremely busy) Hospitaller, Historian and Editor, Prof the chev. C.
Savona‐Ventura KLJ, we have managed to be regular and punctual with
our Newsletter for all these years. The material in each Newsletter
makes great reading. We have always had good feedback, even if it seems like squeezing
blood out of a stone to get any of our readers to send in a contribution, even a short letter,
for publication. Thus most of Charles’ sterling work, if not all of it, is single‐handed! Many of
you will by now have familiarised themselves not only with our Website, managed for us by
Chev. David Zammit and Chev. Ch. Savona‐Ventura, (www.stlazarusmalta.org) but also our
FaceBook Page, run and managed by our ever up‐to‐date Team ‐ Confreres Adrian Farrugia
OLJ and Joseph Abela Medici MLJ. Well done Adrian and Joseph. Our Grand Priory continues
to grow not only in numbers but in quality and involvement of its members. Let us continue
to seek the right people to join, and to do so with tact and prudence, mindful of the need for
qualities of Christian practice, good character, charitable attitude and sufficient financial
standing in such prospective members.
To turn to the Grand Priory’s current year, I can proudly say we are just over the half‐way
mark and have so far maintained all we promised in our Calendar of Events. Highlights this
year were the AGM and the Fund‐raising Lecture and Dinner to raise money for Equal Part‐
ners Foundation, both held in February; the Gozo Investiture in March; the Fund‐raising Din‐
ner at Razzett l‐Antik, Qormi to celebrate my 40 th years as a member of the Order; the memo‐
rable Visit to the President of Malta at San Anton Palace in Attard; and the recent Visit to
the Elderly (bearing gifts), at St Vincent de Paule Home, with a ‘return visit’ to the institution
in July, to join the Elderly inmates, nurses, doctors, priests, in the celebration of the Feast of
the Sacred Heart. As I write, hectic preparations are in hand by our Fund‐raising Team of
young Lazarite Confreres for the Annual Barbecue at a private Villa, courtesy of the parents
of our Treasurer Chev. Godfrey Sammut KLJ. The Gozo Commandery too, have been quite
active this year again. Well done especially to their Commander Chev. P.Banavage KCLJ and
his ever‐active and loyal deputy, Chev. J. Griscti KLJ, who is also our Almoner.
Our forthcoming Investiture in October 2011 will see us hosting some 30 Visitors from the
Commandery of Londinium in the UK, thanks to Chev. Banavage’s initiative. Having set the
‘standard’ long ago, our Investiture will surely be another memorable occasion. It will be
celebrated in what we hope to soon make our ‘conventual church’ with help from the Virgin
and St Lazarus…the ancient Church of ‘Tal‐Pilar’ in the heart of the capital City, Valletta! For
this new possibility my big thanks goes to Councillors Chev. Ray Gatt KLJ and Confrere Joseph
Debono CLJ, who made all necessary contacts in the right places.
I send fraternal regards to you All.
Joseph R. Pace GCLJ
Grand Prior

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3
Step‐by‐Step Foundation
Charity Car Boot Sale
A car boot sale was organised by the Step‐by‐
Step Foundation with the aim of obtaining funds
towards a donation to “Beyond the Moon” ‐ an
international non‐profit charitable association
that aids seriously ill children by giving them the
opportunity to spend quality time with their family in what could be
their real last vacation together. Sponsored by the Corinthia Palace
Hotel & Spa, the Car Boot Sale was organised on the 22nd May in the
hotel’s car park. Through such activities, five Maltese children suffer‐
ing from a life‐threatening condition were sponsored to experience a
completely cost‐free and care‐free holiday in various child‐friendly
holiday destinations with their families. More information about the
“Beyond the Moon” can be found at www.beyondthemoon.org
Commandery of Gozo—Activities
The Commandery of Gozo has concentrated its
activities in the philantrophic field addressing
the medical sphere. On the 30th April a
delegation of the Commandery visited the Ta‘
Ibrag Mental Hospital in Gozo. The deligates
were taken round the hospital by Medical
Superintendant Dr. A.
Livori. The Mental section
houses a total of 35
inmates. The visit was a
follow‐up of past activities
including the donation of
an industrial washing
machine for use by the
inmates. The Commandery
has initiated plabs to
organize a day excursion
for all the inmates.
News & Activities from the Grand Priory
• 13th April: The Grand Prior in augurated the Good Friday
Statuary Exhibition depicting Christ’s Passion through the Stages of
the Cross set up by Grand Priory member Dr. the Chev. Victor Camil‐
leri. Donations to the amount of Euro620 collected during the exhibi‐
tion were forwarded to the Order of Char‐
ity. This donation, toped up to Euro1000 by
the Grand Priory, were presented on the
4th May to plastic hand surgeon Donald
Sammut News towards & Activities the needs of lepers in
Nepal where he annually leads a voluntary
team of medical specialists.
• 17th April: The Grand Priory
organised a social event where
members and friends were shown
SVPR visit—the Grand Prior and
members with the elderly residents
the correct technique of making traditional figoli by a professional
passticieri. The event was held as a fund‐raising occasion at the
Scouts Headquarters at Dingli.
• 7th May: The Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands organized a
fund‐raising Concert and Dinner to commemorate the Grand Prior’s
40 years of faithful service to the Military and Hospitaller Order of St.
Lazarus of Jerusalem.
ORDO SANCTI LAZARI
PAGE 2
Visit to H.E. the President of Malta
A delegation from the Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands with repre‐
sentation from the Commandery of Gozo were received by His Excel‐
lency Dr. G. Abela at San Anton Palace on the 23rd May 2011. The
delegation had ample opportunity to inform and update His Excellency
regarding the aims and activities of the Order of Saint Lazarus in gen‐
eral and on the local scene highlighting also the work done by the Or‐
der of Charity, the Step‐by‐Step Foundation, and the SLC‐Special Res‐
cue Group. He was particularly impressed with the Order and encour‐
aged the Grand Priory to remain strong and
active. He further requested the Grand Priory
to participate in the fund‐raising activities car‐
ried out under the President’s sponsorship—
e.g. “L‐Istrina” carried out in Christmas in sup‐
port of the Community Chest Fund. During the
meeting, the Grand Priory presented a mone‐
tary contribution towards the Community
Chest Fund. His Excellency was also presented
with publications about the Order including a
historical sketch about the Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands.
Grand Priory delegation with H.E. Dr. G. Abela
COMMEMORATION—40‐year membership in
the Order by Grand Prior J. Pace
From the 1971 Archives: Investiture as Commander Companion of Dr. Joseph
R. Pace by Col. Chev J.V. Abela; Chev. R. Biasini (Prior) onlooking
• 9th June: St. Lazarus Day activity—The
Grand Prior led a delegation of members in a
visit to the elderly at St. Vincent de Paule Resi‐
dence. The inmates were further given a small
token of the visit.
• 10th July: A fund‐raising barbeque on
Comino was organised by the Commandery
of Gozo.
• 12th July: Attendance by Grand Priory
delegation the Feast of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus at St. Vincent de Paule residence.
• 23rd July: The Annual Summer Barbe‐
que was organised by the Grand Priory at
Iklin.
Comino Barbeque
Grand Prior and members
at SVPH celebrations

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3
ORDO SANCTI LAZARI
Historical titbits—Did the Order survive the French Revolution?
The French Revolution, started in 1789, led to
development of the First Republic in 1792. In
France, all Orders representing the Ancien Ré‐
gime were suppressed in 1791 and their wealth
taken over by the state. The Order, like all other
Orders, ceased to have legal recognition in
France for the duration of the period of the First
Republic [1792‐1804] and First French Empire
[1804‐1814] and was thus not included in offi‐
cial publications such as the Almanach Impérial.
During these periods, the Order was managed
by Grandmaster Louis Stanislaus Xavier de
France, Comte de Provence who had gone into
exile in 1791. In exile, the Grandmaster is docu‐
mented as investing a number of dignitaries into
the Order of Saint Lazarus. The Emperor of Rus‐
sia Tzar Paul I [b.1754 d.1801] was given the
sash of the Grand Cross of the Order, while his
sons the Grand Dukes Alexander [b.1777 d.1825; later Tzar Alex‐
ander I] and Constantine [b.1779 d.1831] together with twenty
other personalities of the Imperial Government were received
into the Order of St Lazarus. These included: Aleksey Ivanovich
Gorchakov [b.1769 d.1817], Prince Sergey Gargarine [d.1852],
comte Alexander Vassilyevitch Suvorov [b.1729 d.1800], comte
Nikolai Ivanovich Saltykov [b.1736 d.1816], baron Dreisen, baron
Fersen, comte Grigori Grigorevich Koutchelev, comte Nicholas
Panine, and comte Jean Pavlovich Koutaissov. Some members of
the Order of St John exiled in Russia after their expulsion from
Malta were in 1800 also admitted members of the Order of St
Lazarus. These included Bailli de Flashlander, Grand Bailli baron
Jean Baptiste de Pfirdt‐Blumberg Karspach, General Lamb, and
comte Theodore Rostopchine [b.1765 d.1826]. During his so‐
journ in Sweden in 1804, the Grandmaster admitted King Gustav
IV[b.1778 d.1837; reign 1792‐1809], Prince Friedrich Afolf
[b.1738 d.1818] and Olav Nielson as members of the Order.
In 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte, now Emperor Napoleon I, em‐
barked on an invasion of Russia. This campaign would prove to
be the turning point in his fortunes, as the expedition failed mis‐
erably and Napoleon was forced abdicate. The French Senate in
1814 invited the Bourbons to re‐assume the throne of France.
This led to the Restoration Period [1814‐1848] with Louis Stanis‐
laus Xavier de France ascending the throne as Louis XVIII.
On assuming the kingship, Louis XVIII proceeded to revive the
Ancien Régime's Chivalric Orders. He however gave up the mag‐
istracy of the Ordres Royaux Militaires et Hospitaliers de Saint‐
Lazare et de Notre‐Dame du Mont‐Carmel réunis, but continued
to assume the role of Protector. In the absence of a new grand‐
master, the Order was in 1816 governed by a commandeur
comte Claude‐Louis de Châtre [b.1745; admitted 1783], assisted
by the héraut d’armes Augustin‐François de Silvestre [b.1762
d.1851; appointed 1787], the historiographe Bon‐Joseph Dacier
[b.1742 d.1833; ap.1787], and the chapelain Fr. Picot. Fourteen
surviving knights were listed in the 1816 Almanach Royal. Before
the death of Louis XVIII on 5 th May 1824, the Grand Chancellor
of the Legion of Honor issued a statement on Orders, which
could be worn and which were to be suppressed. Of the French
King Louis XVIII 1795‐1824
wearing emblem of Order in a
portrait dated 1817
PAGE 3
Royal Orders, each was listed in a brief mini‐paragraph
identifying the government department which dealt
with it. The six recognised Orders included those of
Saint‐Esprit, Saint‐Michel, Saint‐Louis, Mérite Militaire,
Légion d'Honneur and the united Saint‐Lazare and
Notre‐Dame du Mont‐Carmel. The Order continued to
be listed among the recognised Orders in the Alma‐
nach Royal throughout the early part of the 19 th cen‐
tury. Louis XVIII’s successor, Charles X continued to be
styled Protecteur of the Order in the various Almanach
Royal dated 1826‐1830. The Order continued to be
governed by a Council of Officers.
Following the July 1830 Revolution and the declaration
of Louis Philippe d'Orléans as King of the French, a
prohibition was imposed on the 10 th February 1831
whereby only the Ordre Royal de la Légion d’Honneur
was accepted and listed in the 1831 Almanach Royal.
The consequence of this prohibition was that the
Ordres Royaux Militaires et Hospitaliers de Saint‐Lazare et de Notre‐
Dame du Mont‐Carmel réunis lost its Royal protection and was no
longer a state‐recognized Royal Order. In spite of this new status
quo, the loyal members of the Order apparently continued to use
their old titles. The Almanach des 25000 adresses des principaux
habitans de Paris pour l’Année 1835 thus lists the marquis Agricol‐
Joseph Fortia d’Urban [b. 1756 d.1843; ad.1774] a chev. des ordres
royaux et milit. de St‐Lazare et de N.D. Mont‐Carmel as residing in
the city. The Cours abrége du Blason published in 1840 describes
the insignia of the chivalric orders referring to those of the Order of
Saint Lazarus in the present tense in contrast to those of the Order
of Our Lady of Mount Carmel referred to in the past tense. The lat‐
ter had ceased to be conferred after 1788, this having been mainly
a military decoration reserved for students of the Royal Military
Academy that had been closed in October 1787.
The documentary evidence clearly supports the view that the
French branch of the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem survived
the turmoil of the French Revolution, first in exile but later re‐
established itself in France with the Bourbon Restoration. It lost its
Royal protection and state recognition, as did other Orders, in
1831. However this did not in any way exclude its continuing exis‐
tence and its members continued to proudly declare themselves to
be members of that chivalric Order. These individuals apparently
continued with their efforts to retain their values and are said to
have in 1841 sought the protection and support of Maximus III the
Melkite Patriarch of Jerusalem. Again in 1844, the Order of Hospi‐
tallers of Saint Lazarus are documented to have joined forces with
the Order of Carmelites to rebuild the monastery at Mount Carmel
in the Holy Land that had been destroyed by the Turks. The Council
of Officers managing the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem re‐
portedly continued with their recruitment throughout the nine‐
teenth century, and insignia dating from the late 19 th century have
been described. Unfortunately, the Archives of the Melkite Patriar‐
chy were destroyed by the Turkish Forces during the First World
War and documentary proof of this link through the latter part of
the nineteenth century has not been forthcoming.

The Military and Hospitaller
Order of Saint Lazarus of
Jerusalem
Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands
Commandery of Gozo
Further information about the Grand Priory can
be obtained from the homepage
www. stlazarusmalta.org
IMPORTANT CALENDER DATES FOR THE ORDER
2nd January: Feast Day of St. Basil the Great
Last Sunday of Jan: WORLD LEPROSY DAY
10th May: Feast Day of St. Damian of Molokai
21st June: Feast Day of St. Lazarus the beggar
25th August: Feast Day of St. Louis of France—benefactor of the Order
13th October: Feast Day of Blessed Gerald—1st Grandmaster
19th November: Feast Day of Blessed Raymond de Puy—7th Grandmaster
17th December: Feast Day of St. Lazarus of Bethany
Different Orders of Saint Lazarus
Our Order has had a tremulous history that have resulted in a number of splinter
groups. The first split occurred in the 16th century
• The Priory in Capua was fused with the Order of St. Maurice and linked with
the Savoy Family [1572].
• The French branch was taken under Royal protection and eventually amalga‐
mated with the order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel [1608]. The latter was
abolished in 1788. The Order of St. Lazarus re‐organised itself under the
Spanish Borbón Family until 1969 when a series of disagreements in subse‐
quent decades led to a split into the French and Spanish sections that be‐
came formally known as the Paris and Malta Obediences.
• The Malta Obedience under the protection of the Spanish Borbón Fam‐
ily—to which the local Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands, the Com‐
mandery of Gozo and the Grand Commadery of the Castello pertain—still
maintains its existence [now referring to itself as the reunited Order ].
This branch is considered the true “descendant” of the Jerusalem‐based
Order enjoying the continuing spiritual protection of the Melchite Patri‐
arch.
• The Paris Obedience has split up into three factions
• The main faction has joined the Malta Obedience group.
• A second fraction is under the protection of the French Bourbons and
refers to itself as the Orleans Obedience. A Group active in Malta
calling itself also Grand Priory of Malta claims to pertain to this
branch, though it is not included in the list of jurisdictions of the main
Orleans branch.
• A third fraction primarily based in the United Kingdom and common‐
wealth countries calls itself the United Grand Priories of the Hospi‐
taller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem and considers itself an asso‐
ciation with chivalric objectives rather than an order. This is purportly
represented in Malta by the Grand Priories of Malta and Gozo.
Lazarite Book Club
A. DeMarsy. Liste des Chevaliers de l'Ordre de Saint‐
Lazare de Jerusalem et de Notro‐Dame du Mont‐
Carmel de 1610 a 1736. p.35‐44,112‐120,311‐329.
In: M. Bonneserre de Saint‐Denis, M.L. Sandret Re‐
vue Nobiliaire Historique et Biographique. J.B. Du‐
moulin, Paris, 1867, Vol.13, +572p. Published in one
volume by Kessinger publishers, USA, 2011.
As the title suggests, this publication give the list of knights admitted to the Order
during the period 1610 to 1736. The admissions reflect the increasing importance
gained by the Order when this received a strong French Royalty support and had
been amalgamated with the order of Out Lady of Mount Carmel. The published
list further give a short bibliographical note about the individuals serving to high‐
light the fact that membership included high ranking individuals in French society,
ambassadors serving overseas, and even non‐French individuals. This publication
has served as the basis for a number of subsequent armorials and academic publi‐
cation about the Order.