About the Order

In the year 1048 Brother Gérard of Amalfi established a hospital in Jerusalem to tend to the needs of the Christian pilgrims who came to visit the Holy Land.

In the time of the First Crusade, a number of Knights (Chevaliers) came with Godfrey of Bouillon who captured Jerusalem in 1099; many of them stayed on to protect the pilgrims and to assist with the care of the sick. They erected a church in honour of St John the Baptist on his accepted burial site and the Order became known as The Order of St John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller.

In the early 14th century, with the acquisition of Rhodes, the Order of Saint John took on the features of a State. Governed by the Grand Master, the Order minted its own money and maintained diplomatic relations with other States. New knights came to Rhodes from all over Europe and it was natural for them to associate with those who spoke their language.

In 1301 the Knights were organised into seven “Langues” or tongues: Provence, Auvergne, France, Spain, Italy, England and Germany. The Spanish Langue was later split into Aragon and Castille-Leon. Each Langue, first on Rhodes and then on Malta, possessed an “Auberge” or inn, used for accommodation, meals and meetings.

Following the defeat of the Christians by Saladin, the Order moved briefly to Cyprus then to Rhodes where it remained for some 200 years, before settling in Malta which had been gifted to the Order by King Charles V of Spain.

This island was strategically placed to dominate movement in the Mediterranean and was besieged by the mighty Turkish Emperor, Suleiman the Magnificent. After four months of bitter fighting, the siege was repulsed and Christendom was saved. The anniversary of the date of the Knights’ victory, 8th September 1565, is the Annual Commemorative Day of the Order.

In 1798 Napoleon expelled the Knights from Malta and there followed a dispersion, with one group (now the Sovereign Military Order of Malta) placing themselves under the protection of the Pope, and another group moving to St Petersburg under the protection of the Romanoffs. This latter group retained the title of Knights Hospitaller and, when the social upheavals of the 19th and early 20th century resulted in the fall of the Romanoffs, King Alexander of Yugoslavia became the Protector of the Order. The headquarters of the Order is in Malta. The Lieutenant Grand Master is HE Bailiff Peter Gabrielsen OSJ and the Grand Commander is HE Bailiff Paul Borg OSJ.

The Grand Priory of Australasia has Priories in Victoria and South Australia, with a total membership of about 230. The Priory of SA maintains the tradition of the Order of caring for the sick by its support of the Mary Potter Foundation.

Chevalier David Wilckens was elected Grand Prior of Australasia in November 2019. The Prior of South Australia is Chevalier Tony Woods KJSJ.

OSJ Malta has many Priories in Europe, North America and Australia; the headquarters are in Malta at 223 Saint Paul’s Street, Valletta.
The ideal of serving Christ through service to others has been the force that has underpinned the work of loyal Knights and Dames. The Motto of the Order is Pro Fide Pro Utilitate Hominum (For Faith for Service to Humanity).

Find out more about the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller (Malta) Russian Grand Priory of Malta.

Video from the Emeritus Lieutenant Grand Master, June 2016

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Video from the Lieutenant Grand Master

The Grand Priory of Australasia.is a registered charitable institution. Click here to see its Constitution.

Prior	Chevalier Tony Woods KJSJ
Ex Officio	HE Bailiff Emeritus the Hon. Roger Goldsworthy AO JP OSJ CMSJ
Ex Officio	HE Bailiff Brian North AO RFD OSJ
Vice Prior	Chevalier Peter Robertson CGSJ
Vice Chancellor	Chevalier Peter Summers OAM CGSJ
Treasurer	Chevalier Peter Robertson CGSJ
Secretary	Chevalier Graeme Gatley KGSJ
Secretary Priory Admin Council	Chevalier Graeme Gatley KGSJ
Hospitaller	Chevalier Dr Harold Lane OAM KJSJ
Chamberlain	Dame Leonie Clyne OAM DGSJ
Functions Coordinator	Chevalier Don Stewart CGSJ
Conventual Chaplain	Chevalier the Reverend Carl Aiken KSJ
Assistant Chaplain

Priory Administrative Council

The Priory Administrative Council advises the Prior on all matters affecting the Prior (Chair: Prior Chevalier Tony Woods)

Membership

Any member of three years’ standing may nominate a prospective member by speaking to the Prior and confirming that in writing.

Functions

The Functions Committee organises the many events held each year. (Chair: Chevalier Don Stewart)

Major Raffle Committee

(Chair: Bailiff Emeritus the Hon. Roger Goldsworthy)

Wine Sales

(Chevalier Michael Miller)

Website

(Chevalier Henry d’Assumpcao, Bailiff Brian North, Chevalier Michael Miller)

Funerals Committee

Fundraising Committee

Monthly Meeting Finances

Collect and reconcile money at monthly lunches

Gonfalonier

Responsible for Banners

Judge at Arms

(Chevalier Peter Herriman)

Naval, Military and Air Force Club

Liaison with NMAF Club (Chevalier Michael Willson)

Constodian of Panoply

(Dame Bin Irwin)

Extension Officers

Conventual Church

Liaison with Christ Church

Major Raffle Committee

Mary Potter Foundation

The Mary Potter Hospice is the principal charity supported by the Priory of South Australia. Over recent years the Priory has donated over $200,000 to this charity. The Mary Potter Foundation has acknowledged our contribution by naming a ward after our first Prior Bailiff Doug Symons OAM GCSJ CMSJ.

Film evening

Every year a film evening is organised to raise funds for the Mary Potter Foundation. Typically this function raises about $9,000. This is one of the events organised by the Functions Committee chaired by Chevalier Don Stewart.

Book sales

Chevalier Professor Mike Tyler raises funds for the Mary Potter Foundation from sales of books donated. So far he has raised over $30,000.

Wine sales

The Priory organises wine sales to benefit the Mary Potter Hospice. Over the years this program raises about $3,000 to $4,000 annually. Currently Chevalier Mike Miller is the convenor.

(click to visit website of Christ Church)

Altar

Investiture Ceremony June 2012

Pulpit of Christ Church, with the Maltese Cross of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller

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The Prior and Priory Council recommend to the Grand Prior Aspirants for admission to the Order. After approval by the Grand Prior the Aspirant joins the Order as a Donat.

Following Investiture, their Rank is Knight or Dame of Honour.

Promotion is on merit based on continual service to the community and service to the Order. Promotion is not based on length of membership in the Order.
The postnominals for each rank, the order of promotions and titles are shown in the table below.

Rank	Postnominal	Title
Knight of Honour	KSJ	Chevalier
Knight of Grace	KGSJ	Chevalier
Knight Commander of Grace	CGSJ	Chevalier
Knight of Justice	KJSJ	Chevalier
Knight Commander of Justice	CJSJ	Chevalier
Knight Grand Cross of Justice	GCSJ	Chevalier
Bailiff	OSJ	Bailiff
Dame of Honour	DSJ	Dame
Dame of Grace	DGSJ	Dame
Dame Commander of Grace	CGSJ	Dame
Dame of Justice	DJSJ	Dame
Dame Commander of Justice	CJSJ	Dame
Dame Grand Cross of Justice	GCSJ	Dame
Grand Dame/Bailiff	OSJ	Dame

The Postnominals for the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller follow The Order of Australia, Order of the British Empire and Military Decorations but should precede all professional and university degrees.

When addressing written communications on matters related to the Order, the title should be used followed by one first name, family name and postnominal. For example ‘Chevalier John Smith OAM, MBE, KSJ’ or ‘Dame Mary Jones AM DSJ’.

Letters should begin ‘Dear Chevalier John, Brother in Saint John’ or ‘Dear Dame Mary, Sister in Saint John’ and end ‘Yours sincerely in the Service to Christ and Saint John’…… Chevalier Jack Brown CGSJ or Dame Helen Green DGSJ”.

Knight/Dame of Honour

Knight/Dame of Grace

Knight/Dame Commander of Grace

Knight/Dame of Justice

Knight/Dame Commander of Justice

Knights and Dames Grand Cross of Justice

Bailiffs and Grand Dames

The regalia of the Order includes the insignia, mantle with appropriate collar, lapel badge, neck ties, scarf, neck collarette and breast star.

Rank	Neck Collarette	Mantle Collar
Donats
Knight/Dame of Honour
Knight/Dame of Grace
Knight/Dame Commander of Grace
Knight/Dame of Justice
Knight/Dame Commander of Justice
Knight Grand Cross of Justice
Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice