Order of Saint Lazarus
Encyclopedia
This article concerns the order of knighthood named after Saint Lazarus. For other uses of the name Lazarus, see Lazarus (name)
.
The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is an order of chivalry which originated in a leper
hospital founded by the Knights Hospitaller
in 1098 by the crusaders of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem
. The Order is one of the most ancient of the European orders of chivalry. It was originally established to treat the virulent disease of leprosy
, its knights originally being lepers themselves. It is one of the less-known and less-documented orders.
The first mention of the Order of Saint Lazarus in surviving sources was in 1142. The order was initially founded as a leper hospital outside the city walls of Jerusalem, but hospitals were established all across the Holy Land dependant on the Jerusalem hospital, notably in Acre
. It is unknown when the order became militarised but militarisation occurred before the end of the twelfth century due to the large numbers of Templars
and Hospitallers
sent to the leper hospitals to be treated. The order established ‘lazar houses’ across Europe to care for lepers, and was well supported by other military orders which compelled lazar brethren in their rule to join the order on contracting leprosy.
The Order of Saint Lazarus remained primarily a hospitaller order but it did take part in a number of battles including the Battle of La Forbie
on 17 October 1244 where all of the lazar brethren who fought died and the Battle of Al Mansurah
on 8-11 February 1250. The leper knights were protected by a number of able-bodied knights but in times of crisis the leper knights themselves would take up arms.
The Order of Saint Lazarus quickly abandoned their military activities after the fall of Acre in 1291
and the dissolution of the Templars due to expense, being a relatively poor order.
gave the Order a property at Boigny
near Orléans which was to become the headquarters of the Order outside of the Holy Land. Later, after the fall of Acre in 1291
the Knights of St. Lazarus left the Holy Land and moved first to Cyprus, then Sicily and finally back to Boigny which had been raised to a barony in 1288. In 1308 King Philip IV of France
established the Order under his temporal protection. Again, in 1604 Henry IV of France
declared protectorate of French Crown over the French branch and in 1608 the Order was merged in union with Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel into Royal, Military,and Hospitaller Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Lazarus of Jerusalem. During the French Revolution
a decree of 30 July 1791 suppressed all royal and knightly orders. Another decree the following year confiscated all the Order's properties. Louis, Count of Provence, Grand Master of the Order, who later became Louis XVIII, continued to function in exile. Scholars differ in their views regarding the extent to which the Order remained intact after the French Revolution. In fact, in different museums there are preserved number of paintings of Russian and Baltic nobles, adopted to the Order after 1791. In this list are general John Lamb, prince Suvorov
, count Pahlen, count Sievers etc. Some of new knights are even listed in Almanach Royal
from 1814 to 1830. King Louis XVIII, the Order's late Protector, and the Duc de Châtre, the Order's Lieutenant-General, both died in 1824. These were followed by Charles X and Henry V as Protectors of the Order until 1830 but after this period the Order did not enjoy the explicit protection of the French Crown until 2004 when the fons honorum ("fount of honour") was renewed by HRH Prince Henri d'Orléans, Count of Paris, Duke of France as head of the Royal House of France.
merged the Italian foundation of the Order of Saint Lazarus with the Order of Saint Maurice (founded in 1434) as the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
. This became a national order of chivalry on the unification of Italy
in 1861, but has been suppressed by law since the foundation of the Republic
in 1946. King Umberto II
did not abdicate his position as fons honorum however, and the head of the former Royal House of Savoy
remains the Grand Master of the Italian foundation of the Order today.
Maximos III Mazloum
to become Spiritual Protector
of the Order, thence re-establishing a tangible connection with the Order's early roots in Jerusalem. Regardless of whether the Order continued or was revived, by 1850, under the authority of the Patriarch the Order had consolidated and numbered about twenty knights. In the years that followed new knights were admitted including in 1853 Admiral Ferdinand-Alphonse Hamelin and Admiral Louis Édouard Bouët-Willaumez
; in 1863 Comte Louis François du Mesnil de Maricourt (d. 1865), Comte Paul de Poudenx (d.1894) and Rev. Abbé Jean Tanski; in 1865 the Order admitted Comte Jules Marie d'Anselme de Puisaye who was followed in 1875 by the Vicomte de Boisbaudry; Baron Yves de Constancin in 1896, who was later to become commander of the Hospitaller Nobles of St Lazarus, a knight of the Order of Isabella the Catholic and of Order of Saint Anna of Russia. In 1880 Comte Jules Marie d'Anselme de Puisaye was admitted to the Order as a hospitaller while living in Tunisia. The Order continued to attract members from the French nobility and by the early 20th century it was attracting knights from further afield notably Spain and Poland. In 1930 don Francisco de Borbón y de La Torre, Duke of Seville, Grand Bailiff of the Order in Spain was appointed as Lieutenant-General of the Grand Magistracy and in 1935 he was elected as Grand Master re-establishing the office, vacant since 1814.
Due to disputes and schisms within the Order there are now two distinct obediences (branches) both of which claim the mantle of the Order of Saint Lazarus. For many decades the Malta and Paris Obediences feuded over the Grand Magistry of the Order, eventually reconciling as a united order in 2008 when don Carlos Gererda y de Borbón, Marquis de Almazán, was elected as 49th Grand Master of the Order. However, previously dissatisfied members of the Paris Obedience continue to operate separately having formed what became known as the Orleans Obedience under Grand Master HRH Prince Charles Philippe
, Duke of Anjou. In 2004 Prince Charles Philippe successfully achieved renewed temporal protection of the Royal House of France. However, in 2010 Prince Charles Philippe retired as Grand Master of his branch of the Order and was replaced by his uncle Count Jan Dobrzenský z Dobrzenicz .
Today, both obediences of the Order participate in worldwide humanitarian efforts. The former Malta & Paris Obedience, has been engaged in a major charitable program to revive Christianity
in Eastern Europe
: Russia
, Ukraine
, Armenia
, Georgia
, and the Near East
: Lebanon
, Syria
, and the Palestinian territories
. Millions of dollars worth of food, clothing, medical equipment and supplies have been distributed in Poland
, Hungary
, Romania
and Croatia
. Because of this experience, the European Community commissioned the Order to transport more than 21.000 tons in food to the hungry in Russia
. The Order organized food-aid and managed reconstruction-projects after the Tsunami Catastrophe in Indonesia.
. The Order enjoys the fons honorum of Prince Henri, Count of Paris, Duke of France who is Head of the Royal House of France. In 2004, the Count of Paris allowed his nephew Prince Charles Philippe, Duc d'Anjou to take the position of 49th Grand Master of the Order.
In Spain the Order has received recognition from the State through a number of legal documents. King Juan Carlos I of Spain allowed his kinsman Don Carlos Gereda y de Borbon
to accept the position of Grand Master of another branch of the Order in 2008. Within the Kingdom of Spain many nobles are members of the Order and the Cronista de Armas de Castile y León allows the use of the Cross and Insignia of St. Lazarus when certifying coats of arms to members of the Order. The Order has also been granted permanent observer status at the United Nations
.
The Vatican can only formally recognise Orders of Chivalry that have the Pope as their sovereign. However, a number of prominent Catholic prelates have acted as chaplains to the Order. Most notably Cardinal Paskai of Hungary who is the Spiritual Protector to the Orléans branch of the Order. Previously Cardinal Basil Hume was a member of the Order in England as is his successor Cardinal Murphy O'Connor. The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell
is a former national chaplain and member of the Order in Australia. The united Malta and Paris obedience enjoys the spiritual protection of the Melchite Patriarch of Jerusalem. The Order has also been recognised by the Catholic Primate of Spain.
In the United Kingdom the Order of St. Lazarus has counted several senior aristocrats among its membership. The Rt. Hon. Earl Ferrers
was the Grand Prior of England and Wales (Malta branch) until May 2011 when he was replaced by the 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury
and Grand Prior of of Great Britain (Orléans branch) is H.E. The Baron of Fetternear M.B.E., G.C.L.J., J.P. In Scotland the Rt Hon. the Viscount Gough
is head of the Grand Bailiwick of Scotland. The Grand Priory of Australia is under the patronage of the Governor General Quentin Bryce
AC DStJ.. In New Zealand the Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae
GNZM QSO KStJ, is both a Knight and Patron of the Order of St. Lazarus and the Maori King Te Arikinui of The Kīngitanga is a Knight Commander of St. Lazarus. In 2007, King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa of Rwanda accepted the honour of Knight Grand Cross in the Order St. Lazarus of Jerusalem.
In Ireland, the O'Conor Don
, Prince of Connacht, Chief of the Name and successor to the High Kingship of Ireland is a Knight of Justice in the Order of St. Lazarus as well as Juge d'Armes of the Grand Priory of Ireland. Other noble families are also represented among the Order's membership in Ireland including O'Morchoe
, Bunbury
and Guinness
.
In Austria
the Order of St. Lazarus enjoys the favour of the Royal House of Habsburg. Until his death His Royal Highness Prince Otto von Habsburg
(1912-2011) held the title of Protector of the Grand Priory of Austria. The Grand Prioress of Austria is Countess Éva Nyáry.
The Order of St. Lazarus is also recognised by the Governments of the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Hungary and South Africa..
Gentlemen who are invested in the rank of Knight (KLJ) or higher are entitled to the pronominal Chevalier and women invested in the rank of Dame or higher are entitled to the pronominal Dame. Clergy may be admitted into the Order in one of the ranks as Assistant Chaplain, Chaplain, Senior Chaplain, Ecclesial Commander and Ecclesial Grand Cross. There is also a companionate which is often used to honour individuals who have supported the work of the Order or who have made a significant contribution to society.
The mantle of the Order is a black cloak with a green velvet collar and the cross of the Order sewn onto the left side. The mantle is always worn at religious ceremonies. In addition to the mantle and insignia members of the Order normally wear white gloves and ladies may also wear a mantilla in church.
The insignia of a knight is a badge with Military Trophy pendant from a green neck ribbon, and a golden breast star. Dames of the Order wear the Badge with wreath of laurel and oak springs from a ribbon bow and a golden breast star.
A green button hole rosette may also be worn on a business suit by gentlemen of the Order.
Different and alternative views on St. Lazarus Order history:
Lazarus (name)
Lazarus is a given name and surname. It is derived from the Hebrew אלעזר, Elʿāzār meaning "God has helped".- People with the given name Lazarus:...
.
The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is an order of chivalry which originated in a leper
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
hospital founded by the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
in 1098 by the crusaders of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem
Kingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
. The Order is one of the most ancient of the European orders of chivalry. It was originally established to treat the virulent disease of leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
, its knights originally being lepers themselves. It is one of the less-known and less-documented orders.
History
From its foundation in the 11th century, members of the Order were dedicated to two ideals: aid to those suffering from the disease of leprosy and the defense of the Christian faith.The first mention of the Order of Saint Lazarus in surviving sources was in 1142. The order was initially founded as a leper hospital outside the city walls of Jerusalem, but hospitals were established all across the Holy Land dependant on the Jerusalem hospital, notably in Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
. It is unknown when the order became militarised but militarisation occurred before the end of the twelfth century due to the large numbers of Templars
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
and Hospitallers
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
sent to the leper hospitals to be treated. The order established ‘lazar houses’ across Europe to care for lepers, and was well supported by other military orders which compelled lazar brethren in their rule to join the order on contracting leprosy.
The Order of Saint Lazarus remained primarily a hospitaller order but it did take part in a number of battles including the Battle of La Forbie
Battle of La Forbie
The Battle of La Forbie, also known as the Battle of Harbiyah, was fought October 17, 1244 – October 18, 1244 between the allied armies and the Egyptian army of the Ayyubid Sultan as-Salih Ayyub, reinforced with Khwarezmian mercenaries.-Prelude:The capture of...
on 17 October 1244 where all of the lazar brethren who fought died and the Battle of Al Mansurah
Battle of Al Mansurah
The Battle of Al Mansurah was fought from February 8 to February 11, 1250 between crusaders led by Louis IX, King of France, and Ayyubid forces led by Emir Fakhr-ad-Din Yussuf, Faris ad-Din Aktai and Baibars al-Bunduqdari.-Background:...
on 8-11 February 1250. The leper knights were protected by a number of able-bodied knights but in times of crisis the leper knights themselves would take up arms.
The Order of Saint Lazarus quickly abandoned their military activities after the fall of Acre in 1291
Siege of Acre (1291)
The Siege of Acre took place in 1291 and resulted in the loss of the Crusader-controlled city of Acre to the Muslims. It is considered one of the most important battles of the time period. Although the crusading movement continued for several more centuries, the capture of the city marked the end...
and the dissolution of the Templars due to expense, being a relatively poor order.
Royal House of France
In 1154, King Louis VII of FranceLouis VII of France
Louis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
gave the Order a property at Boigny
Boigny-sur-Bionne
Boigny-sur-Bionne is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.IBM has an office in Boigny-sur-Bionne....
near Orléans which was to become the headquarters of the Order outside of the Holy Land. Later, after the fall of Acre in 1291
Siege of Acre (1291)
The Siege of Acre took place in 1291 and resulted in the loss of the Crusader-controlled city of Acre to the Muslims. It is considered one of the most important battles of the time period. Although the crusading movement continued for several more centuries, the capture of the city marked the end...
the Knights of St. Lazarus left the Holy Land and moved first to Cyprus, then Sicily and finally back to Boigny which had been raised to a barony in 1288. In 1308 King Philip IV of France
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
established the Order under his temporal protection. Again, in 1604 Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
declared protectorate of French Crown over the French branch and in 1608 the Order was merged in union with Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel into Royal, Military,and Hospitaller Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Lazarus of Jerusalem. During the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
a decree of 30 July 1791 suppressed all royal and knightly orders. Another decree the following year confiscated all the Order's properties. Louis, Count of Provence, Grand Master of the Order, who later became Louis XVIII, continued to function in exile. Scholars differ in their views regarding the extent to which the Order remained intact after the French Revolution. In fact, in different museums there are preserved number of paintings of Russian and Baltic nobles, adopted to the Order after 1791. In this list are general John Lamb, prince Suvorov
Alexander Suvorov
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov , Count Suvorov of Rymnik, Prince in Italy, Count of the Holy Roman Empire , was the fourth and last generalissimo of the Russian Empire.One of the few great generals in history who never lost a battle along with the likes of Alexander...
, count Pahlen, count Sievers etc. Some of new knights are even listed in Almanach Royal
Royal Almanac
The Royal Almanac is a French administrative directory founded in 1683 by the bookseller Laurent d'Houry, which appeared under this title from 1700 to 1792, and under other titles until 1919....
from 1814 to 1830. King Louis XVIII, the Order's late Protector, and the Duc de Châtre, the Order's Lieutenant-General, both died in 1824. These were followed by Charles X and Henry V as Protectors of the Order until 1830 but after this period the Order did not enjoy the explicit protection of the French Crown until 2004 when the fons honorum ("fount of honour") was renewed by HRH Prince Henri d'Orléans, Count of Paris, Duke of France as head of the Royal House of France.
Royal House of Savoy
In 1572, Pope Gregory XIIIPope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
merged the Italian foundation of the Order of Saint Lazarus with the Order of Saint Maurice (founded in 1434) as the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus is an order of chivalry awarded by the House of Savoy, the heads of which were formerly Kings of Italy...
. This became a national order of chivalry on the unification of Italy
Italian unification
Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...
in 1861, but has been suppressed by law since the foundation of the Republic
Birth of the Italian Republic
The Italian constitutional referendum which officially took place on 2 June 1946, is a key event of Italian contemporary history. Until 1946, Italy was a kingdom ruled by the House of Savoy, kings of Italy since the Risorgimento and previously rulers of Savoy...
in 1946. King Umberto II
Umberto II of Italy
Umberto II, occasionally anglicized as Humbert II was the last King of Italy for slightly over a month, from 9 May 1946 to 12 June 1946. He was nicknamed the King of May -Biography:...
did not abdicate his position as fons honorum however, and the head of the former Royal House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
remains the Grand Master of the Italian foundation of the Order today.
Revival
After 1830 the French foundation of the Order continued under the governance of a council of officers who in 1841 invited the Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic ChurchMelkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
Maximos III Mazloum
Maximos III Mazloum
Maximos III Michael Mazloum, was patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1833 until 1855. As patriarch he reformed church administration and bolstered clerical education...
to become Spiritual Protector
Cardinal protector
Since the thirteenth century it has been customary at Rome to confide to some particular Cardinal a special solicitude in the Roman Curia for the interests of a given religious order or institute, confraternity, church, college, city, nation etcetera. Such a person is known as a Cardinal Protector...
of the Order, thence re-establishing a tangible connection with the Order's early roots in Jerusalem. Regardless of whether the Order continued or was revived, by 1850, under the authority of the Patriarch the Order had consolidated and numbered about twenty knights. In the years that followed new knights were admitted including in 1853 Admiral Ferdinand-Alphonse Hamelin and Admiral Louis Édouard Bouët-Willaumez
Louis Edouard Bouët-Willaumez
Louis Edouard Bouët-Willaumez was a French admiral.He was born Louis Edouard Bouët, the son of a businessman in Maison-Lafitte, near Paris...
; in 1863 Comte Louis François du Mesnil de Maricourt (d. 1865), Comte Paul de Poudenx (d.1894) and Rev. Abbé Jean Tanski; in 1865 the Order admitted Comte Jules Marie d'Anselme de Puisaye who was followed in 1875 by the Vicomte de Boisbaudry; Baron Yves de Constancin in 1896, who was later to become commander of the Hospitaller Nobles of St Lazarus, a knight of the Order of Isabella the Catholic and of Order of Saint Anna of Russia. In 1880 Comte Jules Marie d'Anselme de Puisaye was admitted to the Order as a hospitaller while living in Tunisia. The Order continued to attract members from the French nobility and by the early 20th century it was attracting knights from further afield notably Spain and Poland. In 1930 don Francisco de Borbón y de La Torre, Duke of Seville, Grand Bailiff of the Order in Spain was appointed as Lieutenant-General of the Grand Magistracy and in 1935 he was elected as Grand Master re-establishing the office, vacant since 1814.
Due to disputes and schisms within the Order there are now two distinct obediences (branches) both of which claim the mantle of the Order of Saint Lazarus. For many decades the Malta and Paris Obediences feuded over the Grand Magistry of the Order, eventually reconciling as a united order in 2008 when don Carlos Gererda y de Borbón, Marquis de Almazán, was elected as 49th Grand Master of the Order. However, previously dissatisfied members of the Paris Obedience continue to operate separately having formed what became known as the Orleans Obedience under Grand Master HRH Prince Charles Philippe
Charles Philippe
People named Charles Philippe include:*Charles Philippe d'Orléans, duc d'Anjou , Duke of Anjou*Charles-Amédée-Philippe van Loo , a French painter of allegorical scenes and portraits...
, Duke of Anjou. In 2004 Prince Charles Philippe successfully achieved renewed temporal protection of the Royal House of France. However, in 2010 Prince Charles Philippe retired as Grand Master of his branch of the Order and was replaced by his uncle Count Jan Dobrzenský z Dobrzenicz .
Today, both obediences of the Order participate in worldwide humanitarian efforts. The former Malta & Paris Obedience, has been engaged in a major charitable program to revive Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
: Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, and the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
: Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, and the Palestinian territories
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Millions of dollars worth of food, clothing, medical equipment and supplies have been distributed in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. Because of this experience, the European Community commissioned the Order to transport more than 21.000 tons in food to the hungry in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The Order organized food-aid and managed reconstruction-projects after the Tsunami Catastrophe in Indonesia.
Recognition
Today, the Order of St. Lazarus continues to be favoured by various branches of the House of BourbonHouse of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
. The Order enjoys the fons honorum of Prince Henri, Count of Paris, Duke of France who is Head of the Royal House of France. In 2004, the Count of Paris allowed his nephew Prince Charles Philippe, Duc d'Anjou to take the position of 49th Grand Master of the Order.
In Spain the Order has received recognition from the State through a number of legal documents. King Juan Carlos I of Spain allowed his kinsman Don Carlos Gereda y de Borbon
Don Carlos Gereda y de Borbon
His Excellency Don Carlos Gereda y de Borbón, Marqués de Almazán, 49th Grand Master of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem , was born on 24 January 1947 in Montevideo, Uruguay to Don Nicolás Gereda y Bustamante and his wife Dona María Luisa de Borbón y Pínto. He is the...
to accept the position of Grand Master of another branch of the Order in 2008. Within the Kingdom of Spain many nobles are members of the Order and the Cronista de Armas de Castile y León allows the use of the Cross and Insignia of St. Lazarus when certifying coats of arms to members of the Order. The Order has also been granted permanent observer status at the United Nations
United Nations General Assembly observers
In addition to the current 193 member states, the United Nations welcomes many international organizations, entities, and non-member states as observers. Observer status is granted by a United Nations General Assembly resolution...
.
The Vatican can only formally recognise Orders of Chivalry that have the Pope as their sovereign. However, a number of prominent Catholic prelates have acted as chaplains to the Order. Most notably Cardinal Paskai of Hungary who is the Spiritual Protector to the Orléans branch of the Order. Previously Cardinal Basil Hume was a member of the Order in England as is his successor Cardinal Murphy O'Connor. The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell
George Pell
George Pell AC is an Australian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Archbishop of Sydney, serving since 2001. He previously served as auxiliary bishop and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne...
is a former national chaplain and member of the Order in Australia. The united Malta and Paris obedience enjoys the spiritual protection of the Melchite Patriarch of Jerusalem. The Order has also been recognised by the Catholic Primate of Spain.
In the United Kingdom the Order of St. Lazarus has counted several senior aristocrats among its membership. The Rt. Hon. Earl Ferrers
Earl Ferrers
Earl Ferrers is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1711 for Robert Shirley, 13th Baron Ferrers of Chartley. The Shirley family descends from George Shirley of Astwell Castle, Northamptonshire....
was the Grand Prior of England and Wales (Malta branch) until May 2011 when he was replaced by the 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
and Grand Prior of of Great Britain (Orléans branch) is H.E. The Baron of Fetternear M.B.E., G.C.L.J., J.P. In Scotland the Rt Hon. the Viscount Gough
Viscount Gough
thumb|Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount GoughViscount Gough, of Goojerat in the Punjab and of the city of Limerick, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1849 for the military commander Hugh Gough, 1st Baron Gough...
is head of the Grand Bailiwick of Scotland. The Grand Priory of Australia is under the patronage of the Governor General Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia and former Governor of Queensland....
AC DStJ.. In New Zealand the Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae
Jerry Mateparae
Lieutenant General Sir Jeremiah "Jerry" Mateparae, GNZM, QSO is New Zealand's 20th Governor-General. He was Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force between 2006 and 2011, the first Māori person to hold the office, and the Director of the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau from 7...
GNZM QSO KStJ, is both a Knight and Patron of the Order of St. Lazarus and the Maori King Te Arikinui of The Kīngitanga is a Knight Commander of St. Lazarus. In 2007, King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa of Rwanda accepted the honour of Knight Grand Cross in the Order St. Lazarus of Jerusalem.
In Ireland, the O'Conor Don
O'Conor Don
The Ó Conchubhair Donn is the hereditary Prince and Chief of the Name of the Royal Family of Connacht, the Clan Ó Conchubhair.-Overview:...
, Prince of Connacht, Chief of the Name and successor to the High Kingship of Ireland is a Knight of Justice in the Order of St. Lazarus as well as Juge d'Armes of the Grand Priory of Ireland. Other noble families are also represented among the Order's membership in Ireland including O'Morchoe
David O'Morchoe
Major General David Nial Creagh, The O'Morchoe , CB, CBE, KLJ, is the hereditary Chief and Prince of the Ó Murchadha Sept, a cadet line of the ancient Irish dynasty the Uí Cheinnselaig, who were Kings of Leinster...
, Bunbury
Baron Rathdonnell
Baron Rathdonnell, of Rathdonnell in the County of Donegal, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1868 for John McClintock, with remainder to the male issue of his deceased younger brother Captain William McClintock-Bunbury . The barony of Rathdonnel was the second-last barony...
and Guinness
Guinness family
The Guinness family is an extensive aristocratic Irish Protestant family noted for their accomplishments in brewing, banking, politics and religious ministry...
.
In Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
the Order of St. Lazarus enjoys the favour of the Royal House of Habsburg. Until his death His Royal Highness Prince Otto von Habsburg
Otto von Habsburg
Otto von Habsburg , also known by his royal name as Archduke Otto of Austria, was the last Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary from 1916 until the dissolution of the empire in 1918, a realm which comprised modern-day Austria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia,...
(1912-2011) held the title of Protector of the Grand Priory of Austria. The Grand Prioress of Austria is Countess Éva Nyáry.
The Order of St. Lazarus is also recognised by the Governments of the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Hungary and South Africa..
Membership
Membership of the Order of St. Lazarus is by invitation only and is an honour granted by the Grand Masters H.E. Don Carlos Gererda y de Borbon, Marquis de Almazan or H.E. Count Jan Dobrzenský z Dobrzenicz. Both obediences of the Order of St. Lazarus include among their number members of the European nobility, academics, politicians and senior clergy. Membership in the Order is divided into two classes, Knights of Justice and Knights of Magistral Grace, the former is restricted to members of families with noble titles. All members of the Order of St. Lazarus are invested in one of the following ranks, regardless of whether they qualify for Justice or Magistral Grace:- Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem (GCLJ) or (DGCLJ)
- Knight or Dame Commander of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem (KCLJ) or (DCLJ)
- Knight or Dame of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem (KLJ) or (DLJ)
- Commander of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem (CLJ)
- Officer of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem (OLJ)
- Member of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem (MLJ)
Gentlemen who are invested in the rank of Knight (KLJ) or higher are entitled to the pronominal Chevalier and women invested in the rank of Dame or higher are entitled to the pronominal Dame. Clergy may be admitted into the Order in one of the ranks as Assistant Chaplain, Chaplain, Senior Chaplain, Ecclesial Commander and Ecclesial Grand Cross. There is also a companionate which is often used to honour individuals who have supported the work of the Order or who have made a significant contribution to society.
Vestments and insignia
For the Order's ceremonial occasions, such as investitures, the members wear distinctive vestments and insignia.The mantle of the Order is a black cloak with a green velvet collar and the cross of the Order sewn onto the left side. The mantle is always worn at religious ceremonies. In addition to the mantle and insignia members of the Order normally wear white gloves and ladies may also wear a mantilla in church.
The insignia of a knight is a badge with Military Trophy pendant from a green neck ribbon, and a golden breast star. Dames of the Order wear the Badge with wreath of laurel and oak springs from a ribbon bow and a golden breast star.
A green button hole rosette may also be worn on a business suit by gentlemen of the Order.
External links
Official Websites:- The United Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem - former Malta & Paris Obedience
- The Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem - the Orleans Obedience
- The Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus - House of Savoy
Different and alternative views on St. Lazarus Order history:
- The Order of St Lazarus. A Short History
- A more measured view of The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem by James J. Algrant
- The origins of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus
- Heraldry of the St Lazarus Order
- Symbol of the Order
- The Order of St Lazarus. Orleans Obedience view for history
- The Order of St. Lazarus by Guy Stair Sainty
- The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem from the book: Orders of Knighthood and Merit : The Pontifical, Religious and Secularised Catholic-founded Orders and their relationship to the Apostolic See by Peter Bander van Buren. (Gerrards Cross : Colin Smythe, 1995)
- Statement by Gregorios III Patriarch of the Melkite-Greek Catholic Church and Spiritual Protector of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem
- Military History Online - Order of St.Lazarus in the Latin East
