By-Laws & Regulations
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SOVEREIGN HOSPITALLER ORDER OF SAINT JOHN OF JERUSALEM ® KNIGHTS OF MALTA S.H.O.S.J. “UT UNUM SINT” – That They May Be One BY-LAWS & REGULATIONS Revised: 31 July 2017 Promulgated: 08 September 2017 The International Seat of the Order and Diplomatic Centre Castello Dei Baroni, Wardija SPB 07, Malta GC © 2011. Copyright 2011 of the name of the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta . All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Grand Chancellor. TABLE OF CONTENTS VERSION CONTROL 4 1. THE OATHS OF OFFICE 5 1.1 HIRH The Prince Grand Master 5 1.2 H.E. The Lt. Grand Master 6 1.3 H.E. The Grand Chancellor 7 1.4 The Members of the Supreme Council 8 1.5 H.E. The Grand Prior 9 1.6 The Declaration of Allegiance to the Order by the Grand Priory 10 2. THE STANDARD FORMAT OF MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF GRAND PRIORIES 11 3. THE STANDARD FORMAT OF THE HOUSEHOLD REGULATIONS OF GRAND PRIORIES 12 3.1 Admission Process 12 3.2 Investiture 12 3.3 The wearing of mantles and/or Order Insignia 13 3.4 Code of Conduct for Members 13 3.5 Contributions, Oblations and Expenses 13 3.6 Transfers and final clause 14 4. TRADEMARKS OF THE ORDER AND THEIR USE 14 5. THE HANDLING OF LEGAL PROBLEMS 14 6. THE FORM OF QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR KNIGHTHOOD OF THE ORDER 15 7. PASSAGE FEES 16 8. OBLATION FEES 17 9. APPLICATION PACKAGE 17 10. THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY OF KNIGHTS AND DAMES 30 10.1 The Proclamation 30 10.2 Washing of hands 30 10.3 Candle Ceremony 30 10.4 Dubbing Sword 31 10.5 Vows of the Knight or Dame 31 10.6 Presenting the Sword 31 10.7 Dubbing the Postulants 32 10.8 Spurs 33 10.9 Ropes 33 10.10 Chaplain’s Passion Prayer 33 10.11 Kiss of Peace 33 10.12 Promotions 34 SHOSJ Supreme Council By-Laws & Regulations 2 (43) 10.13 Ceremony of Appointments 34 10.14 Benediction 35 11. VESTMENTS 35 12. THE DRESS REGULATIONS 36 12.1 Knights Dress 36 12.2 Dames Dress 36 12.3 Formal Wear 36 12.4 High Neck Tunic 37 12.5 Open Neck Tunic 37 12.6 National medals or insignias 37 13. THE PROTOCOL 37 13.1 Office of the Grand Marshall 37 13.2 Order of Procession for Investiture 37 13.3 Order of Recession for Investiture 38 13.4 Seating arrangements 39 13.5 Conducting the Ceremony 39 13.6 Gala Dinner Top Table Seating 39 13.7 Gala Dinner Top Table Introductions 39 13.8 Gala Dinner Toasts 40 14. THE FORMS OF PRAYER 40 14.1 Daily Prayer 40 14.2 Other traditional prayers 40 15. THE INSIGNIA OF THE ORDER 40 15.1 Description of the Insignia 40 15.2 Decision in matters of Insignia 40 16. THE RULES OF THE COURT OF HONOUR & THE PENALTIES 40 16.1 Disciplinary penalties 40 16.2 Suspension 41 16.3 Expulsion from the Order 41 16.4 Court of Honour 41 RATIFICATION OF THE SHOSJ BY-LAWS & REGULATIONS 43 Legal Note 1. OUR Christian, Ecumenical, Chivalric Order derives its legitimacy from the long line of Grand Priories, Priories and Commanderies that were established in Europe by Paul I Emperor of All the Russians after saving the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem from extinction following the abdication of Ferdinand von Hompesch, who was ousted with all his Knights from the Maltese Islands in 1798 by Napoleon Bonaparte. The Langues and large number of Knights who elected The Emperor as Grand Master by Chapter-General in St Petersburg (he was already then the Protector of the Order by Treaty with the late Grand Master de Rohan) were from the legitimate and original contingent on Malta, and thanks to them the Order survived. 2. The revival (several months later) of a separate grouping of other original knights under a Master General in Sicily, which 'group' also eventually obtained legitimacy and is now known as the 'Sovereign Military Order of Malta' could not, by that mere fact, lawfully deprive our Order from the historical legitimacy that it derives from its imperial Grand Master the Emperor Paul I. 3. Thus it is today a fact that whilst there are other charitable Orders using the name of St John, including SMOM, our Order is equally legitimate and carries out important works of Christian charity whilst preserving its ancient military and hospitaller traditions, and must be distinguished from the aforementioned Order known as S.M.O.M., or any other Orders of St John. SHOSJ Supreme Council By-Laws & Regulations 3 (43) VERSION CONTROL Date Page Chapter and paragraph of changes/adjustments Sign 2016 08 26 Complete document 2017 07 11 37 13.1 Office of the Grand Marshall: Added Protocol Manual as reference 2017 07 11 38 12.4 High Neck Tuni ca: New picture added 2017 07 11 39 13.8 Gala Dinner Toast: Updated text to harmonise with Protocol Manual 2017 07 11 Complete docu ment: Pages renumbered and spellcheck 2017 07 24 37 12.6 National medals or insignias . Added new paragraph and text SHOSJ Supreme Council By-Laws & Regulations 4 (43) BY-LAWS 1. THE OATHS OF OFFICE 1.1 H.S.H. The Prince Grand Master I, Chevalier , elected on the as Prince Grand Master of the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Saint. John of Jerusalem ®, Knights of Malta by Chapter-General of the Order, as confirmed by Chapter-General Resolution dated , by the Grace of God, Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrs of our Order, fully accept the rights and responsibilities of Prince Grand Master of the Order as laid down and conferred upon me in its current or future Statutes and By-Laws and swear, so help me God, Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrs of the Order, in my above capacity to faithfully govern the Order according to its present or future Statues and By-Laws, for as long as I shall be in office as Prince Grand Master of the Order. Sworn and signed at on the in the presence of and accepted by H.S.H. The Prince Grand Master and H.E, The Grand Chancellor on behalf of the Order. SHOSJ Supreme Council By-Laws & Regulations 5 (43) 1.2 H.E. The Lt. Grand Master I, Chevalier , appointed on the as Lt. Grand Master of the Sovereign Hosptialler Order of Saint John of Jerusalem ®, Knights of Malta H.S.H. The Prince Grand Master, as confirmed by Decree dated on the by the Grace of God, Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrs of our Order, fully accept the rights and responsibilities of Lt, 'Grand Master of the Order as laid down and conferred upon me in its current or future Statutes and By-Laws and swear, so help me God, Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrs of our Order, to in my above capacity faithfully govern tile Order according to its present of future Statutes and By-Laws, for as long as I shall be in Office as Lt. Grand Master of tile Order. Sworn and signed at on the in the presence of and accepted by H.S.H. The Prince Grand Master and H.E, The Grand Chancellor on behalf of the Order. SHOSJ Supreme Council By-Laws & Regulations 6 (43) 1.3 H.E. The Grand Chancellor I, Chevalier , appointed on the as Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem ®, Knights of Malta by H.S.H. The Prince Grand Master, as confirmed by Decree dated on the by the Grace of God, Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrs of our Order, fully accept the rights and responsibilities of Grand Chancellor of the Order as laid down and conferred upon me in its present or future Statutes and By-Laws and swear, so help me God, Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrs of our Order, to in my above capacity faithfully help govern the Order according. to its present or future Statutes and By-Laws, for as long as I shall be in Office as Grand Chancellor of the Order. Sworn and signed at on the in the presence of and accepted by H.S.H. The Prince Grand Master on behalf of the Order. SHOSJ Supreme Council By-Laws & Regulations 7 (43) 1.4 The Members of the Supreme Council I, Chevalier , appointed on the as a Member of the Supreme Council of the Sovereign Hosptialler Order of Saint John of Jerusalem ®, Knights of Malta by H.S.H. The Prince Grand Master, as confirmed by Decree dated by the Grace of God, Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrs of our Order, fully accept the rights and responsibilities of Member of the Supreme Council of the Order as laid down and conferred upon me in its current or future Statutes and By-Laws and swear, so help me God, Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrs of our Order, to in my above capacity faithfully govern the Order according to its present of future Statutes and By-Laws, for as long as I shall be in Office as Member of the Supreme Council of the Order.