The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem
The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader of the past, present and future of the Order of Saint Lazarus, and explain the current events now taking place in the United Kingdom and Overseas.
Its history, its character and its spirit…
The Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem was a military,religious and hospitaller Order of Chivalry. It bore no resemblance to modern-day historical or charitable organisations.
It was military in that it played a military role from 1120 to about the beginning of the 16th century. Until 1291 its military activities were centred in the Holy Land helping to hold it for Christianity, while after its loss they involved the protection of the pilgrim routes, particularly of that to Santiago de Compostela.
The military role was revived in the early 17th century when the Order maintained a squadron of ten frigates based at St Malo, manned by the knights, novices and chaplains. With the ending of the Order’s naval activities in 1668, the military role was continued through its naval academy, and the ownership of a military school in Paris, which it held until the French Revolution in 1791.
With regard to the religious aspect, the Order was originally an order of monks taking the triple vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The monastic character was in no way lessened when it commenced its military role.
The Order was hospitaller in that its origins allegedly stem from a leper hospice founded in the 4th century. Subsequently it operated a hospice for lepers in the 12th century outside the walls of Jerusalem. Despite its eventual military role, it remained primarily a ‘hospitaller Order’, operating a worldwide network of hospitals and Lazar Houses.
The Order was chivalric in that it became a monastic Order of Knighthood in the early 12th century. Its ranks held those who were already knights or those of noble birth who received knighthood after entry into the Order. The Order always had the power of conferring knighthood on any person deemed suitable. This ancient prerogative was enshrined in the Act of 1624 which created the category of Knights of Grace, where nobility was not required. This power, to confer knighthood, remained unimpaired from the 12th century and needed no recognition for its validity, preceding, as it did, all secular knighthoods still surviving to this day.
Apart from this knightly aspect of chivalry, it also implied that privilege went hand in hand with responsibility, to care for the sick and protect the weak. It was service without being servile, the use of one’s effort and strength for the purpose of Christian and human charity.
The Order was not a reward, but a commitment of service past, present and future, to carry out its aims, and to work for humanity in its name. Through the dedication of its knights and members, its nobility of purpose in caring for the sick, and its splendid history, the Order’s traditions have survived intact throughout the centuries, and should continue so for centuries to come, as long as Christianity, and a need to help our fellow man, exists.
The Order in England…
It is uncertain at what date the Order of Saint Lazarus was first established in England. Certainly the Order would have been known to crusading knights and it is likely that the first brethren of Saint Lazarus were brought to this country by returning crusaders. Modern French authorities claim 1135 as the year in which Baron Roger de Mowbray presented the knights with land, and a mill, at Burton, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. It was in the fertile countryside of this county that they built their great hospital (hospice), which became the chief house of the Order in England and from which, in succeeding years, numerous other hospitals and commanderies were erected throughout the country. The foundation at Burton, since called Burton Lazars, was administered by a Master and eight knights and was placed under the protection of the Blessed Virgin and of Saint Lazarus.
Two charters were granted, in the Order’s favour, by King Henry II in 1155 and 1159 respectively, with a further charter granted in 1176. This charter was confirmed by King Richard I (Coeur de Lion) at Westminster in 1189. On the 5th January 1195 Richard granted the Order a new charter in which it is declared:
‘We have recognised that the Holy House and Hospital of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is splendid and praiseworthy in the works of mercy, whereof we have sure faith and witness by the experience of our own eyes’.
This was testimony indeed from England’s most illustrious crusader! Subsequent Royal benefactors of the Order were King John in 1200 and Henry III in 1216. On 22nd October 1284 Edward I presented letters patent commanding his subjects to procure for the Master and Brethren of the Order whatever assistance their envoys would seek for the work of fighting the enemies of Christ and His Church. On 16th March 1343, in memory of his father, Edward III released the Order in England from payment of certain rents and taxes, recalling the hospitality of the Order towards lepers, and its military action against the enemies of the Cross. The administration, by the Order, of the hospital of St Giles, London, was confirmed by Henry VI in 1450.
In 1439 the Master, Geoffrey Shrigley, received licence from Henry VI to apply for bulls from the Pope to enable future Masters of the Order in England to be elected without reference to the Grand Master of the Order at Boigny in France.
In 1450 the Pope took the Order in England under his special protection, exempting it from all episcopal jurisdiction and decreeing that future Masters of the Order in England should be recognised as such without any further confirmation being required. This made the English branch of the Order independent of any overseas jurisdiction. By 1540 the Order was responsible for 96 Hospices within the English jurisdiction.
In 1544 Henry VIII suppressed the Order in England, as he had previously done with so many other religious Orders and Foundations. In France, however, as in other parts of Europe, the hospitaller work of the Order of Saint Lazarus continued to flourish.
In 1489 a Papal Bull was issued amalgamating the Order of Saint Lazarus (outside Italy) with the Order of St John. This decree was disobeyed by the officers of the Commandery of Boigny, France (Order of Saint Lazarus) and the Pope, as superior of all religious-military Orders, dealt with this thorny problem by authorising the foundation, by King Henry IV of France, of a new Order, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and amalgamated with this, by Papal Bull, the rump of the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem. It was by this Bull that the King gave statutes to the Order and why the Order was subject to canon law (the Italian possessions of the Order of Saint Lazarus had similarly amalgamated with the newly founded Order of Saint Maurice in 1572).
Since the Order had been primarily active in France since the 14th century it follows that it was subject to all the political upheavals in that country, none more important to the Order than the decree by the Assembly for the Third Estate, on the 30th July 1791, that ALL Orders of Chivalry were abolished. This decree placed the Order outside the law, including the Grand Master, who was in exile. There are those who would question the authority of the Third Estate to make such a pronouncement.
The end of Saint Lazarus as an Order of Chivalry…
The King could not ‘abolish’ the Order in 1814 (anymore than could the National Assembly earlier), although the government of Louis-Philippe suppressed it in 1831, but under canon law it could only become extinct through lack of canonical admissions. This is eventually what happened.
The Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honour issued a statement in 1824 to the effect that “..of the united Orders of Saint Lazarus and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the latter has not been awarded since 1788 and is allowed to extinguish itself”.
From the 18th century to date…
During its long and distinguished history the Order of Saint Lazarus had to undergo, and accept, many changes in order to survive. At times the Order was very strong, and had an important role to play, both in the Holy Land and subsequently in Europe; at other times it suffered from internal strife; it was attacked by Rulers, by Governments and even by the Church, and yet its Christian ideals of chivalry, and hospitaller service, are still being practiced.
There are, today, two organizations commonly known as “The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem”. Both these organizations claim to be the legitimate Order, each with its own ‘Grand Master’. Both organizations further claim direct descent from the chivalric and hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus which was founded in Jerusalem during the Crusades.
The last Grand Masters…
To enable one to understand this rather confusing situation one must delve briefly into the history of the Order of Saint Lazarus since the early 18th century.
The Order’s official history has it that Louis d’Orleans, duc de Chartres, later duc d’Orleans, was the Order’s 41st Grand Master, and served in that capacity from 1720 – 1752.
He was followed by Louis XVI (guillotined on the 21st January 1793), who acted as the ‘Protector’ of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem.
The Comte de Provence (brother of King Louis XVI), was the 42nd Grand Master.
On becoming titular king, in 1795, as Louis XVIII, the Comte de Provence became ‘Protector’ of the Order (no Grand Master was appointed) and died in exile in 1824. To many serious historians this was the end of any direct descent by Grand Masters of the Order of Saint Lazarus, and it was also seen as the end of the Order as a recognised Order of Chivalry.
The Council of Officers and the Melchite Protectors…
Since the death of Louis XVIII in 1824, and the prior decree, by the Assembly for the Third Estate in 1791, abolishing all Orders of Chivalry, the members of the Order of Saint Lazarus living at the time had to find a way in which to continue their association, failing which the ‘Order’ would dissolve on their death.
It is alleged that having lost their Grand Master the knights of the Order decided, in 1830, to form themselves into a Council of Officers which would govern the Order. It is further alleged that in 1840 they contacted the Greek Melchite Patriarch of Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria requesting him to act as the Spiritual Protector and Patron of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, thus offering the necessary spiritual and temporal guarantees to new candidates. From that time on the Council of Officers, by their own authority, received and invested new knights into the Order under the spiritual protection and patronage of the Greek Melchite Patriarch.
Some would question the regularity of nominations made while the institution was ruled by a Council of Officers responsible only to a spiritual patron.
The modern Order’s ‘history’ states that although the protector Patriarchs cherished the Order, they had little time to devote to it. Thus the administration of Saint Lazarus was affected and the number of admissions took a downturn. The year 1910 marked a low point for the ‘Order’. It was then that the Patriarch Cyrill VIII Ghéa supposedly decided to transfer the chancery of the Order to Paris and entrust the administration to the Council of Officers which sat there.
The Patriarch died in Egypt in 1916 leaving the Order without either Spiritual, or Magistral, patronage. The following ten years are thought by many to be, yet again, a break in the claimed direct descent, by the current two international ‘Orders’, from the Order originally formed during the Crusades.
It is claimed that in 1926 contact was re-established between the Paris administration and Patriarch Cyrill IX, who subsequently visited the Council of Officers, but the meeting was not without problems and some of the initiatives taken adversely affected the Order’s reputation and alarmed the more serious members.
Since its ‘revival’ at the beginning of the 20th century the Order’s religious character has been maintained through its chaplains, its Religious Protector (The Melchite Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Orient), its Spiritual Grand Prior, its rules, services and traditions. Members are expected to live their lives in the spirit of ecumenical Christian charity.
There would, however, appear to be no documentary evidence to support the Order’s claimed ‘history’ for the period between 1824 and 1927.
An Association of Hospitallers…
In 1927, in order to comply with French law governing associations, an organisation was established as the ‘Association of Hospitallers of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem’ under the aegis of the marquis de l’Eglise de Ferrier.
The new ‘Order’ (a chivalric organisation)…
In 1929 a ‘Council of Officers’ of the ‘Association’ approached the Duke of Seville, and offered him the ‘Grand Mastership of the Order’. It was not, however, until 12th December 1935 that the Chapter General proclaimed him ‘44th Grand Master’.
Louis XVIII died in 1824 (although he gave up being ‘Protector’ in 1814) and the ‘44th Grand Master’ took office in 1935. This means that there was a gap of at least 111 years, which makes it impossible to claim that either of today’s ‘Orders’ of Saint Lazarus are the direct descendants of the Order of Saint Lazarus established in the Holy Land at the time of the Crusades.
It would be fair to say that the ‘Association of Hospitallers of Saint Lazarus’, formed in France in 1927, made every attempt to model itself on the ‘chivalric’ Order of Saint Lazarus which was abolished, together with all other orders of chivalry, by the decree of 1791. The appointment of a new ‘Grand Master’ in 1935 further endorsed the wish, and hopes, of the members of this ‘chivalric association’ to believe that they were in fact members of an Order of Chivalry.
It is not the intention here to decry the value of the two chivalric organisations known today as ‘The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem’. On the contrary they have, since 1935, been involved with an enormous amount of good works in various parts of the world, and are deserving of the highest praise for their hospitaller efforts.
We are, at best, trying to separate fact from fiction, and in so doing prove the value of ‘chivalric organisations’ formed in the 20th century, who base their functions and future on the ideals and ethics of the past.
Since the middle of the 20th century the current ‘Orders’ sent aid to wherever there was sickness and suffering, maintaining or supporting leper hospitals, medical centres, ambulance units and various other humanitarian institutions throughout the world.
The schism…
Unfortunately the period from 1935 to date has not been easy for the Order of Saint Lazarus. In 1956 the 45th Grand Master, Don Francisco Enrique de Borbon y Borbon appointed the late duc de Brissac as Administrator General of the Order, however, the duc de Brissac eventually led a revolt against his Grand Master and called a Chapter General, which was held in Paris on the 20th May 1967. The result was that HRH Charles Philippe d’Orleans, duc de Nemours, was elected and declared 46th Grand Master. Don Francisco Enrique de Borbon y Borbon was named ‘Grand Master Emeritus’. The validity of this election has been the subject of much discussion, and remains highly questionable in the eyes of many. Apparently still dissatisfied with the situation the duc de Brissac led a further revolt against his own appointee, the duc de Nemours and, by calling a further Chapter General on the 15th April 1969, had himself appointed as the 47th Grand Master.
Thus, by taking unilateral action on two separate occasions, the duc de Brissac managed, during a period of less than two years, to depose TWO Grand Masters, thereby ensuring his own nomination to that post.
These events caused a schism within the Order, and in 1973 the supporters of the ‘Borbon’ faction (subsequently known as the ‘Malta Obedience’) asked Don Francisco de Borbon y Borbon, to re-assume the Grand Mastership as the 47th Grand Master.
This left the Order with two Grand Masters. Senior members of the ‘Brissac’ faction (known as the ‘Paris Obedience’) and senior members of the ‘Malta Obedience’ formed a bi-partite commission which eventually led to the signing of a Protocol of Agreement in 1979. The continuing schism was supposed to be resolved in 1986, through the good offices of the Melchite Patriarch Maximos V Hakim, but the attempt to unite the two ‘Obediences’ failed, and currently both the present duc de Brissac and the present duc de Seville claim to be the legitimate ‘48th Grand Master’ of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem.
The ‘Order of Saint Lazarus’ has been in the United Kingdom since 1964 and, since the schism of 1969, both ‘Obediences’ have had representation here, perpetuating the rivalry which has done so much to adversely affect the ‘Order’ both here and overseas (See ‘ADDENDUM’).
Recognition by the Crown…
It is often felt that to be recognised as a legitimate Order of Chivalry an organisation must be accepted as such by the State in which such recognition is sought. To this end, and at the time of writing this report, only Croatia and Hungary supposedly recognise ‘The Order of Saint Lazarus’ as an Order of Chivalry, and even then only the ‘Paris Obedience’ thereof. In the major countries of Europe, as elsewhere, ‘The Order of Saint Lazarus’ is currently seen as a chivalric organisation following the hospitaller ideals of the original Order, and in this capacity is well respected.
The problems of Saint Lazarus are not to be considered unique, and have in fact been experienced to a greater or lesser extent by many of the other ‘Chivalric Orders’, including the much admired branches of the Order of Saint John, which range from the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (based in Rome), through the members of the Alliance Orders of Saint John, to the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (of which Her Majesty The Queen is the Sovereign). The latter having been formed in 1831 as a chivalric organisation which became a fully recognised Order of Chivalry on receiving a Royal Charter of Incorporation from Queen Victoria in 1888.
It is of course most unlikely that any so called ‘Order of Chivalry’, which owes allegiance to a foreign ‘Grand Master,’ will ever obtain official recognition in the United Kingdom.
The British way forward, a Confraternity of Hospitallers…
Bearing this in mind ‘The Grand Priory of England, Wales, Isle of Man and Channel Islands of the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem’ was formed, consecrated and established, on the 1st January 1995, as a British ‘confraternity of hospitallers’ who would apply themselves to the relief of persons in need of hospice care.
The confraternity has modelled itself upon the traditions and ideals of the ancient, chivalric and hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem. In recognition of the importance of this historical Order the confraternity presents itself as a practical and working chivalric association, more appropriate to the humanitarian needs of today. It however, makes no claims, nor has it any pretensions, to be an ‘order of chivalry’ descended directly from the original Order of Saint Lazarus. As a consequence there is no connection between this confraternity and any other Orders which may claim such a link.
The constitution and structure of the confraternity, initiated by The Grand Priory of England, Wales, Isle of Man and Channel Islands in 1995 has been so successful that it has, and is, being emulated in various parts of the world. All members of the confraternity, both in the UK and overseas, work under a single umbrella body known as The United Grand Priories of theOrder of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, which was formed on the 13th May 1999.
A Chivalric and Hospitaller Organisation for the 21st Century…
The Grand Council of The United Grand Priories is an ecumenical Christian organisation that sees its function as an opportunity to foster ever stronger ecumenical bonds between the various branches of Christianity. To this end it hopes to encourage members and clergy from all parts of the Christian community to belong to the Order, and work together in harmony and understanding, under the banner of Saint Lazarus.
Whilst each Grand Priory has its own independent national hospitaller programme it is assumed that from time to time all branches of the confraternity may join together for a common humanitarian purpose.
As it is the intention of The Grand Priory of England, Wales, Isle of Man and ChannelIslands to focus its activities on the Hospice Movement, The SaintLazarus Hospice Association, a charity registered with the Charity Commissioners (No 1062740), has been formed.
Today the men and women of the Order are carrying out its hospitaller work in a truly ecumenical atmosphere. The principles, established by its founders in the 12th century, are as relevant now as they were in those ancient times.
All potential members of The United Grand Priories must have their applications sponsored by a Knight/Dame of the Order of Saint Lazarus and they should realise that they are expected to support the charitable aims of their individual Grand Priory and attend its functions.
Postulants for entry into The United Grand Priories of the Order of SaintLazarus of Jerusalem will be received in one of the following grades: Member, Officer, Commander or, on very rare occasions, as a Knight or Dame.
A decision to join should only be taken after deep contemplation of the duties involved, the verification of which should be obtained from the sponsoring member.
ADDENDUM…
Since the beginning of 2004 there have been a number of changes to the situation regarding the TWO branches of the ‘Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem’, the so called ‘Paris Obedience’ (French) and the ‘Malta Obedience’ (Spanish).
Apparently the ‘Grand Master’ of the Paris Obedience, the duc de Brissac, had agreed to retire on reaching the age of 75, and support the election of the ‘Grand Master’ of the Malta Obedience, the duc de Seville, to take over as ‘Grand Master’ of both Obediences.
However, a number of national Jurisdictions put forward an alternative candidate for ‘Grand Master’ in the person of HRH Prince Charles-Philippe de Bourbon d’Orléans.
At the Chapter General, held in Toronto in March 2004, it would appear that concerns and reservations about the duc de Seville were expressed by the supporters of Prince Charles-Philippe and they quoted the Order’s Spiritual Protector, H.B. Gregory III Laham, Greek Melkite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and of all the Orient, and of Alexandria and of Jerusalem, stating that he was also concerned about the duc de Seville’s personal life and matrimonial status, which was considered to be incompatible with that of being the ‘Grand Master’ of a Christian Order of Chivalry.
This led to a further ‘split’ in the Order’s membership and loyalties, leaving fifteen of the national Jurisdictions (all in Europe, with the exception of New Zealand) opting out of electing the duc de Seville as their ‘Grand Master’ and instead declaring that their preferred ‘Grand Master’ designate, Prince Charles-Philippe should be elected in France in September 2004.
In the mean time it was decided, by those national Jurisdictions that remained in Toronto, that the duc de Seville would remain as ‘Grand Master Elect’ and that the duc de Brissac would remain as ‘Grand Master Emeritus in Charge’ until October 2004 when an election would be held in Germany.
Contrary to the claims of the ‘dissident’ faction, the Spiritual Protector has apparently given his support to the election of the duc de Seville as the next ‘Grand Master’ of the French/Spanish Obedience.
Recently, however, there has been a further ‘split’, this time amongst the members of the original ‘Spanish Obedience’, as a consequence of which there is now an ‘Obedience of Malta’ which is no longer connected with the organisation headed by the duc de Seville.
The ‘Obedience of Malta’ headed by the recently deceased ‘Reggie Attard’ sought an ‘alliance’ with the members of The United Grand Priories, and to this end a ‘concordat’ was duly signed between the two groups.
In 2008 an unfortunate rift took place between the ‘conservative’ ideology of the Grand Council of The United Grand Priories, based in London, and the territorial ambitions of the Grand Priory of the Mediterranean, based in Malta, resulting in a determination that each group would go its own way. However, the governors of the Grand Priory of the Mediterranean decided to usurp the name of the United Grand Priories and are currently trading as such under their Supreme Grand Prior, H.E. Richard Comyns of Ludston.
Whilst imitation may be deemed to be flattering, it must be a certain lack of constructive imagination, that has forced this ‘splinter group’ to resort to such tactics.
In the mean time the international situation continues in its age old pattern. Although elements of the old French (Brissac) and Spanish (Seville) obediences have finally joined together under the leadership of a new Grand Master, H.E. Don Carlos Gereda de Borbon, other French and international elements have decided to support yet another Grand Master, H.R.H. Prince Charles-Philippe d’Orleans, Duc d’Anjou. Not to be outdone, some of the ex-Seville members have also formed themselves into the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem – Malta, under their Grand Vicar, H.S.H. Vittorio Gallopini di Carpenedolo.
And so the disputes, and on-going ‘splits’, amongst the various national Jurisdictions of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem continue. They do little however to further the cause of Christian Chivalry. The United Grand Priories of The Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, based in London, as a Confraternity of Hospitallers, disassociates itself entirely from all the above mentioned groups and their affairs.
Nevertheless, to end on a more positive note, it should be born in mind that all the groups mentioned, however disparate in their claims and pretences, do have charity as their reason for existing, and they do, to a greater or lesser extent, make some worthwhile contributions to that end.
A Celebration of 15 years.
The 31st Investiture will be held on Saturday September 25th 2010 in the Priory Church of Saint Bartholomew’s at Smithfield, London. The service will include the Tenebrae Choir directed by Nigel Short, with the organ and trumpeters of the Priory Church.
Members of the public are most welcome to join us in our celebration and prayers. Contact the Secretary General to ensure a place.
Saint Lazarus Ladies Adidas Women's 5km Challenge 2010
If you want to join us on a (we promise!) fun day with 15,000 women of ages, please email us asking for a form. £15 will cover entry and a £5 donation to the Saint Lazarus Hospice Association. The run finishes with a well earned lunch and glass of wine or two at a local restaurant.
Continuing the celebration of 15 years of charitable work, the Order is holding a Charity Ball, with reels and a stupendous auction of promiseson the November 11th in aid of the Saint Lazarus Hospice Association. Email for details.