The Grand Master

Welcome to the website of the Grand Commandery of the Castello in Malta. The Grand Commandery is one of two recognised jurisdictions of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem which are active in Malta.

IIn 1973, Castello Lanzun was formally opened by the then Grand Master of the Order, His Excellency Don Francisco de Borbón y Borbón, as the official Worldwide Headquarters of the Order of St Lazarus. In 2001, his son the 48th Grand Master, His Highness Don Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, Duke of Seville, took over the Commandership of the then called "Commandery of the Castello". His Highness Don Francisco was succeeded in September 2008 by the late Grand Master, His Excellency Don Carlos Gereda de Borbón, Marquis of Almazán. In October 2018, the current Grand Master His Excellency Don Francisco de Borbón Graf von Hardenberg was installed as Grand Commander of this Jurisdiction to continue a 49-year old tradition.

Castello Lanzun not only houses the Headquarters of the Order but is also formally the home of the "Grand Commandery of the Castello". We are honoured that H.E. Don Francisco is not only the Grand Master of the Order of St Lazarus but is also the Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of the Castello, Malta.

  Coat of Arms of the Order

 

Motto of the Order:  

A Message from the Commander

As the Grand Commander lives in Spain, his deputy in Malta at the Grand Commandery is the Commander, Chev Alan Miller. Here are a few words of welcome from him:

Chev Alan Miller, Commander
Grand Commandery of the Castello

"On behalf of Council and Members of our Grand Commandery, based in Malta, welcome to our website. Our most important charitable function is raising funds which are donated to organisations working with lepers in Third World Countries. Our distinctive characteristics include the fact that our Members, although they are resident in Malta, hail from a number of countries, and come together from different Christian denominations – all with the sole purpose of helping our leper brothers and sisters. Our ecumenical and multi-national jurisdiction is expanding so if you find the information on this website useful and informative, kindly contact us." 

The Spiritual Protector of the Order

Following an old tradition of the more than 900-years old Order of Knighthood, founded in Jerusalem to take care of lepers in the Hospital of St. Lazarus, His Beatitude Youssef Absi is the Spiritual Protector of the international ecumenical Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, as were his predecessors Maximos IV, Maximos V and Gregory III Laham. For a more detailed description of our Spiritual Protector, please visit the "Structure" section of the Order's International website the Order's International website.