History of St John
From a hospice in Jerusalem to a worldwide charitable Order spanning nearly 1,000 years.
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, often referred to simply as 'The Order of St John', is made up of eleven Priories and five Commanderies and a number of St John Associations.
In the UK, there are the Priories of England and the Islands, the Priory of Scotland, the Priory of Wales and the four Commanderies: Ards; Jersey; Guernsey; and the Isle of Man.
The Commandery of Ards consists of all of the Members of the Order of St John who are normally resident in Northern Ireland. It is governed under the Royal Charter, Statutes and Regulations of The Order and the rules of the Commandery of Ards.
The relationship between the Priory and St John Ambulance, in England, and the Commandery and St John Ambulance (NI) in Northern Ireland is defined in an agreed protocol.
The Order in the United Kingdom
3 Priories and 4 Commanderies
Priories
Commanderies
Watch: The Story of the Order of St JohnOrigins in Jerusalem
The Order originated in a hospice for pilgrims in Jerusalem, founded by the Blessed Gerard, "an energetic and saintly man" from Italy, probably around 1071. The site of the hospice was associated with St John the Baptist, and the Order is dedicated to him.
Pope Paschal II recognised Gerard's foundation in 1113 and made it an independent institution answerable only to the Pope.
The first role was to house poor pilgrims who came to Jerusalem. The original vocation was to serve 'Our Lords the Poor', which soon came to include the sick and injured. They ran a hospital with 2,000 beds and served people of all faiths.
Journey Through the Centuries
Common Roots with the Order of Malta
The Order of St John and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) share the same origins in the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem. Both trace their heritage to the Blessed Gerard and the Knights Hospitaller.
Shared Foundation
Both Orders descend from the same hospice founded c.1071 in Jerusalem
Same Patron Saint
Both Orders are dedicated to St John the Baptist
Continued Relations
Joint events and services are still arranged between the Orders
The Victorian Revival
With the coming of the industrial age powered by steam and depending on coal, the number of accidents in mines, factories and on railways were increasing. Workers rarely saw a doctor they couldn't afford.
The training of ordinary people in first aid, so that victims could be treated at the site of the accident, was seen as an innovative way forward. In 1877, St John Ambulance was set up to achieve this objective.
The Order Today
Today, St John delivers its charitable mission through St John Ambulance and maintains its links with Jerusalem through the work carried out at the Eye Hospital in Jerusalem.
St John volunteers played a vital role during both World Wars at home and overseas. St John Ambulance is still flourishing in the UK and in over 40 countries around the world.