Sovereign Military Order of
The Sovereign Military
Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta, better known as
the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, has a two-fold nature. It is one of the
most ancient religious Catholic Orders, founded in Jerusalem in around 1050. It
celebrated the 9th centennial of its official foundation in 1999. At the same
time it has always been recognised by nations as an independent subject of
international law. The Order's mission is summed up in its motto "Tuitio
Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum" - defence of the faith and assistance to the
suffering.
The Order of Malta
works in the field of medical and social care and humanitarian aid, in over 120
countries, supported by the diplomatic relations it currently has with 94
nations. The Order also runs hospitals, medical centres, day hospitals, nursing
homes for the elderly and the disabled, and special centres for the terminally
ill. In many countries the Order's volunteer corps provide first aid, social
services, emergency and humanitarian interventions. Malteser International, the
Order’s worldwide relief service, works in the front line in natural disasters
and armed conflicts.
For over 40 years, the
Order has been dealing extensively with the treatment of leprosy through its
CIOMAL foundation (Comite International de l'Ordre de Malte). CIOMAL is also
involved in the fight against disease or handicaps and has launched programmes
to assist mothers and children in the third world who suffer from AIDS. The
Order is also engaged in the cultural field.
In accordance with
public international law, the Order maintains full diplomatic relations with 94
countries through its embassies. It also has permanent observer status at the
United Nations and the Commission of the European Union as well as in 16
International Organisations such as the FAO and UNESCO. Diplomatic relations
allow the Order to intervene with timely and effective action in the event of
natural disaster or armed conflict. Due to its neutral, impartial and
non-political nature, the Order can act as a mediator whenever a State requests
its intervention to settle a dispute.
The Order issues
passports, licence plates, stamps and coins. Stamps are valid on letters posted
at the Headquarters in Rome (68 Via dei Condotti). With many countries postal
agreements are concluded that allow these letters to be sent through their
postal system. The major catalogues do not list the Order's stamps. Only the
Italian Sassone catalogue contains a full listing.
Links
Order of
Flag
of the Order of
The
website of the Philatelic Service (stamp descriptions only in
Italian).
Official
website of the Order of Malta.
General Assembly
Resolution 48/265 of 24 August 1994 granting the Order Observer Status
in the General Assembly.
Permanent Observer Mission of the Order of Malta to
the United
Nations.
Stamp catalogue
date: 11 October
1971
designer: -
printer: Carte
Valori Staderini, Rome
perforated: 13:12½
1 20 GRANI UNHCR emblem on a Maltese cross, text
"VENTENNALE ALTO COMMISSARIATO / NAZIONI UNITE
PER
I RIFUGIATI 1951-1971"
red, blue, grey
(cat. Sassone 71)
2 2 TARÍ UNHCR emblem on a Maltese cross,
text "VENTENNALE ALTO COMMISSARIATO / NAZIONI UNITE
PER
I RIFUGIATI 1951-1971"
red, dark green, light green
(cat. Sassone 72)
3 1 SCUDO UNHCR emblem on a Maltese cross, text
"VENTENNALE ALTO COMMISSARIATO / NAZIONI UNITE
PER
I RIFUGIATI 1951-1971"
red, purple, pink
(cat. Sassone 73)
International Year of Disabled Persons
date:
designer: -
printer: Printex Limited,
perforated: 14:13¼
MONDIALE
/ DELL'HANDICAPPATO"
multicoloured
(cat. Sassone 194)
5 2 SCUDI tree with broken branch and branch
with leaves and flowers, protecting hands (rehabilitation),
text "1981, ANNO
MONDIALE / DELL'HANDICAPPATO"
multicoloured
(cat. Sassone 195)
date:
designer: -
printer: Printex Limited,
perforated: 14:13¼
6 4 SCUDI hand with wheat, globe, text
"LOTTA CONTRO LA FAME NEL MONDO"
multicoloured
(cat. Sassone 196)
date:
designer: -
printer: Printex Limited,
perforated: 13¾:14
7 1 SCUDO flag with Maltese cross, IYY emblem,
text "ANNO INTERNAZIONALE / DELLA GIOVENTU' / 1985"
red, black, grey
(cat. Sassone 240)
date:
designer: -
printer: Printex Limited,
perforated: 13¾:14
8 1 SCUDO globe, peace doves, peace symbol,
text "1986 / ANNO DELLA PACE"
multicoloured
(cat. Sassone 260)
International Conference on Nutrition,
date:
designer: -
printer: Printex Limited,
perforated: 14:13¾
9 10 SCUDI world map, FAO and WHO emblems, text
"CONFERENZA / INTERNAZIONALE / SULLA
NUTRIZIONE
/ Roma 1992"
blue, green, red
(cat. Sassone 415)
International Year of the Family
date:
designer: -
printer: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato,
perforated: 14:13¼
remark: painting ca
1650,
10 10 SCUDI painting "The Holy Family with a
little bird" by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
(1617-1682), text
"1994 - Anno internazionale della famiglia"
multicoloured
(cat. Sassone 447)
date:
designer: -
printer: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato,
perforated: 14
11 350 GRANI UNO jubilee emblem, peace doves, text
"50° ANNIVERSARIO / ORGANIZZAZIONE NAZIONI UNITE"
green, red
(cat. Sassone 470)
12 13 SCUDI UNO jubilee emblem, peace doves, text
"50° ANNIVERSARIO / ORGANIZZAZIONE NAZIONI UNITE"
blue, red
(cat. Sassone 471)
date:
designer: -
printer: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato,
perforated: 14
13 12 SCUDI African child, FAO jubilee emblem
brown, red
(cat. Sassone 473)
Observer Status at the United Nations General Assembly
date:
designer: -
printer: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato,
perforated: 13¼:14
remarks: part
of a series of four stamps to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Rivista magazine; stamps
depict magazine covers from 1988 to 1994
14 6 SCUDI ambassador Count Don Carlo Marullo di Condojanni,
secretary-general Boutros Boutros-Ghali (cover
1994)
multicoloured
(cat. Sassone 526)
last revised: