The mission of the Nuns of the Order of St. John is to glorify the Lord with self-sanctification, through the observance of the Holy Gospel, the vows, the Rule and Constitutions and to practice Hospitality in the ways that are allowed by the papal enclosure observed by the Nuns.
Encouraged by the spirit of St. John the Baptist, they will prepare the ways of the Reign of Christ with their prayers and sacrifices and will render all their spiritual help to the Holy Father, to the prelates, priests and seminarians, recalling that the Holy Precursor prepared for Jesus his most fervent disciples.
Following the monastic military spirit of the Order, they will pray that the Grand Master and all the Knights of this Holy Order will always defend the Cause of Christ.
Sister Primitive of the Blessed Sacrament
Not everyone knows that the great religious family of the Order of Malta has very ancient contemplative communities in Spain and Malta: the cloistered nuns of St. John of Jerusalem still inhabit the monastery of San Juan de Acre, in Salinas de Añana, in Spain; as well as the monastery of Saint Ursula in Malta. During the ceremony of profession of their religious vows, the nuns sweared to obey to the Rule of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, following the practice established in its foundation, which continues today.
For more than eight hundred years, the nuns of St. John have dedicated themselves to praying for the members of the Order and, until the 19th century, remained under the jurisdiction of the Grand Master. They have brought to the Church some remarkable models of holiness worthy such as Saint Ubaldesca Taccini (1136-1206), Saint Toscana Canoculi (1280-1343) and Saint Flore de Beaulieu (c. 1300-1347). The process of beatification of Sister Patrocínio Chillida Manes and Sister Visitación Solo Yvern, both martyrs during the Spanish Civil War, is pending.
History
Around 1048 a group of merchants from the Republic of Amalfi obtained permission from the Fatimid Caliphs of Egypt to establish a church in Jerusalem dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary with an adjoining Benedictine monastery. They also built a
Spirituality
The spirituality of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem is resumed by the motto Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum, defense of the Faith and care for the poorest and sickest. The female branch of the Nuns of St. John
Daily life
The nuns begin the day at 6.30am, when they wake up. They sing Laudes at 7.30 and continue they prayer until Terce which lasts at 9 a.m. After breakfast, the nuns are dedicated to their work, such as the attention
The «stola» of the Order of Saint John
One of the distinctive signs of the professed knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem is the cord or stola embroidered with the Instruments of the Passion which is worn attached to the neck of the choral dress.
Cardinal von Galen: a guide for our times
“Hart werden, fest bleiben”: become tough, remain firm. In times of tribulation the Nuns Comendadoras remember Blessed Clemens August Graf von Galen (1878-1946), known as the “Lion of Munster”, whose memory is celebrated on the 22nd of March. As
The Servant of God Zita of Bourbon Parma
On March 14th we remember the Servant of God Zita of Bourbon-Parma, Dame Grand Cross of Honor and Devotion of the Order of Malta (admitted on April 6th, 1914) widow of Blessed Charles I of Austria. She was born at
Rafael Merry del Val: an example of humility
We commemorate today, February 26th, the Servant of God Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val, member of our Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta was born on 10 October 1865 in London, where his
