The Order of St John and the Impact of the First Crusade

The Order of St. John can be viewed as not only an innovative development in monastic orders -hospitality as a direct consequence of deep spirituality - but as the first hospital order of the Church, establishing a precedent for others to follow.. Not only did the Order provide care and comfort for weary pilgrims , but aslo through the development of the order, protection in both the temporal as well as spiritual spheres, drawing its name from its patron St. John the Baptist.

>From the discovery of the grave of Christ, 'The Holy Sepulchre', by the mother of Constantine, Helena, Jesusalem became a Place of pilgrimage, for the Christian faithful. Pope St. Leo granted the "Indulgence of the Cross" for those who undertook a pilgrimmage to the Holy Sepulchre in AD. 1053. Beside the Holy Sepulchre was the Benedectine Monastery of St. Maria Latina, founder by merchants from Amalfi containing a house for guests and visitors. This guest house slowly became more and more of a hospital for sick and exhausted pilgrims, the journey to jerusalem from Europe being arduous both physical

ly and mentally. However the origional Amalfian Monastery was a dependancy while the monastery of gerard was wholly autonomus from its foundation It was a French Monk, Gerard, who initally developed the Order of St. John into an institution, dedicated to the care of the Sick It was to Gerard - 'Greaudo institutori ac praeposito Hirosolimitani Xenodochii" - that the papal privilege !

of 1113, was addressed granting permission to establish a xenodochio (xenos = stranger, docheio = container).

The Order of St. John prospered and grew in conjunction with the Kingdom oif /jersualem - its wealth and opulence provided moinetery and effectual support from the main protagonists of the Crusader army. was under the second master of the Order, Raymond du Puy the the order of St John was reorganised along military lines , seeing the creation of the Knights Hospitallers. He Initiated the military role of the Hospitallers by primarily organising convoys to ensure safe passage for pilgrims. Yet, the Rule of Raymond legislates only for the care of the sick and infirm and not a military arm.coming to and returning from the Holy land. This in turn evolved into participation in battle. Indeed Joubert of Syria and Roger of Moulins both died in battle. However it is not until the Rule of the ninth Master, Alfonso of Por

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Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)