Welcome to the official Website of the Grand Commandery of the Castello, Malta GC. The Grand Commandery is one of two local jurisdictions of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem which are active in Malta. In 1973, the ‘Castello Ta’ Lanzun’ was formally opened by the late Grand Master of the Order, His Royal Highness Don Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, 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 leadership of the then called ‘Commandery of the Castello’. His Highness Don Francisco was succeeded in September 2008 by the present Grand Master, His Excellency Don Carlos Gereda de Borbón, Marquis of Almazán.

The Castello Ta’ Lanzun not only houses the Headquarters of the Order but is also formally the home of the now named ‘Grand Commandery of the Castello’ and we are  honoured that H.E. Don Carlos is not only the Grand Master of the Order of St Lazarus but also the Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of the Castello, Malta.

     ‘Atavis et Armis’ - ‘By Ancestors and Arms’

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

“ Nearly four years have past since our website was first posted on the internet and I am pleased to report that due to its content and the manner in which it has been laid out, it has proved to be an enormous success, the praise for which must be directed to our web master and his able assistants.

During this period the Grand Commandery has forged ahead both in its membership numbers, which are at their highest ever, but more importantly in its philanthropic activities.

An ambulance was recently donated to our favoured cause in India namely ‘W.I.N’ (Women in Need) and a number of small houses were built in Amblo, Ethiopia, in which to house lepers. We are totally committed to helping those people who through no fault of their own have been inflicted with either a virus or disease which alters the whole course of their lives. They become outcasts in society and what can generally be only described as a ‘life in hell’. This is certainly true of many of the Third World countries and certainly those people suffering from leprosy which, despite being curable if caught in its early stages, unfortunately still carries the horrible stigma of the ‘Untouchables’. ”

“ Commander of the Grand Commandery for seven years, H.E. Cdr the Chev Geoff Fosberry recently (June 2011) handed over the reigns of the Grand Commandery to Chev Gerry Maidens. However, he is still very much in the forefront of the Order’s affairs, as the Grand Master has re-appointed him to all three of the Grand Councils of the Order for a period of three years, and also as Vice Grand Chancellor (Administration) for the worldwide Order. We are honoured that Chev Geoff remains a member of the Grand Commandery of the Castello, where we are sure that his experience and advice will be of great benefit. ”

“ 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, Patriarch Gregory III Laham is the Spiritual Protector of the international ecumenical Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, as were his predecessors Maximos IV and Maximos V. For a more detailed description of our Spiritual Protector, please visit the ‘Structure’ section of the Order’s International website at www.st-lazarus.net/international/index.html ”