Maltese Cross Cufflinks - Item Code: MX01CUFFbBLK

History:

KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS OF THE SOVEREIGN ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM

Introduced to Malta by the Knights of St. John, the Maltese Cross has become an intrinsic part of Malta’s culture and heritage, as well as a symbol treasured by the Maltese.

The adoption by the Order of the white eight-pointed cross on the Knights’ black civil habit came about immediately after the Siege of Malta of 1565, and just after the commencement of the building of the new city of Valletta in 1566. The colours displayed its monastic religious origin, at first on the left shoulder, then and finally on the breast, or on both.

It was only many years later, especially in the 18th century under Grand Masters Perellos and Pinto that a change in colours came about: a white eight-pointed cross on a red field on the military Knights’ uniforms, and on a similar lateen sail of the Order’s galleys and ships-of-the-line in their later years. Hence the eight-pointed cross of the Hospitallers evolved significantly during the Order’s 268-year sojourn in Malta.

Similarly the meaning of what the eight points of the cross represent has changed over the years. Originally a symbol of the “Christian warrior”, its eight points denoted the eight obligations or aspirations of the knights, namely “to live in truth, have faith, repent one’s sins, give proof of humility, love justice, be merciful, be sincere and whole¬hearted, and to endure persecution”.

Later the eight points came to symbolize the eight beatitudes: Observant, Tactful, Resourceful, Dextrous, Explicit, Discriminating, Persevering and Sympathetic.

With time, the eight points also came to represent the eight “langues” of the noblemen who were admitted to the order, namely those of Auvergne, Provence, France, Aragon, Castille & Portugal, Italy, Baviere (Germany), and England (with Scotland and Ireland)

The Maltese cross remains the symbol of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which is still active as an international organisation offering medical and humanitarian aid. Also, since Malta’s Independence in 1964 it has been used as the civil and maritime ensign.