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Journey of the Icon
Journey of the Icon in Jerusalem and Malta
Diary of Anthony Chignell, Order Hospitaller
The three-fold purpose of the Icon - to raise awareness of the history and current activities of the Hospital, to serve as a symbol of thanksgiving and rededication for its work, to remind us of the Christian ethos of the Order - was enhanced by its journey from the Hospital in Jerusalem to St John’s Gate in London.
The purpose of the journey was to take the icon to two places of great significance in the history of the Order to capture, symbolically, the spirit of its Hospitalling tradition. At the suggestion and on the helpful advice of the Order Historian Professor Jonathan Riley-Smith, it was decided that the two places should be Acre and Malta.
Jerusalem
January 2nd 2007
The Deputy Lord Prior Norman Lloyd Edwards accompanied by the Chief Executive of the Hospital, Rod Bull, together with the Icon, visited the Crusader fortress of Acre and in particular its Hospital compound. Dr Eliezer Stern, the eminent archaeologist, accompanied them. Photographs of the Deputy Lord Prior in sopravest and mantle of a Bailiff Grand Cross provided a suitable record of the visit – to the amusement and surprise of visiting tourists!
Malta
January 6th 2007
The Deputy Lord Prior Norman Lloyd Edwards and The Order Hospitaller Anthony Chignell visited the convent of the Ursuline sisters in Valletta where the relics of the founder of the Order, the Blessed Gerard, are preserved. This unusual privilege was kindly arranged by the President of the Sovereign Military Order of St John, HE Dr J Cremona, who was with us for the visit, as were members of St John Ambulance, Malta. It was quite delightful and we were allowed to take photographs and to inspect the relic with an excited number of nuns from this closed order in attendance. Their enthusiasm and bubbling welcome was enchanting. They expressed great interest in our Hospital.
Later in the same day, we visited the Knights’ infirmary and its museum in Valletta, to wonder at the buildings and to be reminded of the Hospitalling tradition based on the Christ-like care of the sick. Even so, some of the gruesome exhibits made us glad we were not patients in those days!
All around Malta we were reminded of the Order – its buildings, churches and palaces, recalling not only splendour and wealth, but also the humanitarian hospitalling ethos from which our modern Order can still draw strength and encouragement.
Our Icon has really started its journey.