Gathering within the confines of an 18th-century Roman villa, over 100 well-connected individuals, including numerous aristocrats, convened from January 25th-27th to discuss their shared mission—a scene ripe for any conspiracy theorist. This assembly comprised the ambassadors of an intriguing entity in international law, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Originally the medical corps for the Crusaders, this order later governed Malta for more than 250 years. Expelled by Napoleon in 1798, its knights and dames retained a unique asset: sovereignty. This grants the order the ability to maintain diplomatic ties with other nations and issue stamps, coins, passports, and car number plates. The Grand Master is entitled to the address of “Your Highness,” and the scant territory under their rule—a villa on the Aventine Hill in Rome and a mansion near the Spanish Steps—is not considered part of Italy. The Italian soldiers and police guarding the ambassadors’ meeting stayed outside the villa’s gates.
Today, the order primarily functions as a Catholic humanitarian non-governmental organization (NGO)—and a substantial one at that, boasting 13,500 knights and dames, nearly 100,000 volunteers, and over 50,000 professional staff dedicated to aiding victims of natural disasters, wars, epidemics, and poverty. In a room adorned with the coats of arms of numerous past dignitaries of the order, Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, its Grand Chancellor (akin to a prime minister), emphasizes that members do not engage in proselytization. However, he notes, “If our work touches the heart of someone, well, we are very happy.”
The order manages permanent facilities, such as the Holy Family Maternity Hospital in Bethlehem. Although it lacks diplomatic relations with Israel, it maintains an ambassador to Palestine, Michele Burke Bowe—an American. Similar to various humanitarian organizations, it faces challenges accessing the Gaza Strip. Nevertheless, Ms. Burke Bowe expresses optimism, stating, “But as soon as the occasion presents itself, we’ll be in Gaza.”