HISTORY

800 years ago in Poznań

The 900-year-long history of the Order of Hospitalers, which was established in 1099 following the conquest of Jerusalem, has left its imprint in nearly all European countries. It is a legacy of both military activity, i.e. the defence of Christianity and of charitable actions - caring for the sick.

Over 800 years ago, as early as in 1187, Bishop Radwan and Prince Mieszko Stary funded a Commandery and a Hospice for pilgrims and the sick at the then St. Michael Church.

Since that moment onwards the church was named after the patron of the Order of Knights Hospitalers (later called Knights of Malta), namely St. John the Baptist, often called St. John of Jerusalem. After some time the whole district was called Komandoria or Malta as it is the case till this day.

The Hospitalers fulfilled their charitable mission in Poznań until 1832, when the order was countermanded by the Prussians, following the death of the last commander of the Polish Knights of Malta, Marcin Miaskowski.

During the partitions the order was banned from continuing its charitable work for the benefit of the society. However, immediately after World War I Polish members of the order established the Polish Association of the Knights of Malta. It ceased to operate during World War II and the communist era.

Having regained sovereignty in 1989, Polish Knights of Malta revived their activity on the premises of the old commandery by the church of St. John of Jerusalem in Malta. Owing to this, a specialist oncological out-patient clinic for women has been in operation in Malta since 1992. It has been functioning in the framework of charitable work of the parish and patients are admitted free of charge. It is possible due to the involvement of the Order of Knights of Malta and 60 lay volunteers including doctors, nurses and support staff.

Marcin Libicki