Order of Saint Lazarus About the Order — short
The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is one of the most ancient of the European orders of chivalry, dating from the twelfth century and the time of the Crusader knights, which has adapted to remain relevant to twenty-first century concerns. Today the Order is an international, self-governing and independent body with its own Constitution, registered as a Foundation in Madrid under the laws of Spain — apolitical, ecumenical, and non-denominational. Its approximately four thousand members work across forty-two jurisdictions in thirty-seven countries on five continents. The Order's vow remains as it was at its foundation: to serve the sick, the exiled, and those whom society has set aside.
Current Grand Master
Don Francisco de Borbón y Hardenberg is the fiftieth Grand Master, invested in 2018. Formal title: Magister Ordinis.
Patron, motto, dates
- Patron: Saint Lazarus, the patron of lepers.
- Motto: Atavis et Armis — By ancestors. By arms.
- World Leprosy Day: the last Sunday of January (the Order's earliest cause).
- Saint Lazarus Day: 17 December (patronal feast).
Flagship institutions
The Order's twenty-first century hospitaller work is anchored in five flagship institutions, spanning Hansen's Disease, palliative and elderly care, paediatrics, and emergency medicine.
- Belfort Leprosy Village — Antalaha, Madagascar. Hansen's Disease.
- St Louis French Hospital — Jerusalem. Palliative care.
- The Terrace of Saint Lazarus — Costa del Sol, Spain. Paediatrics.
- Gandhiji Seva Niketan — Bhubaneswar, India. Hansen's Disease.
- Saint Lazarus Hospital Godenu — Ghana. Emergency care, under construction.
Brand assets
The Order's primary visual identity is the green Maltese cross trimmed in gold, worn on a black mantle. High-resolution logo files and the official brand guidelines can be requested at info@stlazarus.es.
Media contact
For interview requests, media inquiries, and access to the Grand Master's office, please write to info@stlazarus.es. We respond to all legitimate press inquiries within two working days.
Note on imagery
The imagery currently displayed on this site is a combination of period photography and historically-informed reconstructions produced for this digital presence. Items labelled "Reconstruction · 2026" are AI-generated reconstructions, made under the direction of the Order, and are not historical photographs. Real photography from the Order's institutions and events will replace these images progressively.
