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by Salvo Francesco Callegaro (Author)
This volume starts with a presentation of the problems caused by the co-existence of a confusing number of Orders of St. John, all of them basing their lineage on the original Order, formed around 1118, which would never have ended. This issue, concerning the false Orders of St. John, seems mainly caused by the Alliance Order that does not allow other organizations of St. John to connect on equal footing with the charitable concept, developed since the late 19th century, but returning to the romanticized idealistic starting phase of the 11th century, when Raimondo of Podio Governor of St. John of Acre, founder of the Militia of St. John, founded the original Order of St. John. On February 15, 1113, Pope Paschal II sent to Brother Gerardo Sasso the Bull "Pie postulatio voluntatis," which granted the new institution the pontifical patronage, and transformed the community of Friars in a new religious order; a split of a religious confraternity sponsored by the Pontifical State. Many believe that the roots of the Order of Saint John are from this congregation of Friars, defining them as friars in arms, not so, Raimondo of Podium already Governor of St. John of Acre and former General of Goffredo di Buglione, in 1118, drawing on the nobility of this brotherhood, he constituted the Order on a military basis. Giving it the form of the Costume and Rules. Therefore, it cannot be claimed in any way that the Bull of February 15, 1113 of Pope Easter II, granted or acknowledged the Order. Yet another case of historical disorder, isolated, which, for conveniences of some parties, was also given by some of the narrators themselves, constituted an historical title without foundation or truthfulness. The Institutions of the Order have always been two from the origin: Hospitality and Militia. Hospitality was carried out with the help of the structure founded by Gerardo Sasso. Militia was the natural institution of the Order. The religious part that joined the Order were members of the Brotherhood of Gerardo Sasso. Hence, there is another hi-storical incongruity, adjusted by the art of various authors paid by the Vatican, which tra-ce the establishment of the Order of St. John to this pontifical bull, in fact this bull esta-blished the constitution of a new covenant of Friars Minor. The Order of St. John, only to a minimum part was born of this new brotherhood, Raimondo de Podio Governor of St. John of Acre former General of Goffredo di Buglione, organized a Militia of St. John. Some of the Friars of this hospital were included in this Militia, designated for assistance and hospitality. There were never brethren in arms, the members of the Militia who branded the weapons were already Noble or of Military extraction. Raimondo de Podio (Italian of Florentine origin) was the 1st Master of the Order of St. John. In spite of the fact that much of the history sustained and sponsored by the SMOM Alliance of the Orders of Saint John is an obvious and misleading reconstruction, as it is today, that is the basis of endless claims and battles between the Orders of Saint John. The issues appear to be not purely academic, because in various countries lawsuits were and are being conducted about it. Then let
