St John in Jerusalem: Ancient order, Modern Hospital

Speakers: David Verity &
Sir David Cash

The history of the Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem began in the 11th century, with hospitals across the Middle East and the Mediterranean basin. The Order in England was dissolved in 1540 by King Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, but in the late 19th century Queen Victoria established the modern Order of St John. A flagship eye hospital was built on the road to Bethlehem outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, chiefly to treat the complications of trachoma - also known as the ‘Mesopotamian Scourge’ and the 'Egyptian Ophthalmia’.

In 2022, the St John Eye Hospital Group celebrates its 140 year anniversary, providing uninterrupted ophthalmic care to patients in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank despite the constant turmoil of the region. Working alongside national and international healthcare organisations, and the wider Order of St John, the Group continues in its mission to end preventable blindness in a challenging part of the world. Providing such care, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, and ability to pay, is embodied in the Order’s two-part motto 'Pro Fide, Pro Utilitate Hominum’, and reflects the ancient Order’s values a thousand years ago.

The ethos of St John, our operational challenges and successes, and our vision for the future are discussed in in this lecture, brought to you by the Order Hospitaller, and the Chair of the Board of the Eye Hospital Group.