The Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John
Knights of Malta

FACT FILE:

Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John Knights of Malta.
The offcial title of the Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John Knights of Malta in Latin is; "Order Oecumenicus Hospitalis Sancti Johannis Equites Melitae."

Not much is given away as far as the real history of this "Order" is concerned. It appears to be some sort of continuation of a King Peter/Pichelian Order in terms of the name - however similarities with another self-styled Order "Ordine Militare ed Ospedaliero di S. Giovanni d'Acri e S. Tommaso" (Military and Hospital Order of St John of Acra and St Thomas) indicate either a merger with that Order, or the latter Order has provided a new pre-history.

The history  of the "Order" was given on the 14th July 2001 (http://www.order-of-malta.org); as follows;

"In 1917, after the Russian Revolution, some members of the Order came to the United States and founded a Priory of St. John . Because of internal differences and personal ambitions of various leaders, the movement fragmented and splinter groups arose.
Commanderies of the Order have been established in various states and the high traditions handed down through the centuries continue to be maintained."

In this short passage, a definite link with the Russian tradition is claimed. However by the time a new web site has emerged (http://www.ordineecumenicomalta.org/) with an identical style, the story is somewhat different;

"The … Order … was founded by the Master Prince Gioberto of the Frigia - D'Amorio dynasty in 1176, in Jerusalem. … This Order was initially a component branch of the Jeruslamite Hospitallers, but the Order established itself freely with its own autonomous, independent and corporate base, and … was subjected to the imperial and royal protection of the Sovereign House of Byzantium. … In 1922, the 21st November, the dignitaries of the Great Teaching where called into a solemn gathering, in Leece, under the guidance of the Grand Master of the Order H.I.H. Luigi Cesaro Sperione. By aggregation, the Order took on a new name of Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of Saint John - Knights of Malta."
page 2/4 of the history.
"In 1962 H.I.H. Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Flavio Lascaris Paleologo d'Aragona, as direct descendent of Michele II Balbo d'Amorie Roman Emperor of the East, founder of the Imperial Dynasty Frigia d'Amorio and Galizia, assumed its Sovereign Grand Mastership … By Imperial Decree, on the 17th October of 2001, H.I.H. the Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Angelo Flavio Lascaris Paleologo d'Aragona, adopted and designated H.M.S.H. Prince Don Peter Joseph lossif, formerly Grand Chancellor of the Order, governing the aforesaid Order in replacement of His August Person."
page 3/4 of the history.

http://www.ecumenicalordermalta.org/html/storia_en.htm

It is still one and the same Order as the webpage http://www.order-of-malta.org  (copy of page via the Wayback Machine) in July 2001 provides an address and telephone numbers identical to the present web page (Via Nomentana, 299 00167 Rome / Italy Tel + 39 06 84242788 Fax +39 06 84242804) -see http://www.ecumenicalordermalta.org

On the latest site a Grand Masters list is not given, but a few names with dates do appear as quoted above;
Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John Knights of Malta Grand Master List
(source: http://www.ecumenicalordermalta.org/html/storia_en.htm)
1922 Luigi Cesario Speridione
1962 Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Flavio Lascaris Paleologo d'Aragona
2001 Prince Don Peter Joseph Lossif

This compares with;
Military and Hospital Order of St John of Acra and St Thomas Grand Master List
(source: http://www.ord-sgast.it/elenco.htm)
1899 - 1931 Luigi Cesario Amoroso d'Aragona
1931 - 1959 Pietro Amoroso d'Aragona
1959 - 1996 Luigi Amoroso d'Aragona
1996 - ……    Angelo Amoroso d'Aragona

The similarity of names is such and the claims to be founded by the "Frigia-D'Amorio dynasty" which appear on both sites, is sufficient to realise that there has been an alliance of Orders, or the pre-history of the Acra and St Thomas Order has been used as an additional pre-history!

Also somehow connected with the above Order (or using the same route to a pre-history) is yet a third Order; Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Russians Knights of Malta.

List of "Grand Masters" 
Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John Knights of Malta.

1922 Luigi Cesario Speridione
1962 Prince Don Francesco Amoroso Comneno Flavio Lascaris Paleologo d'Aragona
2001 Prince Don Peter Joseph Lossif

LINKS

Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John Knights of Malta 
Ecumenical Hospitaller Order of St. John Knights of Malta (Wayback Machine)
Ordine Militare ed Ospedaliero di S. Giovanni d'Acri e S. Tommaso 
Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Russians Knights of Malta