In ecclesiastical heraldry, the Order of Malta is one of only two Orders whose
insignia may be displayed in a clerical coat of arms. (Laypersons have no such
restriction.) The shield is surrounded with a silver rosary for professed knights,
or for others the ribbon of their rank. Members may also display the Maltese Cross
behind their shield instead of the ribbon (Noonan 1996).

 With its unique history and unusual present circumstances, the
exact status of the Order has been the subject of debate: it
claims to be a traditional example of a sovereign entity other
than a state. Its two headquarters in Rome, namely the Palazzo
Malta in Via dei Condotti 68 (where the Grand Master resides
and Government Bodies meet), and the Villa Malta on the Aventine
(which hosts the Grand Priory of Rome, the Embassy of the Order
to Holy See and the Embassy of the Order to Italy), are granted
extraterritoriality.

However, unlike the Holy See, which is sovereign over the Vatican City,
SMOM has had no sovereign territory (other than a few properties in Italy
with extraterritoriality only) since the loss of the island of Malta in
1798. The United Nations does not classify it as a "non-member state"
but as one of the "entities and intergovernmental organizations having
received a standing invitation to participate as observers". For instance,
while the International Telecommunication Union has granted radio
identification prefixes to such quasi-sovereign jurisdictions as the
United Nations and the Palestinian Authority, SMOM has never received one.
For awards purposes, amateur radio operators consider SMOM to be a separate
"entity", but stations transmitting from there use an entirely unofficial
callsign, starting with the prefix "1A". Likewise, for internet identification,
the SMOM has not sought, nor been granted, a top-level domain (such as .us
or .uk), while Vatican City uses its own domain (.va).

There are differing opinions as to whether a claim to sovereign status has
been recognized. Ian Brownlie, Helmut Steinberger, and Wilhelm Wengler are
among the experts who say that the claim has not been recognized. Even taking
into account the Order's ambassadorial status among many nations, a claim to
sovereign status is sometimes rejected. The Order maintains diplomatic
missions around the world and many of the states reciprocate by accrediting
ambassadors to the Order.

Wilhelm Wengler, a German Professor of International law, addresses this point
in his book Völkerrecht, and rejects the notion that recognition of the Order
by some states can make it a subject of international law. Conversely, Professor
Rebecca Wallace, writing more recently in her book International Law, explains
that a sovereign entity does not have to be a country, and that SMOM is an example
of this. This position appears to be supported by the number of nations extending
diplomatic relations to the Order, which more than doubled from 49 to 100 in the
20-year period to 2008. The Holy See in 1953 proclaimed "in the Lord's name" that
the Order of Malta was only a "functional sovereignty" - due to the fact that it
did not have all that pertained to true sovereignty, such as territory.

SMOM has formal diplomatic relations with 103 states
(many of which are non-Catholic), and has official
relations with another 6 countries, non-state subjects
of international law like the European Community and
International Committee of the Red Cross, and a number
of international organizations. Its international
nature is useful in enabling it to pursue its humanitarian
activities without being seen as an operative of any
particular nation. Its claimed sovereignty is also
expressed in the issuance of passports, licence plates,
stamps, and coins. The coincidence of Rome being the
capitalof the Italian Republic, the Holy See and the
Order of Malta leads to a high density of diplomatic
instances in the city.

The coins are appreciated more for their subject matter rather
 than for use as currency, however, their postage stamps
 have been gaining acceptances among UPU member nations.

The SMOM began issuing euro-denominated postage stamps in
2005, although the scudo (scudi, in plural) remains the
official currency of the SMOM. Also in 2005, the Italian
post agreed with the SMOM to deliver internationally most
classes of mail other than registered, insured, and special
-delivery mail; before this agreement, the following countries
recognized SMOM stamps for franking purposes:

Argentina, Austria, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic of), Congo (Republic of),
Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Gabon, Georgia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau,
Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania,
Madagascar, Mali, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia. San Marino, São Tomé
& Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Somalia, Togo, Uruguay, Vatican City.

The Grand Masters of The Order

The head of the order was traditionally called Magister Hospitalis
Sanctis Johannis Hierosolym (master of the hospital of Saint John
of Jerusalem), although on their seals they are only called custos
until they left Jerusalem in 1291. The name of the order lengthened
to "Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem and Acre", then "Jerusalem,
Acre and Rhodes" after the conquest of that island in 1308. With
that conquest came sovereignty, (immediately indicated by the style
"by the Grace of God" for the Master) and among other rights that
to coin money. The order minted coins more or less continuously until
1798 and the legends and figures reflect changing styles (see Mémoires
Numismatiques de l'Ordre de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem, by Edouard-Henri
Furse; Rome, 1885).

The arms of the Master first appear on the obverse of coins with Roger
de Pins (ca. 1360). They appear on the obverse, which shows the grand-
master wearing a cape with a cross, kneeling before a reliquary of the
True Cross. The shield is behind him on the right of the coin. The
reverse of the Order's gigliati coins shows a cross flory, rather similar
to that on French gold coins of the time. The mention of Acre disappears
under Philippe de Nalhac (1396-1421); the title of "Grand Master" first
appears under his successor Antoine Fluvian ("grammastro di Rodi" in
Italian on an imitation of a Venetian sequin; cf. the title given to
Pierre d'Aubusson on the gate of Saint Athanasios, Rhodes: "Rhodiorum
Magnus Magister"). In a letter sent in 1423 by Venice to the Grand Master
to express displeasure at the minting of imitation Venetian ducats, he
is styled "reverendissimus dominus Magister Rodi" (cited in Papadopoli:
Le Monete di Venezia, 1912; vol. 1, p. 250).

Grand-Masters quarter their arms with those of the order ( Gules a cross
argent) since Philibert de Nalhac. With Jean de La Valette the Maltese
cross is first shown on the reverse of some coins. The distinctive shape
of the Maltese cross seems to date from the 16th century. Miniature
illustrations of Caoursin's history of the siege of 1480 show the Grand
Master's cape with a cross that is not yet of the classic shape; the arms
of the cross are split and the ends of the arms taper out. In 1581, a
coronet was added above the arms of the grand-master: a row of pearls,
later intermingled with leaves, and then (under Adrien de Wignacourt)
only leaves. In 1630 the Grand-Master was given by the pope the precedence
of a cardinal and the style of "Most Eminent Highness". The closed crown
of sovereignty was first used in 1741. At the same time, the arms of the
order itself appear in their modern form on the coins: the shield, the
Maltese cross behind it, the chaplet around it and the closed crown.
Since the 18th century, a princely mantle has been placed behind the arms.
Two Grand Masters who were made cardinals, Pierre d'Aubusson and Hugo
Loubenx de Verdala, and displayed the cardinal's hat over their arms.

Bailliffs (or Baillis) were the heads of the Tongues and holders of the
great offices of the order. Since the 15th century they bear a chief with
the arms of the order. Miniatures in Caoursin's manuscript show the Baillis
in session around the Grand Master, each holding a string of beads with a
fiocco at the end; also, the tombstone of the French Bailli Montmirel in
the Archaeological Museum, Rhodes, shows two such strings placed on both
sides of his coat of arms.
Insignia

The insignia comes in four varieties:

1. A white Maltese cross surmounted by a closed crown and above it by
a trophy of armour and flags with an escutcheon of the Order in the
center; for Knights of Justice, Obedience and Honour and Devotion

2. A white Maltese cross surmounted by a closed crown and above it an
escutcheon of the Order with an antique helmet and two swords per saltire
above it; for Knights of Grace and Devotion

3. A white Maltese cross surmounted by a closed crown and above it a
golden tie with an escutcheon of the Order in the middle: for Knights of
Magistral Grace, Donats of Justice, Chaplains ad honorem, Donats of Devotion
1st class

4. A white Maltese cross surmounted by a closed crown: for Chaplains
of Magistral Grace, Donats of Devotion 2d and 3d class.

Portrait of a commander of the Order of Malta, by Jean-Marc Nattier.
(Source: France, Ministère de la Culture, base de données Joconde).

Only the professed members (and perhaps the Knights and Chaplains of Obedience
as well) are entitled to place a cross of Malta behind their arms. Knights
Commanders also surround their shield with the chaplet from which hangs their
insignia. Baillis quarter their arms with those of the order. Professed Chaplains
surround their shield with a chaplet from which hangs their insignia. Professed
knights have the full cross hanging from a black ribbon. The non-professed
categories of knights have their insignia hanging from a black ribbon (with no
cross behind the shield), but Knights Grand-Cross or Bailiffs within each class
edge the ribbon with gold and add a chief with the arms of the Order (chef de la
religion) to their coat. Ecclesiastics who are members of the Order are exempted
from the prohibition on display of exterior ornaments.

 THE GRAND MASTERS OF THE KNIGHTS OF ST.JOHN