The Order of Malta's All Saints Day

The Order of Malta has included among our Members many Saints, Blessed, and Venerables throughout our over 900 year history. These Members of our Order, beginning with Blessed Gerard, can help us on our journey to sanctification. As Pope Benedict XVI said: “The saints are the true interpreters of Holy Scriptures. The meaning of a given passage of the Bible becomes most intelligible in those human beings who have been totally transfixed by it and have lived it out.”

On November 19th, the Order of Malta keeps the Feast of All Saints of our Order, a feast day known as “All Saints of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta.” This feast, like the various feasts of All Saints for other religious orders, commemorates both the known and the unknown saints of the Order who now possess the beatific vision in Heaven.

Let us pray to these holy intercessors ranging from Blessed Gerard, Founder and First Grand Master of the Order, St. Toscana, St. Nicasius, St. Nuno Alvarez Pereira, Blessed Charles of Austria, Blessed Alfredo Schuster of Milan, Pope St. John XXIII, Pope St. Paul VI, and all others with connections to our venerable Order.

From the Missal of the Order of Malta here is the Collect Prayer for our All Saints Day feast:

"O God, fount of all holiness, who continually adorn your Church with varied gifts of sanctity to build up the Body of Christ, mercifully grant that, following in the footsteps of the Saints of our Order by living for you alone in constant meditation on your law and in perfect self denial, we may attain with them the joy of eternal life. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen”