About Us

About Us

we have a long history

The Ordo Byzantinus Sancti Sepulchri (OBSS) was the first Order of the Byzantine Empire, founded in AD 325 by Emperor Flavius Augustus Constantine I, the Great, son of St. Helen, after defeating Maxentius near the Milvian Bridge, and his proclamation as Emperor of the Roman Empire in East and West. OBSS forms part of the historical heritage of the Sovereign Dynastic Military Orders of Chivalry, and to the Greek Orthodox Religious Rite of the Byzantine Empire.

It traces its regeneration to the fall of Constantinople, Capital of the Byzantine Empire on 29th May 1453, following a Turkish assault led by Mehmet II.  This event severed the bonds between Eastern and Western Christendom and brought to the fore the "political" vocation of the Russian Grand Dukes to grant protection to the wandering and dispersed Knights of the Greek-Orthodox Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and those of the Order of St. Catherine of Mount Sinai, who had in common the Rule of St. Basil, and who since 1063 had fought in the various Crusades for the liberation of the Holy Land.

The upheaval provoked by the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire, and Russia's political instability during the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries, led many of those Knights to seek refuge in the Patriarchates of Alexandria and Antioch.  

The protection granted by the Grand Dukes of Russia was subsequently consolidated by the marriage in 1472 between Zoè [Sophia] Paleologina, niece of the last Emperor of Byzantium Constantine XI Paleologo, and Ivan III Veliky - the Great, Grand Prince of Moscow and of all Russia. This marriage brought to his Imperial House - as the bride's dowry - the title of Pretender to the Throne of Byzantium and encouraged the absorption of many noble Houses and Chivalric Orders founded during the Byzantine Empire. Ivan III succeeded his father Basil the Blind, great politician and patron of the Arts, who achieved recognition as Sovereign of all Russia and made Moscow the heir of Byzantium’s traditions and the third Orthodox Rome. 

Around 1660 Dimitrij VII Dimitrevic`, Grand Duke in exile of the Imperial House of Russia and descendant of Ivan and Zoè Paleologina, had established himself in Enos in the Ottoman Empire, where the dispersed Knights gathered around Him seeking protection.  He organised and led them with great wisdom, earning their gratitude and devotion, until they proclaimed him Grand Master of the Order in 1669.  Dimitrij VII Dimitrevic` incorporated the Order in his House, revising the Statutes and rendering the Grand Mastership hereditary in his family.

The Grand Ducal House of Moscow has preserved OBSS as a Dynastic Heritage and has never renounced its prerogatives, nor has it ever suffered the debellatio. OBSS was reorganized in the A.D. 1669 as ascertained, consolidated and recognised by Sultans, Emperors and Kings, continuing the dynastic succession to the present day.

The Dynastic profile of OBSS derives from its birth, from Emperor Constantine I. All his Legitimate Successors have had OBSS as Dynastic Heritage. As such it passed to the Grand Ducal House of Moscow Rjurik Dynasty from Empress Zoe Paleologina.

In 1669 Sultan Mohammed IV Osman granted Dimitrij VII Dimitrevic` recognition of His prerogatives as Head of the Name and Arms of the Rjurik Dynasty. The Sultan accorded Him the rank of Sovereign Bey and granted hospitality and protection to Him and to His Orders and cultural institutions. 

By tradition the Head of the Confraternity of Saint Catherine of Somport also administered the Priory of the French Langue of the Order, which was recognised by the King of France Louis XIV, the “Roi Soleil”, by an Edict in 1671,

OBSS consolidated and flourished in various countries in East and West. In 1788 Duke Ercole III of Este authorized the establishment of the Order in the Duchy of Modena [Italy], granting citizenship of the Duchy to the Head of the Imperial House of Moscow and de jure recognition to His Orders and cultural institutions.  

OBSS was confirmed under the Rule of St. Basil and assumed as one of its principal aims that of assisting Christian pilgrims visiting the Holy Land, recalling the ecumenical spirit of the "Edict of Milan" with which Constantine the Great had decreed that freedom of worship be guaranteed to the faithful of all Religions, particularly to Christians.

OBSS is a family Order, dynastic, patrimonial and non national.

It is a family Order, since by succession it belongs, by hereditary right, to the successor of the Grand Dukes of Russia, Rjurik Dynasty.

It is dynastic, as it was created by a Sovereign, dynastic Emperor, and since the present Grand Duke descends from a Sovereign dynasty which already ruled over Moscow, even though it is currently constrained to lead a private life for reasons of political exigencies; in fact no member of the family has ever suffered the debellatio.

It is patrimonial, in that it has an endowment of titles, dos honorum, equestrian and noble. Such endowment is not extinguished until all conferable titles are extinguished and thus constitutes the “magistral endowment” appertaining to the Grand Master and to the Prince High Patron.

It is non national, being an Order belonging to a former reigning family, distinct both from the State or Pontifical ones, and from the “private Orders” which are in reality private Associations.

OBSS underwent modifications in its structure and Insigna; it was reorganised in 1821, in 1919, in 1943, in 1965, in 1987, in 1995, in 2011, and adapted to present day requirements by Imperial Decree of 16th June 2023, as detailed below.

The actual Insigna consists of a Cross potent enamelled in red with gold border, with four small Crosses enamelled in silver with gold border adjoining the four sides.

On 5th December 1986 the Head of the Name and Arms of the Rjurik Dynasty and Grand Master of the Order, H.I. & R.H. Grand Duke Dimitrij X Dimitrevic, broke with tradition in the absence of direct male heirs and nominated the Lieutenant Grand Master, Knight Grand Cross of Justice Prof. Alfred Josef Baldacchino, Prince Grand Master ad vitam and Supreme Head of the Order. On that occasion, the Grand Duke assumed for himself the Title and Rank of Prince High Patron of the Order, with all the rights and privileges pertaining to that Office.

On 4th March 1988 the Grand Duke, by an “Act of Declaration and Passage”, decreed as follows: 

We Have Decided to renounce to the jus imperii, to the jus gladii, to the jus maiestatis of the Ordo Byzantinus Sancti Sepulchri, in favour of Prince Alfred Josef Baldacchino who, as Prince Grand Master, has been recognised by Us as the Supreme Head of the Order and thus the only holder of the above mentioned rights.”

On 12th October 1989 the Grand Duke, endorsing the unanimous Petition from the Magistral Council of the Order, adopted Prince Alfred Josef Baldacchino, proclaiming him His adopted Son and dynastic Successor, in virtue of a Testamentary Act of Dynastic Adoption, conferring on Him as dowry OBSS.

On 6th August 2000 the Grand Duke renounced and transferred in absolute perpetuity his Sovereignty and fons honorum over OBSS in favour of Prince Alfred Josef Baldacchino and His legitimate Successors.

These four Imperial Decrees, together with other historical documents, were deposited by the Grand Duke and the Prince Grand Master in the records of a Public Notary in Rome on 5th October 2000.  A notarised copy is held in the Archives of the Order in Malta.

On 7th August 2001 the Grand Duke Dimitrij X Dimitrevic passed away. In virtue of the Testamentary Act of Dynastic Adoption dated 12th October 1989, the new Head of the Name and Arms of the Rjurik Dynasty was His Imperial and Royal Highness Prof. Alfred Josef Baldacchino, Grand Duke of Byzantium, Head of the Name and Arms of the Grand Ducal House of Moscow - Rjurik Dynasty, Imperial Prince of Enez with the Title of Bey and Rank of Kham, Prince of Gagry, Duke of Perignon, Count Palatine, Marquis of Alessandropoli and of Casal Grimaldo, hereditary Sovereign Prince Grand Master of OBSS.

On 16th June 2023, the Prince Grand Master celebrated his 86th birthday and by Imperial Decree (Prot. GM/09/2023) proclaimed the following:

  1. The decision of His son H.R.H. Duke Frederick to relinquish His Title and Rank of Vicar Grand Master and His Statutory right of succession to the Title and Rank of Prince Grand Master, while retaining for himself and for his legitimate heirs all the rights arising from the Grand Duchy of Byzantium;
  2. The modification to the Statute of OBSS, particularly Art. 13 and 14, whereby succession was no longer subject to the gender or age of the successor, provided the successor had attained the age of twenty-five (25) years;
  3. The nomination of His daughter, Prof. Leonie Baldacchino, born in Malta on 3rd November 1980, as His legitimate successor, and her appointment as Vicar Grand Master with immediate effect;
  4. His decision to relinquish His Title and Rank of Prince Grand Master with effect from 5th December 2023, being the 37th Anniversary of His nomination as Prince Grand Master, to assume the Title and Rank of Prince High Patron of the Order, with all the rights and privileges pertaining to that Office. This is in conformity with the precedent of His beloved predecessor, the late Grand Duke Dimitrij X Dimitrevic` of Russia, when he nominated Prof. Alfred Josef Baldacchino hereditary Prince Grand Master and assumed for himself the Title and Rank of Prince High Patron of the Order on 5th December 1986.

A matter of considerable historical and legal importance in Chivalry is that of the equestrian Orders known as dynastic or noble (and sometimes referred to as family Orders) and their position vis a vis Italian and Canonical Law.

Those Chivalric institutions which form part of the heraldic patrimony of a Sovereign House or of a former Sovereign House, tied to the descendants of the said House, independently of whether it exercises or no longer exercises sovereignty, are denominated "dynastic or noble or family Orders".

The uncontested opinion of the most reputable experts is that former Sovereign Houses retain the Magisterium of their dynastic Orders even in exile.

BASCAPÈ Giacomo C.: "The Orders of Chivalry in Italy" Milan (1972) Ceschini ed.

Doctrine and case law, even those most recent, have accorded the former reigning sovereign princely families, as in the case of the Grand Dukes of Moscow, an international juridical status, identical in every detail to Subjects of International Law, e.g. as was accorded to the Holy See during the period 1870 - 1929, even though an Entity without territorial sovereignty.

This doctrine was reconfirmed by the United Nations Assembly on 24th August 1994 when SMOM was described as a “Sovereign Entity deprived of its Territory”, similar to the Vatican up to the Treaty of 1929.

OBSS enjoys special privileges and recognitions in various Nations, where it is recognised as a Sovereign Dynastic Military Order of Chivalry. In virtue of its characteristics, OBSS enjoys the attributes and prerogatives of a Subject of International Law, similar to the Vatican and SMOM. 

OBSS is an international moral entity that promotes humanitarian, philanthropic, ecumenical and cultural activities. 

Humanitarian and Philanthropic activities are carried out on the initiative of the Grand Priories.  Identifying particular needs in their territories, or following specific external requests, they promote and organize their own activities utilising their own resources.  In special cases they may refer projects to the Magistral Seat of the Order for international financing.

Ecumenism is promoted in a variety of ways for the fulfilment of the Order's institutional aims, which include the unification of all faiths.  

The Ecclesiastical College of the Order is presided by the Grand Prelate and is composed of all the Prelates and Chaplains, who participate in international Congresses on ecumenism and maintain contact with international bodies operating at all levels, for the affirmation of ecumenism world wide.

Cultural activities are promoted and coordinated by the Universitas Sancti Cyrilli - A.D. 1669, an International University having its Rectoral Seat in Malta. 

The Universitas organises research, formation, specialisation and refresher programmes. Moreover, the Universitas publishes literary works by eminent authors and organises literary prizes, conventions, conferences, seminars and exhibitions.

The Universitas confers Doctorates Honoris Causa on exceptionally meritorious persons who have distinguished themselves in the Arts, Letters, Sciences, Industry, Commerce and Labour.

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