Order of Malta OSJ.org
Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem OSJ
In 2004/5, Mr. Thorbjorn Paternò Castello d’Ayerbe d’Aragona established his fake Order after his separation/expulsion from the Montaldo group. It was a desperate attempt to build his own legacy and gain some credibility in order to keep on selling his knighthoods and Nobility titles. Initially, he tried to distance himself from his past by eliminating the name of Mr Scerri Montaldo completely from his new history line by claiming direct lineage from Mr. De Vigo, the non-existent figurehead invented by Scerri Montaldo. When this failed to lend him credibility, he resorted to another ridiculous tale. He attempted to attach himself to the legitimate Russian SOSJ lineage by falsely asserting that he had inherited the Order and the position of Grand Master in 2006 from his father, the late Roberto Paterno. This illogical claim is inconsistent as much as it is absurd and easily debunked.
The Paternos first contact with the Russian SovOrder of St John came in 1960, when Don Francesco Mario II, Prince Emmanuel expressed interest in becoming a formal member of the Order.
Letters of Don Francesco to the Grand Chancellor of the Order of St John.
(As depicted in the 1969 amalgamation book titled Synopsis of History AMALGAMATION of the Royal and Imperial Crowns of Aragon with the Hereditary Government of the Historical Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta).
August 8, 1960
“I have taken good note of all the material you have sent to me from the July-October issue of the Bulletin, I was able to learn of the many great personalities that belong to your Order. These are people of the purest strains of the most ancient European aristocracy. This was enough to convince me of the high standing of your Order
“Next month I will send you a work of historical value wherein you will find all of the highlights stressing my rights as a legatee of the Grand Priory of Aragon of the Order of Malta. Autonomous and Sovereign. In fact, I hold the rank of Head Bearer of the Armour of the House of Paterno. I am the legal heir of the Royal House of Aragon, and Heir Apparent to the Royal and Imperial Crown.
“As such, I should like to combine my sovereign and royal claim with your Order”.
“I know that I would find you to be a true and loyal ally for the good of humanity, and for the advancement of the ideals of chivalric Orders in the World, and also as an ally to combat the dark forces that come surging at us from the Soviets and the Orient, subverting all religious belief, civil and all social order.
“By then, while I should be prepared to receive you into my Order, I should so be happy to be received by your Order”
(signed) Don Francesco etc
It is, therefore, in a mind conscious of the high ideals of this ancient Order, that I have the honour of asking to be admitted to the Order of Malta in the United States’
In response to his request, the Chancellery released a statement on September 5, 1960, officially enrolling him in the Order.
H.R.H. Don Francesco Mario II. Paterno, Prince d’Emmanuel, was qualified and accepted into the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem – Knights of Malta, in the United States, in the rank of Bailli Grand Cross of Justice, Summa cum laude.
Don Francesco was elected as a member of the Supreme Council of the Order and appointed Grand Prior of the Order for the Balearic Islands and Malta on September 10, 1960. That same year, he merged his privileges with the Order,
September 18, 1960
” The difference intervening between me and my uncle, Fra Ernesto Paterno is of substantial nature... While my uncle Fra Ernesto holds the position of Lieutenant Grand Master of the Papal Order of Malta in Rome, he is not at the same time leader or Head of the Royal House of Paterno. Ernesto is not the claimant to the Royal and Imperial Crown of Aragon.
“I am the Head in Name and of Arms of the main branch of the Paterno line as you can see from the genealogical chart I traced you.
“As to the Grand Priory of Aragon (Autonomous Priory of Aragon) where I hold Office by dynastic right, stems directly from the Crown of the Aragon, of which I am the legitimate claimant.
“I have taken good note of the voting rules of your Order. If you, my Most Excellent Brother will permit me to cast my vote and authorise me to do so, I will, of course, vote in keeping with the proposals made by the government. I would appreciate your confirmation of this, if need be, by cable”.
(signed) Don Francesco etc
Note. The above letter and assurances refers to a coming vote by the Supreme Council of the Order on September 21, 1960 in favour of a resolution which called for the official Amalgamation in perpetuity, of all the Sovereign Rights, Privileges and Immunities inherited by the hereditary Chiefs of the Royal and Imperial House and Crowns of the Ancient Aragon, to be coupled with all corresponding rights of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem – Knights of Malta, which headquarters in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania.
-The Grand Chancellor OSJ
In 1965, Don Francesco's son, Don Roberto, followed in his father's footsteps by submitting a formal application to join the Order of St John. On April 27th, 1965, he sent a letter to the Chancellery expressing his desire to become a member of the Order.
Letter to the Grand Chancellor April 27, 1965
This letter contained the Royal Vows of H.R.H. Don Roberto (Ayerbe-Aragon) Castello di Carcaci d’Emmanuel,, son of the late Don Francesco Mario Paterno, Prince d'Emmanuel. These vows were essentially the same as those vows taken by Don Roberto’s father, Don Francesco, August 10, 1960
Action of the Order, May 3, 1965
Don Roberto as described above was qualified and accepted into the Russian Order of St John of Jerusalem - Knights of Malta, in the rank of Hereditary Knight Grand Cross of Justice, magna cum laude, and was later nominated as member of the Supreme Council of the same Order.
Action of the Order, July 30, 1969
H.R.H. Prince Roberto as previously described, consented to act as Grand Prior for historical Aragon, Balearic Islands, Italy, Lebanon and the islands of Malta.
Royal Decree of October 28, 1968 addressed to the Grand Chancellor of the O.S.J.
On this day, a Royal Decree was promulgated by Prince Don Roberto Paterno (Ayerbe-Aragon) Castelli di Carcaci d’Emmanuel, which served to confirm and extend all the previous acts of state promulgated by his late father in Favour of the Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem – Knights of Malta and in these words:
” in our quality as Head of the Royal House of Aragon, we confirm, we acknowledge and we sustain the inherit sovereign rights and the immunities of the Sovereign order of St John of Jerusalem over the islands of Malta in conformity to the treaty of Amiens signed on the 27th day of March 1802 by Great Britain, France, Austria, Russia, Spain and Prussia, and in harmony with the tradition according to which the Kings of Aragon have been historically heads and sovereigns of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in their dominions.”
(signed) Roberto
In 1973, Don Roberto Paterno was voted and elected as the 73rd Grand Master by the Supreme Council, succeeding Grand Master Crolian Edelen de Burgh. Before becoming Grand Master, he severed his appointment as Grand Prior of historical Aragon, Balearic Islands, Italy, Lebanon and the island of Malta, a position which he had taken over on the 30th July 1969.
Don Roberto led the Order for almost 20 years and on 28th December 1992, he resigned from his position as Grand Master and left the Order for good. His letter of resignation was sent to the former Grand Prior of Europe Bailiff Arthor O. Allen and to the Grand Chancellor Bailiff Joseph Frendo Cumbo. The letter was countersigned by Notary Public Dr Antoine Agius. Following Paterno’s resignation, the Supreme Council of the Order of St John was convened, and the Polish Prince George Korey-Krzeczoeski was elected as the 74th Grand Master of the Order. Upon his election to the Order’s highest post, Grand Master Korey-Krzeczoeski formally invited King Michael of Romania to became the Royal Protector of the Order. King Michael recognised the Russian Order of St John as a chivalric Order and bestowed his Royal Protection on the 19th August 1993.
Don Roberto endorsed and enforced the previous state acts established by his father in support of the Russian Order of St John of Jerusalem, ensuring that the Order’s privileges remain intact. These rights and powers are exclusive to the Russian Order of St John and cannot be wielded by his son, Thorbjorn.
Also, the Russian Order of St John allows hereditary membership, but this privilege is only granted by the Grand Master in concurrence with the Supreme Council to its members who have distinguished themselves or shown exceptional service and dedication to the Order. Hereditary Knights have the privilege to pass down their knighthood to their descendants, securing their lineage a position as a Knight commander within the Order. This tradition was first established in the 18th century to create the Polish Grand Priory and later became a practice, particularly among the Russian Knights during Czar Paul I's reign when the Sovereign Order of St John was founded after its expulsion from Malta by Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Russian Order of St John is organized within a hierarchical framework that includes a Royal Protector, a Grand Master, and a Supreme Council. The Royal Protector's role is to ensure the Fons Honorum, provide support for the Order's initiatives, and maintain alignment with royal interests. In contrast, the Grand Master oversees the daily operations and leadership of the Order, directing its mission and activities while upholding its values and traditions. Assisting these pivotal figures is the Supreme Council, which serves as the governing body responsible for key decision-making and strategic guidance. Notably, all positions within the Order of St. John, with the exception of the Royal Protector, are non-hereditary. This stipulation ensures that leadership roles are attained through merit and commitment rather than familial inheritance.
Overall, hereditary membership in the Russian Order of St John is a privilege and helps to maintain a sense of continuity and tradition within the Order, ensuring that the legacy of service and dedication to the Order is passed down through generations. It also serves to honour and recognize the contributions of families who have supported the Order over multiple generations. The Russian Order of St John as in the past elects its Grand Master from among its Supreme Council members and the concept of inheriting the grandmastership is inexistent. All this, completely invalidates Thorbjorn's claims. Unlike his predecessors, he never applied to, nor was he ever accepted as a member of the Russian Order of St John. Additionally, his father's resignation in 1992 made him ineligible for any Knighthood inheritance or direct membership within the Order.
In conclusion, it is clear that Thorbjorn's claims with regards the Russian Order of St John are baseless and false and lack any credibility. His attempts to fabricate a lineage within the Russian Order and claim its leadership through inheritance from his father are deceitful and not in line with the traditions and rules of the Russian Order of St John. The Paterno family's dynastic claim only extended to the Grand Priory of Aragon and does not grant Thorbjorn any rights or privileges within the real Russian Order of St John. His actions are simply an attempt to deceive and have no foundation in the true traditions of the Russian Order of St John. It is important to expose individuals like Thorbjorn who only seek to exploit the reputation and history of the Order for their own personal gain.
In 2003, the three so-called friends—Scerri Montaldo, Thorbjorn Paterno, and Basilio Cali—before they went to establish their own unique Self-styled Orders.
The photograph, taken in 2003, features the three so called friends: Mr. Thorbjorn Paterno, who is positioned at the centre, Mr. Scerri Montaldo, third from the right, and Mr. Basilio Cali, first from the right. This image captures a moment from their collaboration prior to expelling each other and establishing their own distinct self-styled Orders. Also present in the photo is the former Grand Master of the Authentic Russian Order of St John, Roberto Paterno, fourth from the left. He resigned and left the Order in 1992. While he occasionally attended investitures hosted by this group, he consistently refrained from wearing any regalia or clothing appertaining to the Authentic Russian Order, clearly indicating that he forms no part of it anymore and he is not associated with this self-styled group.