THE CORPS DES PAGES

The program of training new Knights of Malta has been known as the Corps des Pages since 1802. The cadre of the Corps is charged with training the mind, body and spirit of each Page to the highest ideal of a Catholic Knight. The Knights of Malta continue the medieval tradition of martial training by which the skills of the warrior are handed down from master to novice. The Grand Master of the Order is the senior teacher of the Corps. Each Knight Commander in the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem is enjoined as a teacher of martial science and the martial arts. Combat and combat-related skills are shared by the Brothers of the Hospital through the Corps des Pages.

As in the Middle Ages these arts are often learned within the households of the Knight Commanders. Pages, Squires and Cadets receive a broad range of martial training from the association by training with multiple Commanders. They are also encouraged to add to their proficiency by training outside the Order, especially in the absence of a local Knight Commander. These skills are practiced during gatherings of the Order throughout the year. A minimum proficiency in military science is required by the SOSJ Department of Education. For new members under the age of 50, proficiency in the martial arts is demonstrated at a council before formal reception as a Brother of the Hospital of St. John.