The Maltese cross is a white eight-pointed cross whose arms widen outward and then end in two points. It is linked to the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, which became the Order of Malta after settling on the island in the 16th century. Its history is therefore primarily hospitaller and chivalric. The eight points have been given several interpretations within the Order, including the eight Beatitudes and the virtues expected of its members.
| Shape | White eight-pointed cross |
|---|---|
| Order | Order of Saint John / Order of Malta |
| Medieval origin | Hospitaller setting of Jerusalem |
| Modern name | Maltese cross after the Order settled in Malta |
| Ideas | Service, relief, chivalric commitment, charity |
Where does the eight-pointed cross come from?
The Order of Malta traces the shape to an older tradition linked to Amalfi and the eastern Mediterranean. Coins from Amalfi feature an eight-pointed cross before the Order settled in Malta.
The shape did not therefore originate on the island of Malta. The modern name comes from a later stage in the institution’s history.
This distinction is essential: the emblem existed before the Order established itself in Rhodes and then in Malta.
Why is it linked to the Hospitallers?
The Order of Saint John was founded around a hospital for pilgrims in Jerusalem. Caring for the sick and the poor is part of its founding identity.
The white cross gradually becomes the identifying symbol of the Order and its members.
This hospitaller origin explains why the symbol remains associated today with medical and humanitarian missions, beyond its chivalric image.
When does it become the “Maltese cross”?
After losing the Latin states in the East, the Order settled in Rhodes and then in Malta in 1530. This long presence on the island established the name “Maltese cross.”
The Order continues to use the cross on its coat of arms, flags, and ceremonial clothing.
The symbol also became a Maltese national and cultural emblem, visible on coins and buildings across the archipelago.
What do the eight points mean?
Today, the Order of Malta associates the eight points with the eight Beatitudes from the Gospel according to Matthew.
It also connects them to eight chivalric virtues and the Order’s former organization into eight “languages,” or territorial groupings.
These interpretations belong to the institution’s internal tradition. They enrich the design without having to be presented as the certain origin of each point.
Why does it remain a symbol of relief?
The symbol is still visible in the Order of Malta’s medical, social, and humanitarian activities.
This continuity gives the cross a remarkable history: a medieval emblem of a hospitaller order, a chivalric symbol, and later a modern emblem of aid for vulnerable people.
It can be compared with the Jerusalem cross, also linked to the Holy Land, but their geometry and institutions are not the same.
Historical sources and reference points
The Sovereign Order of Malta traces the history of its eight-pointed cross, its connection to Amalfi, Jerusalem, Rhodes, and Malta, as well as contemporary interpretations of its eight points.
