the order of Malta CARAVAGGIO DEATH OF THE VIRGIN DENON WING HALL 11

The Order of Malta, also known as the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, is a religious and military order founded in the 11th century. Initiated as a religious order dedicated to assisting pilgrims in Jerusalem, it later transformed into a military order tasked with protecting Christian territories in the Holy Land during the Crusades. Throughout the centuries, the Order of Malta expanded and acquired properties in different regions, including Sicily.