Association of Italian Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
An Italian association of Knights and Ladies of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta that coordinates charitable, medical, civil-protection, and auxiliary military activities.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The Association of Italian Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, commonly known by its Italian name Associazione dei cavalieri italiani del sovrano militare ordine di Malta and the acronym ACISMOM, is the national association for Italian members of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. It brings together Knights and Ladies connected with the Order’s three Italian grand priories and provides an organizational framework for religious, charitable, medical, humanitarian, civil-protection, and military-auxiliary work in Italy. Founded in Rome in 1877, the association developed during a period in which the Order of Malta was rebuilding its institutional and charitable role after the loss of its territorial base. Rather than operating as a consumer-facing commercial brand, ACISMOM functions as a service and membership organization within the Order of Malta’s Italian structure. Its activities are directed toward practical assistance, healthcare, emergency response, support for vulnerable people, and the preservation of the Order’s hospitaller tradition. One of its principal areas is medical and health care. ACISMOM operates several healthcare facilities, including the San Giovanni Battista Hospital in Rome’s Magliana district, which specializes in physical rehabilitation. The association’s healthcare work has included participation in Italy’s national health system and receipt of allocations connected with health mobility. Reported National Health Fund allocations were €21,000,900 in 2008, €34,167,303 in 2009, €38,108,009 in 2010, and €35,501,689 in 2011. These figures relate to specific years and should not be interpreted as current revenue or a continuing annual level. The association also sponsors and coordinates the Corpo italiano di soccorso dell’Ordine di Malta, or CISOM. Established in 1970, CISOM provides civil-protection and emergency services through groups distributed across Italy. Its activities include medical assistance, transport of sick or injured people, forest-fire prevention, and support during emergencies and disasters. The corps has been described as having more than 70 groups and over 3,000 volunteers, together with ambulances and specialist vehicles. A further historic responsibility is the Military Corps of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. ACISMOM’s early agreements with the Italian Ministry of War led to the creation of a corps attached to the Italian Army for service during armed conflicts and natural disasters. The corps served during the Italo-Turkish War and the two world wars and has subsequently maintained an auxiliary role, including the operation of a field hospital and two hospital trains. In 1940, the Corps of Volunteer Nurses of ACISMOM was added, initially comprising a director and 40 nurses who were Ladies of the Order. ACISMOM’s institutional identity therefore combines membership in the Order of Malta with operational service. Its work is rooted in Catholic charitable traditions and is delivered through hospitals, emergency-response structures, volunteer networks, and military-auxiliary capabilities. The association is headquartered at the Casa dei Cavalieri di Rodi in Rome and remains focused primarily on Italy, while its activities connect with the wider humanitarian and hospitaller network of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
History
ACISMOM was established in Rome in 1877 to organize Italian members of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and to provide a national structure for the Order’s religious and charitable work. Its institutional development took place after the Order’s loss of territorial sovereignty, when hospitaller and charitable service became central to its public role. The association brought together members associated with the three Italian grand priories and coordinated their participation in social, medical, and charitable initiatives. An important early development was the creation of agreements with the Italian Ministry of War. These agreements resulted in the Military Corps of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which served as a special military body auxiliary to the Italian Army. The corps was intended to provide medical and logistical assistance during armed conflict and major emergencies. It participated in the Italo-Turkish War and both world wars. Its later functions included domestic disaster relief, peacekeeping support alongside military forces, and the operation of a field hospital and two hospital trains. The association expanded its nursing and medical capabilities during the twentieth century. In 1940, the Corps of Volunteer Nurses of ACISMOM was incorporated into the military-support structure. It initially included a director and 40 volunteer nurses who were Ladies of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. This strengthened the association’s ability to deliver organized medical care in wartime and disaster settings. Healthcare became a continuing institutional activity rather than only an emergency function. ACISMOM operates several hospitals and healthcare facilities, with San Giovanni Battista Hospital in the Magliana area of Rome serving as its best-known institution. The hospital specializes in physical rehabilitation. The association has also participated in Italy’s publicly funded healthcare system, receiving allocations associated with health mobility. Reported allocations were €21,000,900 in 2008, €34,167,303 in 2009, €38,108,009 in 2010, and €35,501,689 in 2011. These amounts are historical figures for the cited years and do not establish present funding levels. In 1970, ACISMOM established the Corpo italiano di soccorso dell’Ordine di Malta, known as CISOM. The corps created a nationwide volunteer and emergency-response network. Its responsibilities include civil protection, medical assistance, transport of sick people, forest-fire prevention, and response to natural disasters and other emergencies. Reference material describes CISOM as having more than 70 groups and over 3,000 volunteers, supported by ambulances and specialized vehicles. The association is currently based at the Casa dei Cavalieri di Rodi in Rome’s Piazza del Grillo. Its leadership has included a succession of Italian nobles, military figures, and Order members. Lorenzo Borghese has served as president since 2022, following Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo. ACISMOM remains an Italian service organization within the wider Sovereign Military Order of Malta, combining membership coordination with healthcare, charitable assistance, civil protection, and auxiliary military medical functions.
- 2022
Lorenzo Borghese became president
[1]Lorenzo Borghese succeeded Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo as president of the association.
- 2008
Reported National Health Fund allocation
[1]ACISMOM reportedly received €21,000,900 through the Italian National Health Fund for health mobility during 2008.
- 1970
CISOM established
[1]ACISMOM created the Corpo italiano di soccorso dell’Ordine di Malta, a volunteer civil-protection and emergency-service corps operating throughout Italy.
- 1940
Volunteer Nurses Corps added
[1]The Corps of Volunteer Nurses of ACISMOM joined the Order’s military-support structure, initially with a director and 40 nurses.
- 1877
Association founded in Rome
[1]The Association of Italian Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta was established to bring together Italian Knights and Ladies and coordinate their charitable and religious activities.
Products and positioning
A hospitaller and charitable service organization representing the Italian members of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, with a distinctive focus on healthcare, emergency response, civil protection, and auxiliary medical support.
Healthcare facility
San Giovanni Battista Hospital
ACISMOM’s principal referenced healthcare institution is located in the Magliana district of Rome. It specializes in physical rehabilitation and represents the association’s long-term medical-care role beyond emergency and military support.
Civil protection and emergency services · 1970
Corpo italiano di soccorso dell’Ordine di Malta (CISOM)
CISOM is ACISMOM’s Italian volunteer emergency-response corps. Its work includes medical assistance, transport of sick people, forest-fire prevention, civil protection, and support during disasters. It operates through groups across Italy and uses ambulances and specialist vehicles.
Auxiliary military medical service
Military Corps of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Created through agreements with the Italian Ministry of War, the Military Corps served as a special body auxiliary to the Italian Army. Its historical and continuing functions include field-hospital operations, hospital trains, medical support during conflict, peacekeeping assistance, and disaster response.
Volunteer nursing service · 1940
Corps of Volunteer Nurses of ACISMOM
The volunteer nursing corps was integrated into ACISMOM’s military-support arrangements in 1940. It was initially organized with a director and 40 nurses drawn from the Ladies of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Sources1 sources
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