Dames of Malta are female members of the

Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, and commonly known as the Order of Malta or the Knights of Malta, is a Catholic lay religious ...

. The male counterparts of these

Dames ''Dame'' is a traditionally British honorific title given to women who have been admitted to certain orders of chivalry. It is the female equivalent of ''Sir'', the title used by knights. Baronetesses in their own right also use the title ''Da ...

are the

Knights of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, and commonly known as the Order of Malta or the Knights of Malta, is a Catholic Church, Cathol ...

. This

secret Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controver ...

fraternal order A fraternal order is a voluntary membership group organised as an order, with an initiation ritual and traits alluding to religious, chivalric or pseudo-chivalric orders, guilds, or secret societies. Fraternal orders typically have secular p ...

, also known as Ladies of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, was originally named Ladies of Malta. In 1902, it was consolidated with the Daughters of Malta, and assumed the name "Dames of Malta." These Dames are an auxiliary to the Ancient and Illustrious Order Knights of Malta. Their governing body is known as "Zenodacia," the branches are called "Sisterhoods" and are under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Grand Commandery of the Ancient and Illustrious Order of Malta. Candidates for membership must be "white female Protestants, over sixteen years of age, not married to a Roman Catholic, able to write and speak the English language, competent to pursue some useful occupation, believers in the doctrines of the Holy Trinity as expressed in the Apostles' Creed." The "ritualistic work" of the Order unfolds "the marvelous history of its glorious past he Order claims to be the direct descendant of the ancient Sisterhood of the Hospitallers Dames of Jerusalemand "the deep religious significance of its institution," and glories in "the fact that it is the only Knightly Order having one Universal Password that admits to all Council Chambers around the Globe." In 1924, the membership of the Dames of Malta was 28,000. The headquarters were at 1345 Arch St.,

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

Notable members

* Genevieve Garvan Brady, Papal Duchess, Dame of the

Order of the Holy Sepulchre Order of the Holy Sepulchre or Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre may refer to: * Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Catholic), chivalric order belonging to the Holy See (the Roman Catholic Church) * Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Orthodox), chivalric ...

, holder of the Cross

Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice ''Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice'' ("For Church and Pope" in Latin) is a decoration of the Holy See. It is currently conferred for distinguished service to the Catholic Church by lay people and clergy. History The medal was established by Leo XII ...

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* Marianna, Dowager Viscountess Monckton of Brenchley, served as

High Sheriff of Kent The high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown (prior to 1974 the office previously known as sheriff)."Sheriffs appointed for a county or Greater London shall be known as high sheriffs, and any reference in any enactment or instru ...

(1981–82); widow of Gilbert Walter Riversdale Monckton, 2nd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley * Virginia A. Dwyer, director and deputy chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Rochester *

Emma, Lady Hamilton Dame Emma Hamilton (born Amy Lyon; 26 April 176515 January 1815), known upon moving to London as Emma Hart, and upon marriage as Lady Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She began her career in London's demi-monde, beco ...

(1765-1815), awarded the Maltese Cross by Emperor Paul I of Russia for her aid to blockaded Malta. Lady Hamilton was the first English woman to be invested as a Dame of Malta *

Clare Boothe Luce Clare Boothe Luce (; March 10, 1903 – October 9, 1987) was an American writer, politician, diplomat, and public conservative figure. A versatile author, she is best known for her 1936 hit play '' The Women'', which had an all-female cast. He ...

, American playwright and political activist * Marie-Christine, Princess Michael of Kent *

Marie Isobel, Countess Cathcart Marie Isobel Cathcart, Countess Cathcart, DStJ (née Marie Isobel French, formerly Marie, Lady Weldon) (18 June 1923 – 25 February 2015) was a British peeress. Early life She was born Marie Isobel French, eldest daughter of the Hon. William J ...

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* Patricia Mary, Lady Talbot of Malahide (née Riddell)
Dorothea Angela McElduff (1926–2013), Member of Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre and Dame of Malta
* Mary McShain (née Mary J. Horstmann), great-niece of Bishop Ignatius F. Horstmann (the third Bishop of the

Diocese of Cleveland The Diocese of Cleveland () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern Ohio in the United States. , the bishop is Edward Malesic. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located in Clevelan ...

); widow of John McShai *

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* Regina A Quick,philanthropist * Sharon Rich, author *

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, American constitutional lawyer and conservative activist *

Princess Urraca of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Princess Urraca of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (; 14 July 1913, Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria – 3 May 1999, Sigmaringen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) was a member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and a Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicil ...

Csilla von Boeselager Csilla von Boeselager (May 17, 1941 in Budapest – February 23, 1994, in Arnsberg-Voßwinkel) was a Baroness who founded the Hungarian Maltese Charity Organisation in Germany (), and initiated the foundation of the Magyar Máltai Szeretetszolgá ...

, Hungarian philanthropist; founded the Hungarian Maltese Charity Organisation (Ungarischer Malteser Caritas Dienst) * Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Malta, Dames of Lists of Roman Catholics