Knight of Obedience is a rank in the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. Unlike those professed chaplains and knights who take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience these Knights, and now Dames, make a promise of obedience. The rank was instituted between the two World Wars because there were not enough professed knights required for the Order to strengthen its religious and spiritual character. The Knights and Dames in Obedience make a promise to live as perfect Christians. The Knights wear a scapular over their choir dress.
In the Order of Malta the Knights of Justice are in the First class. The Knights and Dames in Obedience constitute the Second class. The Knights and Dames of Honour and Devotion, Conventual Chaplains "ad honorem", Magistral Chaplains, Knights and Dames of Grace and Devotion, Knights and Dames of Magistral Grace and Donats are members of the Third class.
Since the late 1990s the Promise of Obedience is linked to the pre-existing category of a knight or dame. Hence, they become for example, Knights of Magistral Grace 'in' Obedience.
The Protestant Orders of Saint John, retaining systems of ranks based on that existing in the as-yet undivided Order at the time of the Reformation, have no Knights of Obedience.
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