It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these. This one may be too easy. There’s a glaring clue in the picture. But it’s something that’s been in the news lately.
UPDATE: Congrats to Captain Ned! I’ll post his comment because he’s spot on.
The HQ of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, located at Via del Condotti, 68, Rome.
Commonly known as the Order of Malta, it is the successor organization to the medieval Order of the Knights Hospitaller, the group that cared for pilgrims to the Holy Land in that brief period where it was controlled by the West. Granted extraterritoriality under Italian law and granted Permanent Observer status at the UN.
The Order is in the news these days because of liberal vs. conservative (in Vatican terms) politics, with Pope Francis seen to be interfering in the internal workings of an organization that has been accustomed to light (or non-existent) direct Papal involvement.
I would only add that as an “extraterritorial” building, it is (I believe) the smallest sovereign “nation” in the world with diplomatic relations with over 100 other countries.
Well, the Maltese Cross in the courtyard sorta gave it away.
The HQ of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, located at Via del Condotti, 68, Rome.
Commonly known as the Order of Malta, it is the successor organization to the medieval Order of the Knights Hospitaller, the group that cared for pilgrims to the Holy Land in that brief period where it was controlled by the West. Granted extraterritoriality under Italian law and granted Permanent Observer status at the UN.
The Order is in the news these days because of liberal vs. conservative (in Vatican terms) politics, with Pope Francis seen to be interfering in the internal workings of an organization that has been accustomed to light (or non-existent) direct Papal involvement.
I knew it was too easy ;)