The historic ties that bind the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of Cyprus are significant. This island in the Mediterranean was the site of important events in the history of the Order of St John of Jerusalem from 1210 to 1421. After the fall of St. John of Acre and the loss of the Holy Land in 1291, the Order of St. John moved its seat and hospital to Limassol on the island of Cyprus, where it had already been present since 1210 thanks to the concession of important properties, privileges and trading rights. Here, faithful to its mission, it continued to build new hospitals and the strategic position of the island encouraged it to create a naval fleet to protect pilgrims en route to the Holy Land.

Today these ties have been significantly strengthened.

On the 6 June 2012, diplomatic relations between the Republic of Cyprus and the Sovereign Order of Malta were established.

Following this agreement, on 3rd October Ambassador Georgios F. Poulides presented his Letters of Credence to the then Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing as first Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the Sovereign Order of Malta.

On 29 October 2012, the President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias was received by the Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing on the occasion of his State visit to the Sovereign Order, the first by a Head of State of Cyprus. The President of the Republic was accompanied by Mrs Elsi Christofia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis.