On Friday 24 September 2004, the ancient church of St. Giustino was reopened inside the “San Giustino di Perugia” farm of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

H.M.E.H. Fra’ Andrew Bertie, Grand Master of the Order of Malta, presided over the church reopening ceremony.

Holy Mass was celebrated by the Most Rev. Giuseppe Chiaretti, Archbishop of Perugia and Città della Pieve.

This small but fascinating Benedictine abbey was damaged by the earthquakes of 1982 and 1997. Its renovation took a number of years but now this splendid monument, a church with a centuries-old tradition, is once again fully functional. The first mention of the monastery of San Giustino, founded by the Benedictines, dates back to the 12th century. Later on, the monastery came into the possession of the Order of the Templars and after its dissolution in 1312 it passed into the hands of the Order of Malta (then called the Order of St. John of Jerusalem).

Situated in a strategic geographical position, the ancient Commenda of San Giustino served both as a stopping place for the pilgrims and wayfarers travelling along the roads connecting Perugia, Assisi and Gubbio and as a farm for supplying the Order.