History

With its present status, the Supreme Subordinate Commandery & Ladies' Auxiliary has jurisdiction over ten Grand Commanderies in Ghana, namely, Accra East, Accra West, Cape Coast Grand, Koforidua Ho Grand, Tamale Grand, Kumasi Grand, Wa North Grand, Wa South Grand, Sunyani Grand and Navrongo -Bolgantanga Grand

In July 1992, the name was changed to the Knights of St. John International to reflect its Global Status. After that came the Globalization concept which saw a worldwide transformation of the Order into geographical areas with the appointment of Supreme Subordinate Presidents. Ghana was established as a Supreme Subordinate Commandery with Major-General J. W. Biney as its first Supreme Subordinate President.

The inauguration ceremonies of Sacred Heart Commandery No. 351, Accra were performed by the late Worthy President, E. R. Quansah of Commandery No. 346 on Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 1944, with the approval of Mgr. Noser, later Bishop of Accra.

By providential coincidence, the parish at Saltpond was dedicated to St. John the Baptist and it was, therefore, most appropriate that the first Commandery in West Africa should be chartered as St. John the Baptist Commandery No. 346. The Commandery was duly inaugurated in 1937 with Bro. Quansah was its first President.

The late Bro. Quansah got a few zealous aspirants together and applied to the supreme Commandery in the United States of America for permission to form a Commandery in Saltpond in the Central Region of Ghana. He also approached the then Archbishop of Cape Coast, The Late Archbishop Thomas William Porter in 1933 for permission to introduce the Order into the country.

On May 6, 1886, the Ancient and Noble Order of the Knights of St. John was established in the United States by a special act of legislature. This order was later shortened to the Knight of St. John from the Roman Catholic Union of the Knight of St. John.