Pope Benedict XVI will, on Sunday morning, visit the Sovereign Military Order of Malta's San Giovanni Battista Hospital in Rome, where he will meet patients and staff.

For over 35 years, this medical facility has been a leader in neurological treatment and rehabilitation of brain-damaged patients.

The Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fra Andrew Bertie will welcome the Pope and Cardinal Pio Laghi, his representative to the Order.

For centuries the building housing the hospital was a summer residence for popes.

This site has been restored by the Order of Malta as a hospital, including a nursing school. The Hospital is managed and run by the Italian Association of the Order.

The mission of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, founded in Jerusalem 960 years ago, is to serve the poor, the sick, refugees and the most disadvantaged.

Its 12,500 members, 80,000 permanent volunteers and over 13,000 doctors, nurses, assistants and paramedics take care of the elderly, disabled, children, refugees, homeless, terminally sick, lepers and drug addicts in 120 countries.

The Order of Malta has bilateral diplomatic relations with 99 states, including the Holy See.

It has 18 official missions and permanent observers with the UN, the EU and numerous international organisations.

The San Giovanni Battista Hospital specialises in neuro-rehabilitation with particular emphasis on the rehabilitation of post-stroke and post-trauma patients.