PROVINCIAL
GRAND MASTER JOINS THE RED CROSS OF CONTANTINE
The Fryston Conclave No:366 of the Masonic & Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine had a new candidate at their February meeting when the Provincial Grand Master, Rt.W.Bro. Graham Ives, was admitted into the Order.
(LtoR) Ill.Kt Colin Wells, Divisional Treasurer; Ill.Kt. Alan Birkett,Divisional Marshall; R.Ill.Kt. John Clements, Intendant Generalof Lincolnshire Division; W.Kt Graham Ives; P.Kt. Clive Aspinall, Most Puissant Sovereign of Fryston Conclave; E.Kt. David Bird, Eminent Viceroy of Fryston Conclave.
The Fryston Conclave was also honoured by the presence of the Intendant General of the Lincolnshire Division on an unofficial visit along with members of the Divisional Team. So no pressure then for the Most Puissant Sovereign, P.Kt. Clive Aspinall, and the members of the Conclave!
The Fryston Conclave
enjoyed the support of many Knights from around the
Division for this special occasion and later retired
for a most enjoyable Festive Board.
ABOUT THE ORDER
The Order is a Degree of Christian Knighthood
and Candidates must be both Master Masons and Companions
of the Royal Arch.
The Order of the Red Cross of Constantine
belongs to the 'East and West' class of Initiatory Rites
and consists of three degrees: Knight; Priest; and Sovereign
Prince - titles which represent grades in the scale of
Initiation. These are supplemented by two additional Knightly
grades of the Appendant Orders, and collectively they
form the complete rite as follows:
Knight of the Red Cross of Constantine
Appendant Orders
Knight of the Holy Sepulchre
Knight of Saint John
the Evangelist
Eminent Viceroy
(Venerable Eusebius)
Puissant Sovereign
Constantine)
The First Degree of the Rite, leads from the Pagan Dispensation
to the Christian, using the Legend of Constantine the Great
as a symbol of the transition. The candidate enters as a Royal
Arch Mason on a mystical journey in quest of divine knowledge,
his labours being finally rewarded when he undertakes to follow
in the inspired footsteps of the Great Emperor Constantine.
The second and third degrees of Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and
Knight of Saint John the Evangelist constitute the Appendant
Orders, and are conferred in a Sanctuary and Commandery
respectively. It is a compulsory provision of the statutes
that all members be in possession of these Degrees when
seeking advancement within a Conclave.
The fourth degree is that of Venerable Eusebius
and is one of the symbolic Priesthoods. A Knight who has
attained this status is eligible for the office of Viceroy
in a Conclave, providing that he fulfils the relevant qualifications
and has been regularly elected to that office. The functions
of Eusebius and Viceroy are distinct; and, when a Viceroy
ceases to act in that capacity, his status as Eusebius is
unaffected.
The fifth and final degree is confined to
that of Most Puissant Sovereign who represents Constantine,
Sovereign-Prince of the East and West. The Statutes provide
that a Sovereign shall have served a full year in the office
of Viceroy in a regular Conclave. This beautiful Christian
Degree is the culmination of this outstanding Masonic Rite.
Note:
The Appendant Orders were attached to the Red Cross
of Constantine at a very early date; it embodies its
own Ritual (No.2), and issues a separate Certificate
of Membership.
