Provincial Grand Lodge of Lincolnshire
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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.

 

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