Charter of the Palatine Guard Order of All-Saints

[VIROS 2709]

 

CHARTER OF THE PALATINE GUARD ORDER OF ALL-SAINTS

HIS HOLINESS, James II, By the Grace of God High Pontiff of the Church of the Canon, Archbishop of Visigia, Successor of the High Priesthood of the Church, Supreme Pontiff of the Church of True Faith, Keeper of the Canon, Missionary to Aeldin, High Servant to the Exalted's Testaments, Humble Servant of the Faithful and Vicar of GOD does decree . . .

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

SECTION I - EXHORTATION: CUSTODI CIVITATEM, DOMINE “GUARD THE CITY, O LORD.”

SECTION II - MEMBERSHIP

SECTION III - HIERARCHY

SECTION IV - JURISDICTION

SECTION V - OATH OF HOLY KNIGHTHOOD

SECTION I - EXHORTATION: CUSTODI CIVITATEM, DOMINE “GUARD THE CITY, O LORD.”

 

Dearly beloved, the priesthood are the guardians of the Holy Scrolls. Because this is so, let the faithful guard the guardians: we institute the Palatine Guard Order of All-Saints for the defense of the Church’s holdings and the protection of the faithful. 

 

Our Church has seen the rise and fall of many holy orders, some noble, others base; some large, others but a handful of men. We have found that the faithful are best served by a unified army of God, devoted to the single purpose of their protection, and having no undue worldly power. Accordingly we organize all who would bear arms in the Church’s name into this single order, and we forbid the creation of further holy orders outside of it.

 

We charge the guardsmen of this order to be just and patient, pious and noble. We pray that they will be first to raise their hand against injustice, and last to fall against the wicked. May God bless and keep them.

 

DEO GRATIAS,

High Pontiff James II

SECTION II - MEMBERSHIP

 

The Palatine Guard Order of All-Saints is organized along monastic lines, with guardsmen constituting chapter houses and swearing certain vows. To qualify for membership in the Guard, prospective applicants must: 

 

• Have attained the age of 14;
• Have been baptized as a Canonist and practiced the faith devoutly for at least one year;
• Not have any public notoriety or cause for doubt of their character;
• Not owe oaths of service which would override their service to the Church.

SECTION III - HIERARCHY AND STRUCTURE

 

AUXILIARY

Auxiliaries are the reservists of the Palatine Guard. They do not swear vows, but make a nonbinding promise of obedience. Auxiliaries may discharge their promise at any time; likewise, they are not bound to activity requirements.

 

Auxiliary is an appropriate rank for layman advisors and tradesmen, particularly those providing part-time medical or construction services. Auxiliaries can hold no position of leadership in the Palatine Guard Order.

 

Auxiliary is the only rank appropriate for Canonist priests, who are forbidden from drawing the blood of other Canonists.

 

ARMIGER

Armigers are rank-and-file soldiers of the Palatine Guard. They swear binding vows of obedience and loyalty to the Church in fixed, seven-year periods called septannums; at the end of  each septannum, the vow may be discharged or renewed, as they desire.

 

Armigers are entitled to a residence in the Holy Palatinate and to bear steel in the presence of Church leaders. Further, an armiger who is assigned to a particular Holy Knight and intends to be considered for that rank is called a squire, and is entitled to the postnominal Esq.

 

HOLY KNIGHT

After serving two septannums as a squire, an armiger is qualified for consideration for the rank of Holy Knight. This rank, if it is appropriate and desired, is conferred by the Grandmaster through the armiger’s swearing of the Oath of Holy Knighthood.

 

A Holy Knight of the Palatine Guard is entitled to the title “Holy Sir” or “Holy Dame” as appropriate to their gender. The rank of Holy Knight is permanent until the guardsman is discharged from the Order, and they need make no more vows at the end of each septannum. If a Holy Knight is honorably discharged, he may continue to use the title as a courtesy.

 

HOLY KNIGHT-CAPTAIN

A Holy Knight is eligible for promotion to Holy Knight-Captain when two of his squires have completed their second septannum and receive the rank of Holy Knight.

 

A Holy Knight-Captain may be unaffiliated or may be given leadership over a chapter house, which is a division of the Palatine Guard devoted to a specific person, purpose, or location. A chapter house should have a separate base of operations from the wider Guard and should have no less than three non-auxiliaries affiliated with it; typically, these are the Holy Knight-Captain and his two former squires. Chapter houses are particularly appropriate to guard the household of a cleric living abroad, or to tend to a particular place of worship.

 

GRANDMASTER OF THE PALATINE GUARD ORDER OF ALL-SAINTS

The Grandmaster of the Palatine Guard Order is the head of the organization. He makes all decisions concerning the membership and internal procedures of the Guard, and all guardsmen owe their obedience to him, second only to the Knight-Regent and the Church.

 

The Grandmaster is entitled to a residence in the Holy Palatine and the Holy See, and the title “Grandmaster”.

 

KNIGHT-REGENT OF THE HOLY PALATINATE

The Knight-Regent of the Holy Palatinate is the ruler of the Church’s holdings and temporal territories, responsible for their defense and their development. Ex officio, he has authority over the Palatine Guard Order and all laymen sworn in service to the Church.

SECTION IV - JURISDICTION

 

The Palatine Guard Order of the All-Saints operates as a private military organization, licensed by the Secretary of War under the Private Military Organization Act of 1774.

 

Guardsmen 0f the Order have authority to enforce the laws of the Oren Revised Code in the Holy Palatinate, Church buildings, and the other temporal holdings of the Church, arresting suspected criminals and referring them to the Ministry of Justice for charge and trial. Guardsmen have policing authority but not judicial authority; they may not issue or deliver sentences for crimes. Guardsmen have no authority to enforce canon law, except where a crime falls under the ORC.

 

Outside of the Holy Orenian Empire, guardsmen of the Order have only that authority assigned to them by the local government. In all cases, they act first as bodyguards of the priesthood and defenders of the laity.

SECTION V - OATH OF HOLY KNIGHTHOOD

 

Candidates for Holy Knighthood are granted that rank by swearing the following oath before the Grandmaster of the Palatine Guard Order or the Knight-Regent of the Holy Palatinate: 

 

“I vow to never falter, to obey and guard the laws of GOD, who is the one true Creator.

I vow to be the sword and shield of the Church of the Canon and her faithful, to fight for them when they cannot protect themselves.

I vow to resist the temptations of Iblees and strike down those who have fallen under his dark rule.

I vow to keep my post as Holy Knight until death takes me from this realm into the next.”

With the response by the administering official:

“Then rise, [Name], and join your brothers as Holy Sir/Dame [Name and Epithet]. 

You are a Holy Knight of this land and all the lands of the Church of the Canon, sworn to protect the people of the Canonist faith.

You shall be fair and just, defending the innocent no matter their rank: beggar and bishop alike.”

 

[Lojo613 1420]

”In hoc signo vinces, Deus Vult!” Goren recites

[Harald 2465]

Cardinal Johan Aquila would smile as the note was delivered to his office in the Holy Palatinate, he’d walk out to greet his men who where working day and night for the new city to be finished   smiling at them “As your Knight-Regent i swear that we shall never falter as we stand united to protect and serve our Holy Mother Church!”