Order of St. Thomas of Acon
Encyclopedia
The Commemorative Order of St. Thomas of Acon is an independent British Christian
masonic organisation
. Membership is restricted to those who are subscribing members of a Preceptory (Commandery) in amity with the Great Priory of the United Religious, Military and Masonic Order of the Temple of England and Wales and Provinces Overseas (commonly referred to as the Knights Templar). Membership is by invitation only.
Library in London by John E. N. Walker, who for many years was the Secretary General of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
. The ancient records of the Order, written in medieval French
and Latin
, had been deposited in the Guildhall Library and escaped the Great Fire of 1666. The Order now operates under the official title of The Commemorative Order of St Thomas of Acon.
As of July 2007 there were eighty Chapels of the Order in England
, Wales
, Spain
, Canada
, Australia
, New Zealand
, and the United States of America.
, that is, a stone white tunic, on the front of which is a Latin Cross, Medici Crimson, four inches wide, the full length of the tunic, on which is superimposed a white Latin Cross one-third the width. The intersection of the Cross is charged with a Bronze Escallope Shell, four inches diameter. Over the tunic is worn a stone white mantle with hood; on the left breast, a Greek Cross of ten inches length, upon which is a smaller white cross, the intersection of which is charged with a Bronze Escallope Shell. Knights also wear a crimson velvet cap, the front of which is charged with a Bronze Escallope Shell. Knights, with the exception of the Prior and Almoner, wear a sword belt and sword with scabbard.
The banner of the Order depicts the Arms of the Order and comprises: Argent, a Cross Rouge extending to the edge of the Banner, upon which is superimposed a smaller Cross Argent. In the first quarter of the Banner is an Escallope Shell Or, fimbriated Rouge.
The officers of a Chapel consist of the following:
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
masonic organisation
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. Membership is restricted to those who are subscribing members of a Preceptory (Commandery) in amity with the Great Priory of the United Religious, Military and Masonic Order of the Temple of England and Wales and Provinces Overseas (commonly referred to as the Knights Templar). Membership is by invitation only.
Foundation
The Order of St. Thomas of Acon was established in 1974 as a result of twenty years' research in the GuildhallGuildhall, London
The Guildhall is a building in the City of London, off Gresham and Basinghall streets, in the wards of Bassishaw and Cheap. It has been used as a town hall for several hundred years, and is still the ceremonial and administrative centre of the City of London and its Corporation...
Library in London by John E. N. Walker, who for many years was the Secretary General of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia is a Masonic esoteric Christian order formed by Robert Wentworth Little in 1865, although some sources acknowledge the date to be 1866-67. Members are confirmed from the ranks of subscribing Master Masons of a Grand Lodge in amity with United Grand Lodge of...
. The ancient records of the Order, written in medieval French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, had been deposited in the Guildhall Library and escaped the Great Fire of 1666. The Order now operates under the official title of The Commemorative Order of St Thomas of Acon.
As of July 2007 there were eighty Chapels of the Order in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and the United States of America.
Regalia
The regalia of the Order is similar to that of a Knight TemplarKnights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
, that is, a stone white tunic, on the front of which is a Latin Cross, Medici Crimson, four inches wide, the full length of the tunic, on which is superimposed a white Latin Cross one-third the width. The intersection of the Cross is charged with a Bronze Escallope Shell, four inches diameter. Over the tunic is worn a stone white mantle with hood; on the left breast, a Greek Cross of ten inches length, upon which is a smaller white cross, the intersection of which is charged with a Bronze Escallope Shell. Knights also wear a crimson velvet cap, the front of which is charged with a Bronze Escallope Shell. Knights, with the exception of the Prior and Almoner, wear a sword belt and sword with scabbard.
The banner of the Order depicts the Arms of the Order and comprises: Argent, a Cross Rouge extending to the edge of the Banner, upon which is superimposed a smaller Cross Argent. In the first quarter of the Banner is an Escallope Shell Or, fimbriated Rouge.
Organisation and administration
The basic organisation of the Order is a Chapel.The officers of a Chapel consist of the following:
- Master (styled "Worthy")
- Prior (styled "Eminent")
- Marshal
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Deputy Marshal
- Almoner
- Four Working Knights
- Herald
- Organist
- Doorkeeper
- Cellarer(s)
- Sentry
Grand Officers
The Grand Officers of the Order, in order of precedence, are:- Grand Master (styled "Most Worthy")
- Grand Prior (styled "Most Eminent")
- Grand Preceptor(s) (styled "Right Worthy")
- Grand Marshal
- Grand Treasurer
- Grand Registrar
- Grand Secretary
- Grand Historian
- Deputy Grand Marshal
- Grand Almoner
- Grand Sword Bearer
- Deputy Grand Secretary
- Grand Banner Bearer
- Assistant Grand Marshals
- Assistant Grand Treasurer
- Assistant Grand Secretary
- Grand Herald
- Grand Organist
- Grand Doorkeeper
- Grand Cellarar(s)
- Grand Sentry
Provincial Grand Officers
Provinces of the Order are governed by a "Grand Preceptor's Council." The Provincial Grand Officers, in order of precedence, are:- Grand Preceptor (styled "Right Worthy")
- Provincial Grand Prior
- Provincial Grand Marshal
- Provincial Grand Treasurer
- Provincial Grand Registrar
- Provincial Grand Secretary
- Provincial Deputy Grand Marshal
- Provincial Grand Almoner
- Provincial Grand Sword Bearer
- Provincial Deputy Grand Secretary
- Provincial Grand Banner Bearer
- Provincial Assistant Grand Marshal
- Provincial Assistant Grand Secretary
- Provincial Grand Herald
- Provincial Grand Organist
- Provincial Grand Doorkeeper
- Provincial Grand Cellarer(s)
- Provincial Grand Sentry
See also
- Knights Templar (Freemasonry)
- United Grand Lodge of EnglandUnited Grand Lodge of EnglandThe United Grand Lodge of England is the main governing body of freemasonry within England and Wales and in other, predominantly ex-British Empire and Commonwealth countries outside the United Kingdom. It is the oldest Grand Lodge in the world, deriving its origin from 1717...
- Worshipful Company of MercersWorshipful Company of MercersThe Worshipful Company of Mercers is the premier Livery Company of the City of London and ranks first in order of precedence. It is the first of the so-called "Great Twelve City Livery Companies". It was incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1394...