The Consecration of the Grand Master’s Bodyguard Preceptory
On Tuesday the 12th October 2021 at Mark Masons Hall the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master, Paul Raymond Clement, G.C.T., Consecrated The Grand Master’s Bodyguard Preceptory No. 715.
At 11.00 a.m. the Most Eminent & Supreme Grand Master, the Consecration Officer, entered in procession, assumed the Throne, appointed his Officers, and opened a Preceptory.
The Consecrating Officer welcomed everyone, especially the delegation from France.
The Consecrating Officer stated the object of the Meeting and the Great Prelate offered prayer. The Great Prelate delivered a splendid Oration on the Nature and Principles of the Order and the Knight-Petitioners formed In the West of the Preceptory, while the Warrant was read by the Great Vice-Chancellor.
The Consecrating Officer Constituted the Preceptory and the Knight Petitioners marched in procession once round the Preceptory. The Consecrating Officer scattered corn, a Symbol of Plenty and Abundance, and the Great Prelate gave an Invocation. The Knight-Petitioners marched in procession a second time round the Preceptory. The Consecrating Officer poured wine, a Symbol of Joy and Cheerfulness, and the Great Prelate gave an Invocation. The Knight Petitioners marched in procession round the Preceptory a third time and the Consecrating Officer sprinkled oil, a symbol of Peace and Unanimity, and the Great Prelate gave an Invocation.
The Knight-Petitioners resume their stations and remained standing while the Great Prelate perambulated three times round the Sepulchre censing, after which the Great Prelate lit the candles on the Sepulchre. The Standards were lowered and the Consecrating Officer Consecrated them. The Great Prelate gave an Invocation, and the Standards were placed in the West. The Consecrating Officer then Dedicated and Consecrated the Preceptory. The Great Prelate pronounced the Invocation and the Great Herald proclaimed from the West, and the Great Prelate offered Prayers and gave the Benediction.
The Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master invited the Great Seneschal, V.H. & R.E.Kt. Andrew C. Rainbow, G.C.T. to Install the Preceptor Nominate, E.Kt. Mark A Winchester, which was done in a very personal manner. The Eminent Preceptor invested his Chaplain, V.E.Kt. Ian T D Smith, the Constables, and the Officers of the Preceptory.
The Preceptory By-Laws were adopted and the Preceptory elected the Consecrating Officers as Honorary Members. The Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master thanked the members of the Preceptory for the honour, on behalf of all the Honorary Members. Alms were then collected while the Templars' Hymn was sung. The Consecrating Officers retired from the Preceptory in procession and, after the general business had been concluded, the Preceptory was closed.
E.Kt. Mark’s guests from Surrey and Middlesex congratulated him on a most successful and enjoyable morning and thanked him for the kind invitation to join him on this special day.
We all retired to the bar for refreshments before sitting down to a splendid meal together.
In the reply to the toast to the Preceptor the Eminent Preceptor again thanked the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master and his team for making this such a special day for the new Preceptory and had pleasure in presenting members of the team with a gift from the Preceptory.
A raffle was held during the meal which raised the sum of £700. The Eminent Preceptor had much pleasure in handing a cheque to the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master as a donation to the St John at Jerusalem Eye Hospital appeal.
It certainly was a day to remember, and it looked like the Provincial Priors of Middlesex, Surrey and Kent enjoyed themselves.
Article and photos by Chris Eley
On Tuesday the 12th October 2021 at Mark Masons Hall the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master, Paul Raymond Clement, G.C.T., Consecrated The Grand Master’s Bodyguard Preceptory No. 715.
At 11.00 a.m. the Most Eminent & Supreme Grand Master, the Consecration Officer, entered in procession, assumed the Throne, appointed his Officers, and opened a Preceptory.
The Consecrating Officer welcomed everyone, especially the delegation from France.
The Consecrating Officer stated the object of the Meeting and the Great Prelate offered prayer. The Great Prelate delivered a splendid Oration on the Nature and Principles of the Order and the Knight-Petitioners formed In the West of the Preceptory, while the Warrant was read by the Great Vice-Chancellor.
The Consecrating Officer Constituted the Preceptory and the Knight Petitioners marched in procession once round the Preceptory. The Consecrating Officer scattered corn, a Symbol of Plenty and Abundance, and the Great Prelate gave an Invocation. The Knight-Petitioners marched in procession a second time round the Preceptory. The Consecrating Officer poured wine, a Symbol of Joy and Cheerfulness, and the Great Prelate gave an Invocation. The Knight Petitioners marched in procession round the Preceptory a third time and the Consecrating Officer sprinkled oil, a symbol of Peace and Unanimity, and the Great Prelate gave an Invocation.
The Knight-Petitioners resume their stations and remained standing while the Great Prelate perambulated three times round the Sepulchre censing, after which the Great Prelate lit the candles on the Sepulchre. The Standards were lowered and the Consecrating Officer Consecrated them. The Great Prelate gave an Invocation, and the Standards were placed in the West. The Consecrating Officer then Dedicated and Consecrated the Preceptory. The Great Prelate pronounced the Invocation and the Great Herald proclaimed from the West, and the Great Prelate offered Prayers and gave the Benediction.
The Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master invited the Great Seneschal, V.H. & R.E.Kt. Andrew C. Rainbow, G.C.T. to Install the Preceptor Nominate, E.Kt. Mark A Winchester, which was done in a very personal manner. The Eminent Preceptor invested his Chaplain, V.E.Kt. Ian T D Smith, the Constables, and the Officers of the Preceptory.
The Preceptory By-Laws were adopted and the Preceptory elected the Consecrating Officers as Honorary Members. The Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master thanked the members of the Preceptory for the honour, on behalf of all the Honorary Members. Alms were then collected while the Templars' Hymn was sung. The Consecrating Officers retired from the Preceptory in procession and, after the general business had been concluded, the Preceptory was closed.
E.Kt. Mark’s guests from Surrey and Middlesex congratulated him on a most successful and enjoyable morning and thanked him for the kind invitation to join him on this special day.
We all retired to the bar for refreshments before sitting down to a splendid meal together.
In the reply to the toast to the Preceptor the Eminent Preceptor again thanked the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master and his team for making this such a special day for the new Preceptory and had pleasure in presenting members of the team with a gift from the Preceptory.
A raffle was held during the meal which raised the sum of £700. The Eminent Preceptor had much pleasure in handing a cheque to the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master as a donation to the St John at Jerusalem Eye Hospital appeal.
It certainly was a day to remember, and it looked like the Provincial Priors of Middlesex, Surrey and Kent enjoyed themselves.
Article and photos by Chris Eley
