Rituaal voor de troonsbestijging van de Sovereign

Deze Engelse versie van dit rituaal dateert uit 1986. In Nederland wordt een vertaling hiervan gebruikt, die nagenoeg gelijk is aan deze versie.

M.P.S.: Perfect Princes Mason. To order.
The sun is at its Zenith, the Majesty of Heaven is unveiled, the Word of Masonry is found and it is the hour of a Prince-Mason.
M.P.S.: In Principio erat Verbum.
H.Prel.: Et erat Verbum apud Deum.
M.P.S.: Et Deus erat Verbum.
It is time to complete our labours and, in the Name of the everlasting Word, I declare this Senate of Princes-Mason of the Order duly opened. Knocks ******** *.
All give the second Sign.
Be seated.
Mar. retires and conducts the Sovereign elect to the door and instructs him to knock.

The Ceremony of Enthronement

Sov. elect knocks: ******** *.
Gdn. opens door: Who approaches?
Sov. elect: I, …, in the name of Alpha and Omega, that I may receive the crowning reward of service.
Gdn.: Halt while I report this to the Most Puissant Sovereign. Closes door and reports with Sign: Most Puissant Sovereign, the Venerable and Eminent Priest-Mason …, who has already received many marks of your favour and is in possession of the pass-word, presents himself in obedience to your commands to receive the crowning reward of his service.
M.P.S.: Admit him.
Mar. conducts the Sovereign elect into the Senate and places him in the centre, facing East.
M.P.S.: Give me the pass-word.
Sov. elect: Alpha and Omega.
M.P.S.: The mysteries concealed in this Ineffable Degree of Prince-Mason are founded on the recognition of our Saviour Jesus Christ as the True Word.
In the Degree of Master Mason you were informed that a great architect gave up his life freely rather than betray the trust reposed in him and, at a certain part of that sublime ceremony, you represented the person of our Master, and figuratively descended into the tomb from which you were afterwards raised upon the five points of fellowship. You were then directed to raise your eyes to that bright morning star, whose rising brings peace and salvation to the human race.
Thence deriving a conviction that there was yet an inner veil to be passed, a Holy of Holies to be attained, you sought admission into this Christian Order. You were received and welcomed and, avowing that you sought Immanuel, were instructed to take the preliminary steps that lead to perfection.
In due time, a higher dignity rewarded your zeal, and a solemn vow of a Priest-Mason confirmed you in the noble principles of the Order. You then advanced twenty-four steps figuratively on the road to perfection, approaching nearer and nearer to the goal, for it is only by a gradual process in knowledge and virtue that we can hope to arrive at the Temple of the Living God. You are now approaching the summit of that celestial mountain where alone the True Word is revealed. But first you must take thirty-three steps in solemn meditation; eight from the East to the South, eight from South to West, eight from West to North, eight from North to East and the one additional direct towards the East where the Son of Righteousness has risen with healing in His wings. Done.
M.P.S.: The steps you have now taken are the last that will be required of you. They allude to the age of the Word, who for thirty-three years submitted to every privation and indignity and suffered bitterness of death upon the Cross.
I will now explain the emblem on the standard of Constantine and entrust you with the secrets of our mysteries.
The letters I. H. S. on the Standard represent 'Iesus, Hominum Salvator', which signifies Jesus, the Saviour of Man. The last letter, V, which completed the Mystic Word of the Knights stands fo 'Verbum', signifying the Word and alluding to God, Who is the True Word of Masonry.
These words are never given unless in a Senate of Princes-Mason, nor then until the grip is exchanged, except to a duly obligated Sovereign elect.
There is also on the Standard a double-headed eagle. This donates the union of the Eastern and Western Empires which became one under Constantine the Great.
The eagle was adopted, not only as an emblem of this exalted Order and as a symbol of imperial dignity, but also to commemorate the following event. Constantine, having resolved to transfer the seat of his Empire to the East, had fixed upon the site of ancient Troy and architects and builders, who, it is traditionally asserted, were all members of this Christian Order, were employed in laying out the ground for the future city when an eagle suddenly swooped down and seizing the measuring line carried it away to Byzantium. The Emperor having noticed the direction of the eagle's flight and considering it a special sign from Heaven, ordered his architects to cease their labours on the site he had previously selected and to proceed to Byzantium. There they laid the foundation of Constantinople, which eventually became the metropolis of the Eastern world.
The Alpha and Omega are the mystic pass-words which admitted you to the Senate.
The first sign is to cross the hands on the breast, right over left. In this meek attitude did the Christian martyrs of old await the consummation of their fearful doom and Constantine adopted it therefore as an emblem of humility and to remind us that, however eminent our station, we are as but as dust in the sight of God.
The second sign, which may be used when you seek admission into a Senate, is made by clenching the fists, crossing the wrists and raising the arms above the head.
The grip is given by crossing the arms and placing the hands on each other's shoulders, thus forming a double triangle, whereupon one exclaims 'In Principio erat Verbum', to which the other replies 'Et erat Verbum apud Deum' and the first rejoins ' Et Deus erat Verbum'.
Then, if you are in a Senate, you exchange the True Word in a similar manner, saying, alternately, Jesus, Hominum, Salvator.
Mar. hands the clothing and insignia to the M.P.S.
M.P.S.: To order, Princes-Mason.
I invest you with the scarlet robe. It is not only a symbol of imperial dignity, but points out the zeal that should aminate all Sovereigns of the Order.
With the grip of a Prince-Mason, I enthrone you on the Seat of Constantine. We pray that you may live long to be an honour to our Order.
I place in your hands this Baton, which is the emblem of your power.
And finally, symbolically I crown you with the Crown of Faith and call you by a new name, that of Perfect Prince-Mason, in the humble trust that when the King of kings and the Lord of lords shall summon you into His Presence, you may receive from His hand a Crown of Glory that shall never fade away.
Ent. Sov.: Perfect Princes-Mason, I call upon you to salute the newly enthroned Sovereign with the sacred thirty-three by four times eight and one additional.
Most Puissant Sovereign, do I have your permission to close this Senate?

Closing

Ent. Sov.: Princes-Mason, assist me to perform that duty. All rise and form a circle with joined hands. The word of Masonry being found, let us unite in remembering the Majesty of Heaven as we close this Illustrious Senate.
The grip and words are exchanged by all present in pairs. After completion they resume their stations.
Ent. Sov.: Our labours being concluded, in the Name of the Everlasting and Incarnate Word, I close this Senate of Princes-Mason. Knocks ******** *.

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