HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Roman emperor Constantine the Great (288-337), whose name the Order bears, changed our way of thinking through his reforms: he proclaimed the principal of tolerance in his vast empire, stopped the persecution of Christians, and legalized the Christian Church as the state religion.
Seeking to unite East and West, he created the new metropolis of his empire—Constantinople. The beginning of a new civilization, that of Christian Europe, he called ORDO CONSTANTINI.
now called Istanbul, Turkey
To overcome disputes about the dogmas of the new religion he summoned to Nicea (325) the first Ecumenical Council, with 318 participating bishops from the East and West. At this meeting, presided over by the Emperor himself, the ecumenical thinking of the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Alexandros I, and his successor St. Athanasios I the Great, were accepted as the basic doctrine for the whole of Christianity.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A CONTEMPORARY ORDER
Ordo Sancti Constantini Magni (OCM) is a contemporary spiritual order promoting the Constantinian ecumenical Christian traditions. The chivalric spirit does not depend on the period, and the chivalric virtues are not bound to sword and armour. The chivalric duty to help has never depended on nationality, profession, or form of government. Chivalric thinking and principles are universal and will therefore maintain their values even in modern times. It must recognize contemporary religious, social, and political realities. An organization which aspires to the unity of the Church that existed before the separation of Anno Domini 1054, and to the collaboration between men at peace, to Christian love, tolerance, and chivalrous conduct has a mission to fulfill in the future.
ESTABLISHING INTERNATIONAL LEGALITY
High Patron: A contemporary Order cannot be considered legal or empowered if it is not accepted and recognized by an individual sovereign or sovereign ecclesiastical authority with a tradition from the first Christian centuries. Only such a High Patron grants international legality and provides the inspiration for all its activities. The legal rights to give spiritual protection to an Order belong exclusively to the five bishops of the Pentarchy, approved in 431 by the Ecumenical Synod of Ephesus – Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem.
In 1970, the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, Nicholas VI, legalized the OCM, our ecumenical Order, i.e. an order recognizing the confessional differences of its members. Being a Chivalric lay organization, it is protected from attempts at absorption by movements hostile to the Christian faith.
from the Greek Patriarch in 1970
Accordingly, the successor and the current High Patron of the Order, His Beatitude Theodorus II, the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, provides protection of the Order as it currently exists.
High Patron and Protector of the Ordo Sancti Constantini Magni
Recently, a multi-religion meeting of senior leaders was hosted by His Holiness Pope Francis to discuss the various inconsistencies with each religion. The following picture demonstrates the fraternal atmosphere in which these holy men met, celebrated mass, and generally interacted with each other in the true spirit of chivalry and in which Christianity was openly discussed and celebrated.
(From left to right)
His Holiness Theodorus II, Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria; His Holiness Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican City State, and Servant of the Servants of God; His Devine Beatitude Tawadros II, the Pope and Patriarch of the Great City of Alexandria, Libya, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, All Egypt, and All Africa.
Administration: The Master of the Order, His Serene Highness Friedrich, Duke and Prince of Beaufort-Spontin, was elected by the Council of the Order for life and has the confidence of the High Patron. The Master may choose to have a Deputy Master.
The Council of the Order, with its 30 representatives of all units and members of the Government, has the legislative power and works under its elected Chairman. It approves proposed modifications to the Constitution of the Order, and the budget as well as elects the Master.
The Chancellor, who is the Chairman of the Government, is chosen by the Master. The members of the Government are appointed by the Master based on a proposal of the Chancellor.
The Exarchates and Bailiwicks are regional units of the Order located within various countries. Their activities are conducted by the Exarchs and Bailies according to the instructions of the Chancellor.
ACTIVITIES
The OCM was founded in Switzerland on May 29th, 1953, and registered according to Swiss law as a “Chivalric Association” with goals of promoting ecumenical thinking, spreading tolerance, building spiritual bridges between people, races and cultures in all sectors of life, promulgating the Graeco-Roman-Christian heritage of Byzantium, and supporting those who need help. The founders were united by their sense of chivalric behavior – the wish to serve truth and practice charity.
MEMBERSHIP
Christian persons of integrity may be accepted as a member in the Order; to serve the ideals of the Order, to respect his neighbor, to help those in need, and to participate in the work of the Order, while obeying its constitution.
HISTORY OF THE MODERN ORDER
The modern international Ordo Sancti Constantini Magni, or Order of Saint Constantine the Great, (hereinafter OCM or OSCM) was established in 1953.
The OCM has grown from a small Christian and cultural society with a modest group of enthusiastic participants to a legal Christian and Ecumenical Order under our fons honorum from the autocephalous orthodox High Patron, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, of Libya, of Pentapolis, of Ethiopia, and of all Africa.
Comprised of about 1000 Knights and Dames, the Order is ecumenical and worldwide in membership. The Exarchate is the national-level organizational unit; one exists in Finland, Greece, Sweden, and the United States of America. Bailiwicks, a level below Exarchate, exist in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, the United States of America and the Diaspora.
The Master of the Order is His Serene Highness Friedrich, Duke and Prince of Beaufort Spontin of Austria, who is a practicing radiologist in nuclear medicine.
The Government of the Order is a body of seven appointed and elected members, which is aided by a Council of Archons, a Court of the Order, and a Council of the Order.
His Serene Highness Friedrich, Duke and Prince of Beaufort-Spontin
Visit the International Order at www.ocmonline.org