Jump to content

Vilatte orders

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by SpartakusFreeMann (talk | contribs) at 20:24, 6 February 2014 (Neutralization). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Vilatte Orders, associated Joseph René Vilatte, include the Order of the Crown of Thorns (OCT) and the Order of the Lion and the Black Cross (OLBC).

Order of the Crown of Thorns

The Chivalrous and Religious Order of the Crown of Thorns (OCT) (L'Ordre Souverain, Chevaleresque, Nobilaire et Religieux de la Couronne d'Epines), The Sovereign, Knightly and Noble Order of the Lion and the Black Cross (OLBC) (L'Ordre Souverain, Chevaleresque, et Noble du Lion et de Croix Noire (OLCN)).

Louis-François Girardot and Vilatte originated a pair of OCT groups. The two separately founded OCT orders had the same name but different origins and were combined, although it is not clear what that meant. The San Luigi organization says that the orders were inspired by the Ordre du Genest, founded by King Louis IX of France, and also that "it is not asserted that there is a continuous and historically verifiable link between the present-day Order and these bodies."[1][2]

There are two separate foundation stories for the OCT; one in 1883, the other in 1891. It has thus maintained its existence unbroken to the present day.These foundation stories were not believed by some during Vilatte's lifetime; Guénon wrote that "dignitaries of this Church have a mania for titles of nobility as others have for fantastic decorations; thus [... Vilatte] invented the 'Order of the Crown of Thorns'."[3]: 216  The organization acknowledges the lack of verifiable facts about the monastery but says that some documents were destroyed in a house fire in 1918 and other documents were seized by the Vatican in 1929 after Vilatte's death.[4]

1891 foundation story

The OCT was also allegedly founded in 1891 and authorized by Peter IV, Patriarch of Antioch.[4] The ICOC asserts that because "none of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchal Sees possess any type of direct Sovereignty, [...] the decorations instituted by them may not be deemed as equivalent to those bestowed by the Roman Pontiff not only in his Spiritual Capacity but also in his temporal position as Sovereign of the Vatican City State." "Protection is an attribute of Sovereignty, which none of these Sees actually posses," according to the ICOC.[5]

1883 foundation story

Template:Distinguish2

The OCT was reputedly founded in 1883. According to the San Luigi organization, after the French protectorate of Tunisia was established in 1881, France sought to colonize the Ottoman Empire's Fezzan province as part of the Scramble for Africa. A small group of French and Spanish Benedictine monks settled in Ghadames on August 25, 1883. The organization says that there is no documentation and that, "It is possible that some had been associated with the former Ligugé Abbey, which had been closed in 1880 with most of the members of the community then moving to Silos Abbey in Spain."[4] It is unclear if the monastery was a satellite of a mother abbey, if it was ever considered stable enough and large enough to be elevated to the rank of an abbey, if they had the canonically required number of twelve monks to elect an abbot, if his election received the approbation of their provincial prior, if after his ecclesiastical confirmation he received abbatial blessing from any bishop in communion with the Holy See, or even if any of their actions were sanctioned at all.[6][7][8] Nevertheless, the monks called their monastery the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi and they claimed sovereignty, as a theocracy, over the surrounding secular territory. Disease was endemic; attempts to convert the local Muslim population to Catholicism were rejected; and in less than a year, on August 2, 1884, the monastery was sacked and at least one monk was murdered. Five monks, including what the organization calls their third abbot, José Mendoza, survived and were exiled. Mendoza was somehow elected by less than the canonically required twelve monks. Without mentioning the Sahara and Sahel situated between Ghadames and the Sudd, the organization says that the monks traveled across the Sudd and arrived in the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara on March 15, 1885. There, the organization says, Omukama Kabarega of Bunyoro granted territory to the monks to settle and establish a monastery. The organization says that Kabarega conferred a title, Mukungu of the Chieftainship of the Ancient Abbey-Principality of San Luigi, upon Mendoza. In 1888, all the monks, except for Mendoza, died from an epidemic; Mendoza abandoned the monastery in Bunyoro and returned to Europe. The organization says that "legalization by a French government official established the recognition of the Abbey-Principality by the French state"[further explanation needed] when Mayor Eugène Clairet of Seine-Port in Île-de-France, was apparently involved in some way with some type of transfer of titles from Mendoza to Girardot.[4][9] On May 7, 1899, Girardot transferred those Mendoza titles to Vilatte, with Clairet somehow involved again.[10]

The organization says that the monastery, of at least seven monks, "was constitutionally independent as a theocratic state" and a "colonising power" under which "the local population had no political rights whatsoever" and "were to be subjugated under the absolute rule" of the monastery.[4] The organization confers reputed titles of nobility[10] The organization also describes itself as an Old Catholic church.[11] The organization believes itself to be the legitimate de jure government-in-exile of its former territory in the Fezzan. "The Abbey-Principality aims ultimately to secure the territorial restoration of the original Abbey-Principality in Libya, but is aware that political and related considerations are likely to preclude this objective for the time being".[4] The organization also believes that it is also theoretically empowered to open embassies although it has not done so as yet.[4]

In 1957, Girardot recanted his 1883 foundation story.[12][13]

The term "Order of the Crown of Thorns" is also used in popular culture. It appears in a story about a series of LEGO construction toy creations posted on LEGO fan community websites.[14] It also appears in the role-playing game Chaotic Origin, which includes among its fantasy organizations The Seattle Order of the Crown of Thorns.[15]

Order of the Lion and the Black Cross

The Sovereign, Knightly and Noble Order of the Lion and the Black Cross (OLBC) (L'Ordre Souverain, Chevaleresque, et Noble du Lion et de Croix Noire was founded on 15 October 1883 by Prince-Abbot Henrice, who became the first Grand Master of the Order. The Spiritual Patrons of the Order are St Mark and St Louis.

Since 1960, the Order has been under the High Protection of Crown Prince Akihito, now H.I.M. the Emperor of Japan. In 2012, the Order appointed as a Royal Patron His Majesty Rukirabasaija Agutamba Solomon Gafabusa Iguru I., by The Grace of God, Omukama of The Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara[16].

Condemnation by the Catholic Church

The Holy See had stated twice, first in 1953 and again in 1970, that it does not recognize either of the orders.[4] Guy Stair Sainty wrote that an "increasing number of such bodies" troubled the Holy See which "issued statements condemning such 'Orders'" in 1935, 1953, 1970 and 1976. He noted that the "most complete recent condemnation" was included in Orders of Knighthood, Awards and the Holy See, by Archbishop Igino Eugenio Cardinale.[17] The self-styled orders are described as "originating from private initiatives and aiming at replacing the legitimate forms of chivalric awards."[17][18]: 231  The statement points out that, they "take their name from Orders which have in fact already existed but are now extinct [...] or [...] which had been planned but were never realized or, [...] which are truly fictitious and have no historical precedent at all." While they "style themselves as autonomous," these "private initiatives" qualify their names, according to the statement, with terms "which belong exclusively to authentic Orders duly approved by the Holy See" but are used by these "private initiatives" to "increase the confusion of those who are not aware of the true history of Orders of Knighthood and of their juridical condition." For example, "these alleged Orders claim for themselves [...] such titles as [...] Chivalric, [...] Sovereign, Nobiliary, Religious, [...]" "Among these private initiatives, which in no way are approved of or recognized by the Holy See, one can find alleged Orders such as" Saint John the Baptist, The Crown of Thorns and Lion of the Black Cross.[18]: 232  The statement explains that, "to avoid equivocations [...] because of the abuse of pontifical and ecclesiastical documents, [...] and to put an end to the continuation of such abuses, entaling harmful consequences for people in good faith, we [...] declare that the Holy See does not recognize the value of the certificates and insignia conferred to the above-named alleged Orders."[18]: 233  According to the ICOC, the "only recognised order with the style of 'Sovereign' existing nowadays" is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and "whose international diplomatic 'status' as an independent non-territorial power is recognised officially by the Holy See and by many other Governments."[5]

The position of the International Commission on Orders of chivalry

The International Commission on Orders of Chivalry (ICOC) includes a list of ecclesiastical decorations in its Register since 1998, which only "possess full validity as awards of merit or honours within the respective Churches which have instituted them" but excludes bodies "which are often created as a purely private initiative, and which subsequently place themselves under the 'protection' of a Patriarchal See or Archbishopric."[5] Neither the OCT or OLBC are found in the ICOC Register. The ICOC suggests to authorities "to use more proper terms for any future creations of awards" and states it should be "clearly understood that the decorations [...] are not considered by the Commission to be Chivalric in nature even though several may use the term 'Order' in their styles and imitate Chivalric titles."[5]

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Statutes of the Order of the Crown of Thorns". Orders. London: Abbey-Principality of San Luigi. Archived from the original on 2013-03-30. Retrieved 2013-03-30. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Chéreul, Pierre Adolphe (1884). "Chevalerie (Ordres de)". Dictionnaire historique des institutions, moeurs et coutumes de la France (in French). Vol. 1 (6 ed.). Paris: Hachette et cie. p. 147. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2012-03-21. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) Also: Genest ou Genêt (Ordre du). p. 485.
  3. ^ Guénon, René (2004) [First published 2003]. "The Old Catholic Church". Theosophy: History of a Pseudo-Religion. translated by Alvin Moore, Jr. Hillsdale, NY: Sophia Perennis. ISBN 0-900588-79-9. Translation of Guénon, René (1921). "L'Église vieille-catholique". Le théosophisme: histoire d'une pseudo-religion (in French). Paris: Nouvelle librairie nationale. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-10-14. Retrieved 2013-06-26. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Abbey-Principality in international law". History. London: Abbey-Principality of San Luigi. Archived from the original on 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2013-04-18. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d International Commission for Orders of Chivalry (2006). "Ecclesiastical Decorations". Register of Orders of Chivalry (pamphlet). [s.l.]: [s.n.] Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2013-06-27. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) Also International Commission for Orders of Chivalry (2007). Register of Orders of Chivalry (PDF) (pamphlet). [s.l.]: [s.n.] xiv, xix–xx. Retrieved 2013-06-27.
  6. ^  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Ott, Michael (1911). "Priory". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  7. ^  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Ott, Michael (1911). "Prior". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  8. ^  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Oestereich, Thomas (1907). "Abbot". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  9. ^ "Part 1 – Fezzan, Bunyoro and the pre-Vilatte era". History. London: Abbey-Principality of San Luigi. Archived from the original on 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2013-03-23. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ a b "Part 2 – The Vilatte era and beyond". History. London: Abbey-Principality of San Luigi. Archived from the original on 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2013-03-23. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ "The Ecclesial Jurisdiction of San Luigi". Ecclesia. London: Abbey-Principality of San Luigi. Archived from the original on 2013-04-19. Retrieved 19 April 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ Girardot, Louis-François (2012-07-22). Thériault, Serge A (ed.). Statement by Louis-François Girardot regarding the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi and its Order of the Crown of Thorns, Said of the Lion and Black Cross made on August 14 and 11 October 1957. Translated by the editor. Ottawa: Christian Catholic Church of Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2013-04-20. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Intermédiaire des Chercheurs et Curieux (in French). 21. Paris. Sep., 1971. ISSN 0020-5613. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ Sirens-of-Titan (pseud. of Alex P) (2011-06-08). "Ambush at the Mausoleum (MOC)". EuroBricks.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-06-29. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
    Sirens-of-Titan (pseud. of Alex P) (2011-06-08). "Ambush at the Mausoleum". MOCpages.com. The Fantasy Adventures Of Asparuh. Queens, NY: Sean Kenney Design. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-06-29. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
    Sirens-of-Titan (pseud. of Alex P) (2011-04-29). "The Goblin Menace". MOCpages.com. The Fantasy Adventures Of Asparuh. Queens, NY: Sean Kenney Design. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-06-29. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Eternal (pseud.) (last modified 2013-02-12) [first posted 2012-12-27]. "The Crown of Thorns". ChaoticOrigin.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-06-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ http://san-luigi.org/chivalry/the-san-luigi-orders/statutes-of-the-order-of-the-lion-and-the-black-cross/
  17. ^ a b Sainty, Guy Stair. "The Self-Styled Orders". Archived from the original on 2000-05-11. Retrieved 2013-06-27. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b c Cardinale, Hygenius E (1985) [1983]. "Autonomous and self-styled orders of knighthood". In Bander van Duren, Peter (ed.). Orders of Knighthood, Awards and the Holy See (3rd ed.). Gerrards Cross, GB: Van Duren. pp. 231–237. ISBN 0-905715-26-8. Retrieved 2013-06-27.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vilatte_orders&oldid=594259607"