MASONIC AND MILITARY ORDER OF THE RED CROSS OF CONSTANTINE
Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and St.John the Evangelist
Brief History One of the defining moments in the history of Western civilis-ation was the vision that led Constantine to victory at the battle of Saxa Rubra, when his forces defeated those of one of his rival emperors, Maxentius. This in turn led to Constantine’s acceptance of Christianity and his imposition of it on the whole Roman Empire. The most famous and dramatic account is that of Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea who related in a speech to celebrate 30 years of Constantine’s reign in 336 that the day before the battle of Saxa Rubra (27 October 312), Constantine was praying, and begging God to reveal Himself. As he prayed, at around midday, a “most marvellous sign” appeared in the sky. A cross of light appeared, above the Sun with the inscription In hoc signo vinces (In this sign, thou shalt conquer). Constantine and his entire army of close to 100,000 men were amazed at the sight. That night, Eusebius reports, Constantine had a dream. In his dream, Christ appeared to him and ordered that Constantine make a “likeness of that sign which he had seen in the heavens” and use it as a protective in all
his future battles. This was the Labarum, which was to become the Imperial Standard of the Roman Empire and Constantine chose 50 young knights- Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine-the earliest Military Order of Knighthood in history, to guard it. The Masonic Order of the Red Cross, Holy Sepulchre and St. John can trace its introduction into England from 1788 and in 1808 the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine was recognized in London with a new Constitution under the name of "Illustrious Order of the Red Cross". In 1825 Robert Carlile published an ‘Exposure’ in England that contained a Degree called the “Order of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine,” and the ritual is strikingly similar to that being used today. In 1865, Robert Wentworth Little established the Grand Council and the Order spread with great speed across the globe. Organisation The Order in Victoria meets in 10 Conclaves and an Annual Assembly is conducted in June to enthrone the Grand Sovereign and Grand Viceroy and invest Grand Officers. A separate Grand Body exists in every State of Australia apart from Tasmania which is a District of the Grand Imperial Council of Scotland.
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