CHARTER OF ALLIANCE
of
The Ecumenical Christian Orders
of Saint John of Jerusalem

Charte d'Alliance des Ordres Œcumeniques Chrétiens de Saint Jean de Jérusalem
Alliancecharter mellem de Økumeniske Kristne Sankt Johannes af Jerusalems Ordener
Bündnis - Urkunde von Ökumenischen Christlichen Orden des St. Johannes von Jerusalem

http://www.orderstjohn.org/selfstyle/ecuall.htm

This alliance of Self-styled Orders (where the Pichel/KPII self-styled Order tradition has linked with the Avaloff-Bermondt  Danish Tradition) mimics the Alliance of historic St John Orders consisting of the British Royal Order (the Most Venarable Order of St John) and the Continental JohanniterOrden.

PREAMBLE.
A whole of eight objective criteria define the common identity and raison d'être of the present Charter of Alliance of Orders of Saint John of Jerusalem, continuators of the Russian Grand Priories of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.

The first aim of the present Charter of Alliance is to advance the legitimate status of the Russian lineage of the ancient Order of Saint John since 1798 up to the present day.

The second aim of the present Charter of Alliance is to strengthen the unity of the various branches of the ancient Order of Saint John, emerging from the Russian Grand Priories, through mutual recognition based upon a common interpretation of the traditional Christian, chivalric and hospitaller ideals.

The third aim of the present Charter of Alliance is to restore the unity of the family of the legitimate Ecumenical Christian Order issuing from the Russian Grand Priories of the Grand Master Czar Paul 1st.

The fourth aim of the present Charter of Alliance is to establish the fundamental principles upon which the participating Orders may co-operate and unite their humanitarian action world wide to alleviate the suffering, poverty and loneliness of humanity.

THE EIGHT CRITERIA

Article I - Christianity.
Whereas the Orders and the members are and must remain rigorously Christian, including in its Constitutions, Statutes and Rules their unequivocal and historical belonging to Christianity,
And whereas the Orders require aspirants to provide evidence of their Christian baptism, and members to be determined to live according to the Gospel and to remain faithful to the rules of the Church to which they belong,
And whereas the Orders do not accept members who are not Christian or members of radical sects,
And whereas they strive to affirm their commitment Pro Fide.

Article II - Ecumenism.
Whereas the Orders are and must remain Ecumenical in Christianity and endeavour to avoid conflicts with other Christians,
And whereas the Orders accept their members without any discrimination regarding their Christian denomination, grant all members equal rights and duties, and expect them to be constant in the Faith and share the riches of their differences,
And whereas the Orders fight all expressions of atheism and materialismand strive to live in good harmony with other people and their religion provided they do not attack the precepts of Christianity.

Article III - Democracy.
Whereas the Orders are and must remain Democratic, in full respect of the spirit and traditions of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem,
And whereas the Head of the Order is freely elected by a system representative of the whole Order, and the Priors are freely elected by the members of their particular Priory,
And whereas the Executive Power is collegial, the Legislative Power is separate from the Executive, and representing the whole Order, and the Judicial Power, stemming from both the Executive and the Legislative, is independent from the other two Powers.

Article IV - History.
Whereas the historical lineage of the Orders must be well established in the continuation of the Russian Grand Priories and mutually recognized by the signatories,
And whereas the undersigned Christian Chivalric Orders recognize their historical roots in the creation of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John in Jerusalem in the 11th century, preserved in the centuries up to 1798 in the Holy Land, in Cyprus, in Rhodes, in Malta and in the bailiwicks and Priories in Europe, and after 1798 in various places, including the former Grand Priories of Russia of the Order of Saint John,
And whereas they carry on the Christian ecumenical tradition of the Order which was preserved in Russia and elsewhere in the world to this day, since the times of the Grand Master Czar Paul 1st, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russians,
And whereas they recognize the legitimacy of some Orders working under the name of Saint John of Jerusalem not stemming from the Russian Grand Priories,

Article V - Charity.
Whereas the Orders must be activeorganisers of hospitaller or charity works and/or support such activity financially,
And whereas they seek to undertake to serve our Lord’s the poor and sick to the best of their collegiate and individual abilities and strive to affirm their commitment Pro Utilitate Hominum,
And whereas the total of the donations for the hospitaller and charity works of the Orders must be used for our Lord’s the poor and sick only, and the financial accounts of the works must be public knowledge, accessible to any donor and subject to audit.

Article VI - Legality
Whereas the Orders must have legal status and must operate lawfully,
And whereas the Constitution of the Orders must clearly show the characteristics of a true Order, a Brotherhood following specific internal Rules, in accordance with the spirit and traditions of the ancient Order of Saint John, and where the Constitution, Statutes and Register are official,

Article VII - Chivalry.
Whereas the Orders must be strongly bound to the traditional values and virtues of Christian chivalry, and mainly be composed of Knights who are dubbed and of Dames who are invested upon reception into the Order,
And whereas the reception of a Knight or Dame and the dubbing of a Knight may only be performed by a Knight who himself has been duly armed by a dubbed Knight, and who has been duly empowered to do so by the Grand Master or Head of the Order,
And whereas Knighthood is not a decoration, but a dignity received after recognition by a Chivalric Brotherhood of personal value and aptitude to serve a lifetime with honour and service under the Code of Chivalry,
And whereas Knighthood requiers allegiance to the Grand Master or Head of the Order as well as to the Constitution and Rules of the Order, bound by fealty and religious oath,
And whereas the Knight or Dame may not belong to another Order or organisation involving vows that are in conflict with those of his or her Order and Religion.

Article VIII - Worthiness.
Whereas the Orders are verifying the worthiness, good reputation and exemplary nature of the way of life of their aspirants and members,
And whereas the Orders strive to promote piety, broad-mindedness, valour and compassion of their members, which are the four pillars of a Christian Ecumenical Knight Hospitaller vocation,
And whereas the Orders accept aspirants only with qualifying references from no less than two guarantors, who must be members of the Order, and ready to answer for the good character of their aspirant, and his or her capacity to serve the aims of the Order.

THE CHARTER.
According to the above eight Criteria, that are commitments to the undersigned, this Charter is established as an Alliance of the Ecumenical Cristian Orders of Saint John of Jerusalem.

It is hereby established and agreed that the Orders setting their signatures and seals, as below, under the hands of their duly appointed and authorised officers, undertake to:
Mutually recognize the validity of the constitutions and traditions of each of the suscribed Orders,
Mutually recognize the validity of Investiture of each of the said Orders,
Work diligently for an eventual reunion of the various legitimate branches of the Order of Saint John,
Give mutual help and assistance and not do or cause to be done anything which is not beneficial to the well-being, authority and character of any of the said Orders,
Recognize that there may be other Orders beholden to the same traditions and ideals as the present signatories that may wish to join in this Charter in the future and therefore covenant to allow for such accession should all of the by then signatories agree,
Recognize that circumstances may change and therefore agree that any signatory to this agreement may give six month's written and reasoned notice of withdrawing from such Charter,

Accept that the rules of the present Charter may be modified with agreement of all the by then signatories.

Given under the hands and seals of the subscribed, to be approved or ratified as may be required by the Constitution of each of the signing Orders,

In Vancouver this 9th day of June 2000,

Ordre Souverain de Saint Jean de Jérusalem
aka in France: Ordre Regulier de Saint Jean de Terre Sainte

Yves Galouzeau de Villepin      Christine-Marie Coste-Floret
Grand Master                          Grand Chancellier

The Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller

Robert Gordon Brodie              Robert Quaife Phillips
Lt Grand Master                       Grand Commander

Den Suveræne Sankt Johannes af Jerusalems Hospitals Orden

Ivar Christian Holten                 Castenschiold Dag von Schantz
Stormesterstedfortræder           Storprior

Den Danske Malteserorden

David Kuehlemer Svarre           Johan Andreas Johansen
Prior                                         Kansler

Seals

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Order of St John, Knights Hospitaller.