Statutes of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation of the Royal House of Savoy, from those granted by King Victor Emmanuel II as Sovereign Head of the Order on 3 June 1869, confirmed 11 June 1985. Article I The number of knights of the Supreme Order of the most Holy Annunciation shall be, as in the past, twenty. In keeping with the traditional Statutes, the Sovereign Head, the Hereditary Prince, his kinsmen to the fourth grade of consanguinity inclusive as well as ecclesiastics and foreigners are not included in this number. Article VIII The right to appoint knights and officers of the Order appertains exclusively to the Sovereign Head. Nevertheless, when there are vacancies, the Sovereign Head meets with the Chapter of Knights to hear their advice on the proposal of candidates whom he alone may select. The Sovereign Head may delegate the Hereditary Prince, or another Royal Prince, or the dean of the knights to preside over the Chapter. Article IX In addition to the Sovereign Head or his representative, present at a Chapter must be a quorum of at least six knights. Whoever presides shall announce the names of the candidates, any knight may make observations, and following deliberation a vote shall be taken by secret ballot by means of paper ballots, on each of which shall be written the name of the candidate accompanied by an “Aye” or a “Nay”. The presiding knight opens each ballot and reads the votes and then announces the result. Above all else, the Chapter’s balloting is intended to be plainly consultative and secret. Article X On the day designated by the Sovereign Head, the postulant to be invested shall be presented to him, accompanied by two or more knights, in the presence of the Secretary of the Order. He shall kneel before the Sovereign Head, and with a hand on the Holy Gospel swear an oath according to the constitutional form. The oath shall be sworn by the postulant and by the other knights present, following which the postulant shall bow to the Sovereign Head, who decorates him with the Collar and then embraces him. Article XI On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Annunciation the knights assemble formally to attend the Divine Office and pray for the Heavenly Blessing of the Sovereign Head, the Royal House of Savoy and Italy. On this occasion one of our chaplains shall serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Article XIV In the event that, God forbid, a knight should be found guilty, either by a [criminal] sentence or by the judgement of competent [civil] authorities, of having gravely failed in his duty or his honour toward the Nation or to the Sovereign Head, the Chapter of the Order, having the legal written proof of the offence and having heard, and deliberated, the merits of the accused’s own defence, and sitting in a quorum of ten knights, may by a vote of two-thirds recommend that the Sovereign Head consider the removal of the accused knight’s name from the Roll. The decision resulting from this deliberation shall be announced as early as possible to the accused by the Secretary of the Order. The accused is thereby deprived of the right to wear the decorations of the Order. Given at Florence this 3rd day of June 1869 [signed] VICTOR EMANUEL Countersigned L.F. Menabrea, Knight and Secretary of the Supreme Order. Approved at Geneva 11 June 1985 [signed] VICTOR EMANUEL, Grand Master
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:33:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015