Two centurions, members of the Emperor Constantine Schola Palatina, were waiting on the large terrace of the palace for his return from the Council of Constantinople. It had been raining most of the week and that evening was no exception…As the trumpets announced his arrival. The Centurions went forwards to receive him.
“Ecce, acerbus vultus eius.” said the first in a whisper… (Look at his gloomy face…}
“Sit felix, nuntii a fines bonae sunt.” murmured the other.
(He should be happy; we have good news from the frontiers…)
“Stultus ! Imperator aeger est. Vade ! Move ! Vade salveque eum !”
(Idiot ! The Emperor is ill. Go ! Move ! Go and welcome him !)
“Gratus Imperator.” (Welcome, Emperor.)
“De meo modo !” (Out of my way !, said the Emperor)
“Quomodo vales, Imperator? Sed…nonne postulabo medici?”
(How are you, Emperor ? But… shall I call the doctors?)
“Non nunc, non hodie.” (Not now, not today.)
“Affer vestitus album meum et decedite.”
(Fetch my white garb and leave me alone.) Latin from AN Wilson
Shortly after Easter on April 3, 337 Constantine began to feel ill. He travelled to Drepanum, now named Helenopolis in honour of his mother, where he prayed at the tomb of his mother’s favourite saint, the martyr Lucian.
From there, he went to Nicomedia where he was baptised. Interestingly, it was an Arian bishop, Eusebius of Nicomedia, who performed the baptism. A few weeks later, on the 22d of May, day of Pentecost, Constantine died at Nicomedia, still wearing the white robe of a Christian Neophyte.
His body was escorted to Constantinople and lay in state in the imperial palace. His sarcophagus was then placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles, as he had directed.
It was surrounded by the memorial steles of the twelve Apostles, making him symbolically the thirteenth Apostle.
On Saturday March 28, 2020, the first Mini Lecture was sent to all the Members of the Red Cross of Constantine in South Africa.
The main aim was to ensure a regular contact to keep alive the interest in the Order despite the confinement imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Little did I know, or at least expected, to prolong this distribution until the month of October 2021, generating over one hundred Mini Lectures, covering most the items of interest mentioned in our rituals or closely related to them.
Indeed, we have travelled to the four corners of the Roman Empire, following Constantine the Great in his battles and his ambition to reunite the Roman Empire.
We have been involved in the building of his numerous churches, learn the composition, armament and military tactics of the Roman Legions which now have no more secrets for us.
Yes, it has been a wonderful adventure in the history of the Order and we are now able to have a better understanding of the terminology used in our rituals.
In South Africa, it gave the opportunity, for the first time after too many years, to create a unity amongst all Red Cross of Constantine members by reading these Lectures, including our Brother Knights from the Southern Cross Conclave, Scottish Constitution.
These Mini Lectures were later distributed via the Grand Imperial Conclave for the benefit of every member under the title of Lockdown Lectures.
Finally, and most importantly, a great help is acknowledged with gratitude from:
Ill.Kt. Dan Heath, Deputy Secretary, Mark Masons Hall
Bro. Anthony Norman Wilson, Golden Harvest Lodge No 9234, EC, Hamilton, Canada
V.Ill.Kt. Werner M. Schwab, Deputy Intendant-General, Benelux Division.
W.Kt. Les Woodbridge, Omega Conclave No 354
Ill.Kt. David Gamble, Deputy Intendant General, Transvaal, Orange Free State and Northern Cape Division
And all those, whose names have been indicated in the Sources document.
May it be therefore and from now on, that this unity will be preserved and that our Order will steadily grow in the Division of South Africa.
Yours sincerely in Faith, Unity and Zeal on the eleventh day of October, Anno Domini 2021.
Most fraternally,
Marc L Burton
Intendant General
The Division of South Africa
February 2016 – March 2022