I spent Friday and Saturday in Oxford for a Vigil and Investiture of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem, of which I am the Chaplain General for the Commandery of Great Britain. It traces its roots back to the Orders like that of the Holy Sepulchre and the Knights of Malta except that it is much smaller and has had a more checkered history - being virtually re-founded as an ecumenical Order in more recent times but still under the protection of the Royal House of France in the person of the Comte de Paris, Henri, Duc de France, and the Spiritual Protection of His Eminence Cardinal László Paskai OFM, Primate Emeritus of Hungary. The Order engages in fund raising activities especially for the relief of leprosy (which is what is was originally founded for) and asks its members to undertake that with a spiritual motivation. We had a Vigil Service for new members at the church of St Thomas the Martyr on Friday evening and an Investiture of new members at the Oratory church of St Aloysius, which is where some of the photos below were taken.
Priests of the Order with HRH Prince Charles-Philippe d’Orléans, Duc d’Anjou, representing the Royal House of France.
Prince Charles-Philippe d’Orléans, Duc d’Anjou with some new members.
The green trappings for clergy are an ancient remnant from the times when the general colour for bishops was green (still the official colour for the bishops of Malta, I believe).
One of our new members entertains on the pipes!
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