Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
Ritual and Proclamation Ceremony for the Installation of a Celebrant

2019

The Director of Ceremonies should rehearse the Ancients and Celebrant-Elect in their movements before the College opens.
Robe & Collarette - When the outgoing Celebrant has taken off his Robe and Collarette, these are placed at the foot of the Altar, by the side of the Kneeling Stool.
All Fratres should be reminded by the Director of Ceremonies or Chief Adept that they will be asked if they are satisfied with the answers given by the Celebrant-Elect and that the reply is 'We are content'.
The Celebrant-Elect should be reminded that he will have to pass the Word at the appropriate point, when he and the Installing Officer join the Mystic Circle.
The kneeling stool should be removed by the Director of Ceremonies as soon as the Celebrant-Elect has risen.
Music - If desired, the Motet 'God be in your head' may be sung before the Celebrant-Elect rises after being constituted (Precentor or by all the Fratres, according to College custom). Otherwise to be recited by the Installing Officer as a prayer.
Appointment of Officers - The Celebrant should read out the full list of Officers with only a slight pause between each name. The Director of Ceremonies or Installing Officer should tell the Officers-Designate that, as their names are called, they should come forward and line up across the Temple in the East in two or three lines according to the space available starting from the South East corner.
Obligation of Absent Officers - At a subsequent meeting the Obligation is given but by any Past Celebrant nominated for the purpose.
The ceremony must be conducted by the Chief Adept or another Magus or Magister and the Celebrant-Elect of a College must have filled the office of Exponent and have been previously advanced to Grade VII.
A kneeling stool should be available in the East.
The Four Pillars should be placed as in the First Part of the Zelator Ceremony.
If the Celebrant-Elect is the Exponent of the College then a substitute Exponent should occupy the chair during the ceremony.
All 33 candles must be Zit before the ceremony commences.
 
 
Installation Ceremony
 
The retiring Celebrant rises in his place, and says: -
Celebrant: Right Worthy Chief Adept the Fratres of the College have chosen Very Worthy Frater ...., to be the Celebrant of the College for the ensuing year, and in retiring from this Chair I request you to preside over us, and to install my successor.
The Celebrant leaves the Chair, hands his Sceptre to the Installing Officer, disrobes and lays his Robe, Collarette and Jewel at the foot of the Altar; he then takes a seat among the Past Celebrants.
The Installing Officer, having received the Sceptre, leaves his throne and takes the chair of the Celebrant.
Installing Officer: Fratres, when the revered Founder of our venerable Society laid down regulations for its government, he ordained that each College should be presided over by a Celebrant, who should hold office for one year, or until his successor should have been regularly elected by the Fratres in open Temple, and duly installed in his stead by a Magus, Magister or a Chief Adept.
Our Very/Right Worthy Frater ...., having well and worthily presided over you during the past year has retired from the Chair of Christian Rosencreutz, and so I call upon the Ancients of the College to conduct to the foot of the Altar the Very/Right Worthy Frater ..., who has been chosen as Celebrant for the coming year, so that he may receive at my hands the benefit of Installation. Take notice that I have already conferred upon the Celebrant-Elect (or he has already received) the 7th Grade of Adeptus Exemptus in our Society.
The four Ancients form a Cosmic Cross in the North-West, with place for the Celebrant-Elect in the centre. The First Ancient is in the East of this Cross, the Second Ancient in the South, the Third in the North, and the Fourth in the West.
The Director of Ceremonies conducts the Celebrant-Elect to his place with the Ancients.
If the Exponent is the Celebrant-Elect the Director of Ceremonies conducts a Past Celebrant to the Exponent's chair. If the Celebrant-Elect is one of the Ancients, an acting Ancient is conducted to the vacant position.
First Ancient (Presenting the Celebrant-Elect to the Installing Officer.): Right Worthy Chief Adept/Installing Officer, by virtue of the powers of the Four elements which we represent, and on behalf of the Fratres of this College, we present to you Very/Right Worthy Frater ..., the Celebrant-Elect of this College of Rosicrucians under whose rule and guidance we desire to prosecute our researches, and perform our duties during the ensuing year, in order that you may confer upon him the secrets and dignity of a Celebrant and in due form install him in the Chair of Christian Rosencreutz .
Installing Officer: Very Worthy First Ancient, it gives me great pleasure to attend to your presentation. The Ancients may now retire to their pillars.
The Four Ancients retire to their seats. The Celebrant-Elect remains standing in front of the Altar, facing the Installing Officer. On return to their pillars the Ancients (and all other Officers except the Exponent) remove their Robes and resume their seats of Office.
Installing Officer: Frater Celebrant-Elect, thank God and take courage; the office to which you have been elected carries with it great responsibility but it is one of great honour; if you well and worthily perform its duties, you will retain the respect and approbation of all your Fratres. It is to me a source of satisfaction to entrust you with the government of this College of Rosicrucians, for rnanifestly you have already gained the confidence of its members; I hope and believe that you will do honour to their choice. All however will depend upon yourself. Remember the words of our illustrious Founder, - "Keep watch and ward, thyself regard".
Installing Officer: Do you give me a solemn and serious promise to obey the Ordinances, and to carry out the duties of a Celebrant with integrity and zeal?
Celebrant-Elect: I do.
Installing Officer: Do you promise never to disclose to anyone other than an Installed Celebrant the special attributes of a Celebrant?
Celebrant-Elect: I do.
Installing Officer: Do you promise never to install a Celebrant unless you yourself hold at least the grade of Magister, and unless he has been duly elected to that office, and then only in the presence of another Celebrant or Past Celebrant, or of a Magus or Magister of our Society?
Celebrant-Elect: I do.
Installing Officer: Do you promise to preserve the truly Christian character of our Society, and to revere the Holy Trinity and the Sacred Name of INRI even as did our great Founder, Christian Rosencreutz, and as all his successors have done to this day?
Celebrant-Elect: I do.
Installing Officer: Fratres, are you satisfied with the answers given by the Celebrant-Elect?
All: We are content.
Installing Officer: Fratres let us adore the supremacy of the Divine Godhead, Who illuminates all, Who recreates all, from Whom all proceed, unto Whom all must return; and Whom we now invoke to direct our progress aright in our advance toward the realms of everlasting Light and Truth.
All rise.
Installing Officer: You will kneel before the Altar
Installing Officer moves to stand between the Celebrant-Elect and the Altar, facing East.
Installing Officer: Let us pray. Almighty and Everlasting God, who showest unto all that truly seek Thee, the Light of Toy Truth; we humbly beseech Thee so to inspire this our Frater with Thy Divine Wisdom, that he may be enabled to enlighten the minds of those committed to his charge, and finally by Toy Mercy may obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Installing Officer (Turns to the Celebrant-Elect saying): By the laying on of hands I constitute you Celebrant: may some portion of the spirit of our Founder and some reflection of his learning and wisdom , prudence and foresight be conferred upon you by the Most High through I.N.R.I., the Risen Redeemer, to guide and enlighten you in the high office of Celebrant of this College. May it be your constant endeavour to fulfil the maxim "Alteri vivere opertet si vis tibi vivere", (Thou must live for ethers if thou wouldst live for thyself).
Precentor (Standing behind Celebrant-Elect or the Installing Officer if there is no Precentor.):
God be in your head and in your understanding;
God be in your eyes and in your looking;
God be in your mouth and in your speaking;
God be in your heart and in your thinking;
God be in your end and at your departing.
Installing Officer: Arise my Frater.
Fratres, resume your seats.
Installing Officer: I invest you with this Robe, which is dedicated to the office of Celebrant; its colour, Red, is symbolical of ruling power. I place around your neck this Collar, to which is attached the Jewel of a Celebrant; the Red Cross of the Society home upon a white ground of lozenge shape, and surmounted by a celestial crown. Where appropriate, invests him with the College D.S.S. Jewel.
Installing Officer (Leading the Celebrant to the chair): Frater Celebrant in the name of the Holy Trinity, and by the Sacred letters I.N.R.I. and with this grip, (R. hand in R. hand, held aver L. hand in L. hand) and with the Secret Words, "C... D... S.... The C... brings S..." I place you in the Chair of Christian Rosencreutz: and may you adorn the office of Celebrant, even as the rank of Celebrant does honour to you; lastly, I hand you the Sceptre of your Office.
Installing Officer returns to the Throne at the right of the Altar.
Installing Officer: I call upon all the Fratres of the College to salute their new Celebrant with three times, three long and two short, so as to signify their submission to his rule.
The Director of Ceremonies directs the salute.
Installing Officer: The Fratres of the College will form the Mystic Circle.
Celebrant: I pass the Word by letter to the West.
Exponent: The Word is correct; I return it to the East.
Celebrant: The Word is correct. Be seated, Fratres.
The warrant is now be presented to the Celebrant by the Installing Officer or the Immediate Past Celebrant.
Installing Officer: Very/Right Worthy Celebrant, you will now appoint the officers of the College including the Treasurer who has been elected by the Fratres and each Frater so named will advance and stand before the Altar to enter into a solemn undertaking.
The Celebrant announces the names of the Officers, who stand in lines before the altar. The Installing Officer goes to the front of the altar, facing West and addresses the Officers.
Installing Officer: Fratres who have been called to office in this College will now attend to me while I recite the obligation to which I invite your assent.
I do hereby accept the office to which I have been appointed and by the Sacred Name of INRI, do promise to fulfil the duties of that office faithfully and conscientiously during the ensuing twelve months or until a successor has been regularly appointed in my stead. I further solemnly promise that I will loyally support the Very Worthy Celebrant in the work of the College and will earnestly endeavour to maintain the aims and principles of the Society. Finally, I will not willingly absent myself from any Convocation of the College, and if necessarily absent, will send timely notice to the Celebrant and the Secretary. So help me the Most Glorious and Ever Blessed Trinity.
You will signify your assent to this obligation by raising your right hand towards the Sacred Emblem upon the Altar.
Installing Officer instructs the Officers to take up their new positions in the College and he returns to his throne.
Installing Officer: The officers of the College will stand to order.
The success of a Rosicrucian College does not depend solely on him who occupies the chair. While the Celebrant rules and guides his Fratres in their studies and researches, the success of that rule and guidance can be assured only if he has the loyal support of all his Officers. Each of you should therefore perform your duties as though all depended upon you, knowing that failure on the part of one may mar the work of the whole.
Your duties are varied. Some of you serve in an administrative capacity, and efficiency in the discharge of your duties contributes much to the smooth working of the College. Others of you are concerned with ceremonial work: and the proficiency with which you carry out your respective parts will materially affect not only the impression made on Aspirants who are admitted to our grades but also the profit and pleasure that will accrue to the Fratres who attend our Convocations. You have each in your obligation pledged yourself to discharge the duties of your office faithfully and conscientiously and I am confident that you will fulfil the pledge that you have given.
Installing Officer leaves his throne, and stands in front of the Altar, facing West.
Installing Officer: Fratres, to Order for prayer.
Benedicite Domino, laudate et superexaltate eum in coelo. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, in saecula saeculorum.
All: Amen.
Installing Officer hands control of College to Celebrant in suitable terms, and the Fratres resume seats.
 
  
Proclamation Ceremony
 
Exponent (stands and says): Right Worthy Chief Adept the Fratres of the College have once again chosen Very Worthy Frater ..., to be the Celebrant of the College for the ensuing year, and we desire that he be proclaimed.
Exponent sits.
Installing Officer (stands and addresses the Fratres): Fratres, when the revered Founder of our venerable Society laid down regulations for its government, he ordained that each College should be presided over by a Celebrant, who should hold office for one year, or until his successor should have been regularly elected by the Fratres in open Temple, and duly installed in his stead by a Magus, Magister or a Chief Adept.
Our Very/Right Worthy Frater ..., having well and worthily presided over you during the past year (previously) has been requested by your Fratres to remain in (to once again occupy) the Chair of Christian Rosencreutz for the following year and it is to me a source of great satisfaction to once again entrust you with the government of this College of Rosicrucians, for manifestly you have secured the confidence of its members. Let me once again call to your attention the words of our Iliustrious Founder, - "Keep watch and ward, thyself regard".
Installing Officer: On a previous occasion you gave certain pledges with regard to the governance of a College and the special attributes of a Celebrant. Do you now reaffirm your adherence to them?
Celebrant-Elect: I do.
Installing Officer: Fratres, are you satisfied with the answer given.
All: We are content.
Installing Officer: Fratres let us adore the supremacy of the Divine Godhead, Who illuminates all, Who recreates all, from Whom all proceed, unto Whom all must return; and Whom we now invoke to direct our progress aright in our advance toward the realms of everlasting Light and Truth.
All rise.
Installing Officer: You will kneel before the Altar.
Installing Officer moves to stand between the Celebrant-Elect and the Altar, facing East.
Installing Officer: Let us pray. Almighty and Everlasting God, who showest unto all that truly seek Thee, the Light of Toy Truth; we humbly beseech Thee so to inspire this our Frater with Thy Divine Wisdom, that he may be enabled to enlighten the minds of those committed to his charge, and finally by Toy Mercy may obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Installing Officer (Turns to the Celebrant-Elect saying): Again I lay my hands upon you and pray that some portion of the spirit of our Founder and some reflection of his learning and wisdom, prudence and foresight be given to you by the Most High through I.N.R.I., the Risen Redeemer, to guide and enlighten your Path in the high office of Celebrant of this College. May it be your constant endeavour to fulfil the maxim "Alteri vivere opertet si vis tibi vivere", (Thou must live for others if thou wouldst live for thyself).
Precentor (Standing behind Celebrant-Elect or the Installing Officer if there is no Precentor): God be in your head and in your understanding;
God be in your eyes and in your looking;
God be in your mouth and in your speaking;
God be in your heart and in your thinking;
God be in your end and at your departing.
Installing Officer: Arise my Frater.
Fratres, resume your seats.
Installing Officer: You already wear the robe (I invest you with this Robe), which is dedicated to the office of Celebrant; its colour, Red, is symbolical of ruling power. You already wear the Collar (I place around your neck) this Collar, to which is attached the Jewel of a Celebrant; the Red Cross of the Society home upon a white ground of lozenge shape and surmounted by a celestial crown.
Installing Officer (Leading the Celebrant to the chair): Frater Celebrant in the name of the Holy Trinity, and by the Sacred letters I.N.R.I. and with this grip, (R. hand in R. hand, held over L. hand in L. hand) and with the Secret Words, "C... D... S.... The C... brings S.... " I place you in the Chair of Christian Rosencreutz: and may you adorn the office of Celebrant, even as the rank of Celebrant does honour to you; lastly, I hand you the Sceptre of your Office.
Installing Officer returns to the Throne at the right of the Altar.
Installing Officer: I call upon all the Fratres of the College to salute their Celebrant with three times, three long and two short, so as to signify their submission to his rule.
The Director of Ceremonies directs the salute.
Installing Officer: The Fratres of the College will form the Mystic Circle.
Celebrant: I pass the Word by letter to the West.
Exponent: The Word is correct; I return it to the East.
Celebrant: The Word is correct. Be seated, Fratres.
The warrant is now be presented to the Celebrant by the Installing Officer or the Immediate Past Celebrant.
Installing Officer: Very/Right Worthy Celebrant, you will now appoint the officers of the College including the Treasurer who has been elected by the Fratres and each Frater so named will advance and stand before the Altar to enter into a solemn undertaking.
The Celebrant announces the names of the Officers, who stand in lines before the altar. The Installing Officer goes to the front of the altar, facing West and addresses the Officers.
Installing Officer: Fratres who have been called to office in this College will now attend to me while I recite the obligation to which I invite your assent.
I do hereby accept the office to which I have been appointed and by the Sacred Name of INRI, do promise to fulfil the duties of that office faithfully and conscientiously during the ensuing twelve months or until a successor has been regularly appointed in my stead. I further solemnly promise that I will loyally support the Very Worthy Celebrant in the work of the College and will earnestly endeavour to maintain the aims and principles of the Society. Finally, I will not willingly absent myself from any Convocation of the College, and if necessarily absent, will send timely notice to the Celebrant and the Secretary. So help me the Most Glorious and Ever Blessed Trinity.
You will signify your assent to this obligation by raising your right hand towards the Sacred Emblem upon the Altar.
Installing Officer instructs the Officers to take up their new positions in the College and he returns to his throne.
Installing Officer: The officers of the College will stand to order.
The success of a Rosicrucian College does not depend solely on him who occupies the chair. While the Celebrant rules and guides his Fratres in their studies and researches, the success of that rule and guidance can be assured only if he has the loyal support of all his Officers. Each of you should therefore perform your duties as though all depended upon you, knowing that failure on the part of one may mar the work of the whole.
Your duties are varied. Some of you serve in an administrative capacity, and efficiency in the discharge of your duties contributes much to the smooth working of the College. Others of you are concerned with ceremonial work: and the proficiency with which you carry out your respective parts will materially affect not only the impression made on Aspirants who are admitted to our grades hut also the profit and pleasure that will accrue to the Fratres who attend our Convocations. You have each in your obligation pledged yourself to discharge the duties of your office faithfully and conscientiously and I am confident that you will fulfil the pledge that you have given.
Installing Officer leaves his throne, and stands in front of the Altar facing West.
Installing Officer: Fratres, to Order for prayer.
Benedicite Domino, laudate et superexaltate eum in coelo. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto . Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, in saecula saeculorum.
All: Amen.
Installing Officer hands control of College to Celebrant in suitable terms, and the Fratres resume seats.