“In the symbology of a chivalric order the sword has an important meaning,” the 75-year-old Italian cardinal said. “The sword evokes virtues like loyalty, fidelity, solidarity, honor, nobility of mind, fortitude, self-denial, defense of justice, truth, and above all faith, hope, and charity.”
The Grand Master noted that the updated ritual did not entirely eliminate the sword.
“The sword is foreseen in the Vigil of Prayer before the conferral of knighthood. It is among the symbols, which also include the spurs (for the Knights) [and] the vase of scented oils (for the Dames),” he said.
The other symbols are “the cross-shaped necklace, the cloak, the cap, the veil, and the gloves,” which are the garments of a knight or dame. Members of the clergy wear the mozzetta (a short cape with a hood), and religious brothers and sisters respectively wear a white scarf and a black shawl.
Filoni underscored that “the cross of Jerusalem is the main distinctive sign.”
He also stressed that the symbols “reflect spiritual realities, foster the practice of the Christian virtues and favor a more intimate participation in the order’s life.”
He said that the changes to the rites should be seen in the context of the wider renewal of the order.
“After Pope Francis approved on May 11, 2020, the new statutes, some of our members asked me to boost the order’s spirituality,” he said. “For this reason, I wrote a book, ‘The House was Filled with the Fragrance of the Perfume,’ on the spirituality of the Holy Sepulchre.”
The book will be published in English by the Sophia Institute Press.
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The reform of the rites goes hand in hand with the reform of the statutes and spiritual renewal, Filoni explained. The reform’s main principles, he said, were “simplicity and solemnity, as it is the duty for an ancient order whose existence is linked to the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.”
Filoni reiterated that the new rites were not intended as a token gesture towards gender equality. He said that “speaking of gender equality or respect toward women is an understatement. Women are admitted into the order since the 19th century, long before the current times.”
The Grand Master added that the Dames are full members of the order, both in terms of participation and contribution.
He said: “Our order is inclusive. It is an order of lay people that accepts bishops, priests, religious brothers, and sisters, and each of them contributes with their great love to the land of Jesus and the Mother Church. It is far more than the sociological notion of gender equality.”
Filoni added that the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre is not just an honorific order. It aims to make a contribution to the Holy Land, and “men and women do that with equal dignity.”
Speaking of the Holy Land, Filoni said that the order had already received requests for aid following the latest outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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