STATUTE
Article 1. The Order of the Jerusalem Cross (hereinafter, the Order) founded on January 6, 2005 in Moscow (Russia). The Order is an international military historical organization. The Order is named after the Jerusalem Cross, the symbol of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The liberation of Jerusalem by the troops of the 1st Crusade July 15, 1099 is the day of the main holiday of the Order. The Order is a supporter of autocratic monarchical form of government and estate’s hierarchy. The Order studies the heritage, traditions, history of the Crusades and the Reconquista. The Order has a coat of arms, a flag and anthem.
Article 2. There are four classes of knighthood in the Order, which are in ascending order as follows: Knight, Captain, Commander, Captain-Commander. Those who joined the Order, before being Knighted, carry out their service as Squires for 1 year. An increase in the rank and classe of the Order is due to the vigorous activity of a member of the Order and the fulfillment of the assignments entrusted to him.
Article 3. Entry into the Order is possible at the invitation of the Order, or on the recommendation of a member of the Order. Personal initiative of the candidate and lack of recommendation are not an obstacle to joining the Order. The candidate must meet the following requirements: man, over the age of 25, who accepts the provisions of the Order Statute and wishes to participate in his activities. The Order has the right to refuse a candidate without explaining the reasons.
Article 4. A Knights of the Jerusalem Cross awarded an orders or titles by any ruling or non-ruling House may not refer to this fact as a rationale for his subordination to these Houses. The Order remains outside the jurisdiction of any state, its ruler and Church.
Article 5. The executive, legislative and judicial powers are vested for life with the Supreme Ruler of the Order, (hereinafter, the Ruler). The Ruler alone has the power to admit members to the Order and to exclude them, to make changes and additions to the Statute of the Order. The Ruler is the Fount of honour (Fons honorum) for the knights of the Order. In the event of the death of the Ruler or voluntary resignation, the successor previously appointed by the Ruler becomes the new Head of the Order. If successor was not appointed, Captain-Commanders elect the Ruler by a majority vote.
Article 6. The day, time and place of the election of the Ruler are determined by the Captain-Commanders. Elections are considered legitimate provided that three-quarters of the number of Captain-Commanders are present at them. Elections must be held no later than 3 months from the date of the death or resignation of the Ruler. Retired Captain-Commanders do not participate in the elections.
Article 7. The General Chapter (Administration of the Order). The composition and powers of the General Chapter are determined by the Ruler. The Chancellor — directs the Chancellery of the Order and the Foreign department, oversees the activities of the territorial representations of the Order. The Treasurer directs the Treasury department and all economic and business activities of the Order. The Secretary — directs the Secretariat of the Order, is responsible for relations with religious, state and public organizations, supervises the publishing activities of the Order. The headquarters of the Order is located in the country of the Ruler’s residence.
Article 8. Representation is the territorial structure of the Order and operates within the borders of the state in which it is located. Representative may have its own territorial offices. The management of the Representation is carried out by the Legate, appointed and dismissed by the decree of the Ruler. The Legate, with the permission of the Ruler, is authorized to accept new members of the Order into the Representation led by him and to elevate them to classes of knighthood to Commanders. A Legate can have up to two deputies — Centurions. The appointment and removal of Centurions is the prerogative of the Legate. Members of the Order, who are part of the Representation, carry out the directives of the Legate and the Centurions implicitly.
Article 9. Any member of the Order is liable to trial for failure to fulfill the instructions entrusted by the leadership, leading an immoral lifestyle, causing deliberate harm to the Order and its activities. The verdict of the Court of Honor shall be final, and the Ruler alone has the power to grant a pardon to the convict. In the event of a dispute or enmity between the members of the Order, only the Court of Honor can resolve their conflict. Expelled from the Order is deprived of all titles and awards received in the Order. For members of the Order, he is considered to have died ingloriously. Members of the Order who are retired, or due to illness, retain all their privileges received in the Order, but do not participate in decision-making.
Article 10. A member of the Order is obliged to have a personal coat of arms and official document certifying the knight title conferred. Always and everywhere to protect the interests of the Order, his own honor, to be true to the given word and irreconcilable to the enemies of the Order. Each member of the Order pays for the manufacture of his insignia from personal funds. Each member of the Order, as far as possible, participates in financing the activities of the Order. Members of the Order who are citizens of states with a republican form of government do not participate in the elections of the republican power.
LOYALTY OATH TO THE ORDER
I, (name), entering the Order of the Jerusalem Cross, take a vow of voluntary and strict obedience. By this vow I confirm my desire to dedicate life to our Order, his protection and honor. I undertake always obey the Supreme Ruler of the Order, to fight under his flags and obey his word in war and in peacetime. I swear it.
INVESTITURE
The initiate will bend the knee before the Supreme Ruler of the Order (or his designated Knight), who will pronounce the following:
«In the name of the heroes of the fallen and the living, I am making you a Knight of the Jerusalem Cross. Remember that your duty is keep faithful to our Fraternity. Be brave, merciful, and just».
After that, the Supreme Ruler of the Order (or his designated Knight) twice lays the sword on the knight’s shoulders and gives him the Knight’s Cross.
1. The Court of Honor (hereinafter, the Court) comprises 3 members (judges) vested with equal rights and powers.
2. The Court considers cases involving the knights of the Order of the Jerusalem Cross (hereinafter, the Order) and delivers judgments in the name of the Supreme Ruler of the Order. Such judgments are final and non-appealable.
3. The Court’s function is to warn, conciliate and punish. The Court’s verdict is final, and only the Supreme Ruler of the Order has the power to grant a pardon to the convicted.
4. The judicial power in the Order belongs totally to the Supreme Ruler of the Order. He being the Head of the Order is not subject to trial as he himself holds the court.
5. Judges of the Court are appointed and removed by Decrees of the Supreme Ruler of the Order from among the members of the Order.
6. When further investigation is required, the Court accepts claims and justifications from any interested parties.
7. The accused shall be notified of the Court session and the accusations brought against him, by any available means three days before the proceedings (so that the accused could prepare justification defense). If the accused does not appear before the Court without good cause, the case shall be heard in his absence and the judgment shall be subsequently communicated to him.
8. In case of perjury during the proceedings on the part of the claimant, the defendant and the witnesses, the perjurers (if proven guilty) will be deprived of all their privileges and honors and expelled from the Order.
9. The Court hearings are held in private.
10. A person accused of an offense cannot be punished unless there is sufficient evidence proving him guilty.
11. The Court should take in consideration such factors as the causes of the offense, the lifestyle of the accused, his motives, and, where possible, be indulgent to the accused to encourage his reformation.
12. A verdict shall be declared upon unanimous decision of all Court members and approval of the Supreme Ruler of the Order.
13. The Court shall verify the evidence presented by establishing its origin and the way it was obtained. The Court thoroughly examines and considers any evidence submitted.
14. The Court shall not prioritize one fact of evidence over another and shall consider all evidence relevant to a case comprehensively. Any explanations and testimonies based on a guess, assumption, rumor, or testimonies the origin of which cannot be stated by the witness, shall not be accepted as evidence.
15. Any oral explanation shall be protocoled and signed by the declarant. A written explanation shall be included in the dossier.
16. A Court member participating in the proceedings as a claimant or a defendant cannot perform the function of a judge at such proceedings. In this case such judge(s) shall be provisionally substituted by other persons appointed by the Supreme Ruler of the Order.
17. If the judges cannot reach a unanimous decision, the Court declares it and submits the case to the sole discretion of the Supreme Ruler of the Order. If there is no unanimous decision more than three times, the Supreme Ruler of the Order dissolves the Court and appoints new judges.
18. All the members of the Order shall assist the judges in their activities. Obstructing investigation and justice is a grave crime.
Alexander Sergeev-Zarnadze, Alexey Egorov, Sergey Viktorov, Evgeny Demidov, Vyacheslav Egorov, Vladimir Yaroshevsky
