The knights of Pilgrims Conclave were joined last week at the Wrotham Masonic Centre, by the Intendant-General for the Division of Kent, R.Ill.Kt. David Green, together with his Deputy and other members of the Division to celebrate a very special day in the Christian calendar being Ascension Day. Once the Conclave had been opened, a special commemoration service was led by the Captain of the Divisional Sepulchre Guard, the Reverend Les Fraser, including readings from both the Intendant-General and the Deputy.
Having undertaken the service, the main work of the evening was to proclaim P.Kt. James Ashmore as Sovereign for a second year, and then to consecrate W.Kt. Anthony Chisholm as Viceroy of the Conclave. The consecration was undertaken by P.Kt. Stewart Bartle in an excellent manner, before the Most Puissant Sovereign invested his officers for the 2025/26 year, and whilst it was announced that there were a possible two Companions seeking to join this wonderful Order, the Sovereign encouraged all of the knights to look out for future candidates for the Conclave.
The acting High Prelate referencing the earlier Ascension day commemoration, reminded the knights of not only the Divisional Church Service in September, but that it was exactly 1,700 years ago that our Royal Founder, Constantine the Great had called for the Council of Nicaea to meet to consider the way forward for the Christian church, and would have been meeting on this day in 325 A.D., and sadly on this exact day in 1453, Constantinople which had been settled on by Constantine the Great, as the site of his Empire in 330 A.D., was sacked by the Ottoman Empire.
Once the Conclave was closed, the knights adjourned to the dining hall downstairs where a superb Festive Board was held and enjoyed by all those present.