Hamilton bishop knight chaplain in equestrian order

by PAT McCARTHY

Seven new members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem were invested in a ceremony at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland, on September 15.

The grand master of the order, Cardinal Edwin O’Brien from the US, presided over the rite of investiture.

Five of the new knights and dames are from Hamilton diocese: Michael Dawson, Shelly Fitness, Cyril and Julieta Menezes and Bishop Stephen Lowe, who was invested as a knight chaplain. Two are from Auckland: Peter and Leonie Rawson.

The EOHSJ, which began in the 11th-century Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem, was introduced to New Zealand in 2011.

It traces its origins to the Crusader knights who were assigned to guard the Holy Sepulchre — the tomb where the body of Jesus Christ lay between Good Friday and Easter Sunday — and to protect pilgrims making the hazardous journey to the Holy Land.

In modern times the order has evolved into an association of the laity with the mission of supporting the Christians of the Holy Land, in particular the religious, charitable and social
works of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

At a dinner following the investiture, Cardinal O’Brien presented chaplain Fr Anthony Malone, OFM, with the Gold Palm of Jerusalem, an award for members who have distinguished themselves by extraordinary service to the order and the Holy Land.