History of the
Order of the
Red Cross of
Constantine
 Constantine
The Vision of Constantine
313 A.D. Foundation of the Order of Constantine the Great
after the battle of Saxa Rubra, October 28, 312, near Rome, and his
vision of the Cross before the battle, as related in tradition.
1099 Revival of the Order of the Red Cross and Knights of the Holy Sepulchre
amongst the Crusaders.
1750 The Order of the Red Cross, alluded to in connection with Freemasonry
by the Baron Hunde in this Templar System of "Strict Observance."

Order of the Red Cross
Order of the Holy
Order of St. John
of Constantine
Sepulchre
the Evangelist
1788 The Order of the Red Cross, Holy Sepulchre and St. John introduced
into England.
1796 The Right Honorable Lord Radcliffe elected Grand Master.
1808 Order of the Red Cross of Constantine recognized in London, May 4,
with new Constitution and under the name "Illustrious Order
of the Red Cross," and the Chapter General made the governing body of the
Order which could confer the Grand Cross.
Judge Walter Rodwell Wright elected the Grand Master.

HRH Augustus Frederick, Duke
of Sussex 1813 His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex installed Grand Master.
1825 Robert Carlile publishes an
‘Exposure’ in England that contained a Degree called the “Order of
the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine,”
which appeared to be a shortened and modified version of
the Order, and was being worked at that time in Scotland and Ireland.
1865 Order revived, after fifty
years of lethargy, and the Grand Imperial of Council of England
established under a new Constitution which abolished
the titles Chapter General and Grand Master.
William Henry White
elected Grand Sovereign.
1866 Lord Kenlis (Earle of
Bective) installed Grand Sovereign of the Grand Imperial Council of England.
1870 The Orders introduced into
the United States, May 19.
1871
English branch of the Order changes its title from “Imperial Ecclesiastical
and Order of the Red
Cross of Constantine” to
the “Military and Masonic Order of the Red Military Cross of
Constantine.”
The American branch retains and continues to use
the former title.
1872 Grand Imperial Council of the
State of Illinois organized at Chicago, August 30, by five Conclaves
chartered by the Grand Council of England.
1899 Grand Imperial Council of
the Western Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States, organized at
Jacksonville, IL, October 13, by all
of the Conclaves in the obedience of the Grand Council of Illinois.
1907 Grand Imperial Council for the
United States of America, organized at Duluth, MN, August 14 by all
the Conclaves in the obedience of the Grand
Council.
1946 Due to the independence of
the Phillipines and the existence of Conclaves Mexico, the name
"The Grand Imperial Council of the Imperial,
Ecclesiastical and in Military Order of the Red Cross of
Constantine and Appendant Orders, for the United
States of America, Mexico, and the Phillipines" was
adopted.

Seal of
the United Grand
Imperial
Council
1958 Grand Imperial Council of
the Imperial, Ecclesiastical and Military Order of Knights of the Red
Cross of Constantine for the
U.S.A., Empire of the East and the Grand Imperial Council of the Red
Cross of Constantine and Appendant Orders for the
U.S.A., Mexico, and the Phillipines united in
Washington, DC, February 18,
forming the United Grand Imperial Council of Knights of the Red Cross
of Constantine and Appendant Orders of
America, Mexico, and the Phillipines.
1958 As
a result of the merger of the Grand Imperial Councils, the use of
numbers to identify individual
Councils is discontinued.
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