Order of Pious Lot
| Benevolent Hospitaller Order and Society of Pious Lot Bonfara Hospitalisto-Ordo kaj Societo de Pia Lot | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the Order | |
| Type | Order of chivalry |
| Established | TBD |
| Motto | Kompato kaj fido inspiras nin |
| Eligibility | Service to the order |
| Status | Extant |
| Grand Master | TBD |
| Chancellor and Grand Prior | TBD |
| Secretary | TBD |
| Grades |
|
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Dependent on State |
| Next (lower) | Dependent on State |
 Ribbon of the order | |
The Order of Pious Lot, formally the Benevolent Hospitaller Order and Society of Pious Lot (Esperanto: Bonfara Hospitalisto-Ordo kaj Societo de Pia Lot) and also known as Lot International, is an order of chivalry and charitable organisation constituted in XXXX by charter from TBD and dedicated to Lot, a holy figure in the Abrahamic religions.
Structure
The order is organised as a chivalric order and is thus hierarchically structured. The Grand Master is at the apex of the order, and it is by the Grand Master that appointments to the order are made and international representation principally conducted. They are followed by the Chancellor and Grand Prior (offices combined since XXXX). The Chancellor, along with four of five other Great Officers - the Priors of Pious Lot - act as deputies to the Grand Master and collctively conduct the affairs of the order in their absence. The Priors are:
- Chancellor and Grand Prior
- Secretary and Sub-Prior
- Registrar
- Prelate
- Usher
- Lay Prior
The Priors collectively constitute the Priory (formally the House and Council of the Priors in Assembly), which is the principal decision-making body of the order, chaired by the Grand Master or the Chancellor in their absence. The Secretary is the main administrative head of the order, assisted by the Registrar as keeper of the order's archives and documents. The Prelate, a continuation of the order's religious beginnings, is a mostly ceremonial position granted in recognition of important service to the order and to wider society. The usher attends official ceremonies and functions and is, likewise, a generally ceremonial position. The Lay Prior is a member of the wider order appointed to represent the interests of the whole membership.
A subset of the Priory is the Sub-Council on Appointments, which consists of the Grand Master, Secretary, Registrar, and Lay Prior, along with a number of other appointees from within the order, which considers and approves (or rejects) nominations to the order, as well as promotion within the order. In 1972 it assumed the functions of the Sub-Council on Administration, and is also responsible for appointment to positions of authority and responsibility within the order.
Grades
After the officers of the order follow members, who are divided into five hierarchical grades, all having accordant post-nominal letters Grade I is limited to only the members of the Council of Priors plus no more than 21 others, though royalty and heads of state of any country may be appointed as a Grand Companion without counting towards the complement. All priors, should they not already be in the grade or higher, are made a Companion of Mercy upon their assignment.
| Grades of the Order of Pious Lot | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Grade I | Grade II | Grade III | Grade IV | Grade V |
| Title (Anglish) | Grand Companion | Companion of Mercy | Companion | Officer | Member |
| Title (Esperanto) | Granda Kunulo | Kunulo de Kompato | Kunulo | Oficiro | Membro |
| Post-nominal letters | GKPL | KKPL | KPL | OPL | MPL |
Grand Companions receive the accolade through a ceremonial washing of the hands (formerly the feet) to symbolise their purity as they enter the senior grade of the order. They are then given their robes and insignia. Although not granted any title, they may use post-nominal letters dependant on the regulations of their home country (although they are entitled to use them within the order), and may also (dependent on regulations) petition for the order's inclusion in a coat of arms. There is the addition of "Friend of the Order", which entitles membership but is not a grade in itself, and is usually granted to relatives of members.
Appointment (in any grade) grants precedence within the order, which is structured as follows:
- The Grand Master
- The Chancellor and Grand Prior
- The Registrar and Sub-Prior
- Grand Companions
- Companions of Mercy
- Former Chancellors
- Former Registrars
- Prelate
- Former Prelates
- Companions
- Lay Prior
- Officers
- Former Ushers
- Former Lay Priors
- Members
- Friends of the Order
Precedence within each grade is dictated by date of appointment.
Vestments and insignia
Upon admission into the Order of Pious Lot, confrères are presented with appropriate insignia, each level and office being depicted by different emblems and robes for wear at important occasions for the order. Common for all members of the Order is the badge, consisting of an XXXX.
| Insignia of the Order of Pious Lot | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Grand Companion | Companion of Mercy | Companion | Officer | Member | |
| Insignia | 
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|
|
|
| |
| Diameter | 82.5 millimetres (3.25 in) 57.2 millimetres (2.25 in) suspended |
57.2 millimetres (2.25 in) | 57.2 millimetres (2.25 in) | 57.2 millimetres (2.25 in) | 44.4 millimetres (1.75 in) | |
| Material | Enamel | Enamel | Enamel | Enamel | Enamel | |
| Backing and embellishments |
Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Silver | |
All Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross may wear their badges at the left hip on a 101.6 millimetres (4.00 in) (for men) or 82.5 millimetres (3.25 in) (for women) wide, black watered silk ribbon over the right shoulder and from a 16.5 millimetres (0.65 in) wide black band at the collar. Male Knights Justice or Grace and Commanders wear their badges on a 16.5mm wide ribbon at the neck, while Officers and Members have theirs on a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) straight ribbon suspended from a medal bar on the left breast. Females in all grades have the option of wearing their insignia on a ribbon bow pinned at the left shoulder.[1] Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames of Justice or Grace, and chaplains may all also wear a breast star,[2] which appears the same as their badges, only at a diameter of 88.9 millimetres (3.50 in) and without embellishments for those in Grade I and 76 millimetres (3.0 in) for those in Grade II.[3] Further, those in these groups are also given a button for wear on the lapel of non-formal civilian clothing, for events such as business meetings of the order.[4] In general, the insignia of the Order of St John may be worn at all occasions where other decorations are worn, not only those connected with the ceremonies of the order.[5]
All members of the order are also required to wear specific robes for formal occasions of the society, including a mantle, sopra vest, and hat. The mantles of the Sovereign Head and Grand Prior are all of black silk velvet and lined with white silk, the Sovereign Head's mantle is differentiated by an additional train. Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross and, before 1926, Knights of Justice formerly wore black silk robes with a lining of the same material and colour; these members now wear the same mantle as Commanders and Officers, which are made of black merino wool faced with black silk. The only other unique mantles are those of the Medical Officer of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital, which bears a special pattern,[6] and of chaplains, which is a black silk robe with full sleeves. Each cloak also bears on its left side a rendition of the order's star in white silk: the Sovereign Head, Grand Prior, and those in the first two grades of the order all have a 300 millimetres (12 in) diameter emblem; the Sovereign's and Grand Prior's are of white silk with gold adornments, the former's also surmounted by a St Edward's Crown, while those for Bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames of Justice, and Knights and Dames of Grace are rendered in white linen, the first two groups having embellishments in gold silk, the latter in white silk. Similarly, the star for Commanders and Officers is of white linen with white silk ornamentation, though they are only 228.6 millimetres (9.00 in) and 152.4 millimetres (6.00 in) in diameter, respectively. The secretaries of the order, the priors and the commanders also wear the badge superimposed upon two goose quill pens embroidered saltire-wise in white silk.[6]
The sopra (or supra) vest is a long drape of thin, black cloth that buttons close down the neck and to one side, falling to the ankles and cut so as to entirely cover the body. It is similar to a cassock, though it is actually derived from the supra vesta—a black surcoat worn in the mid 13th century by the Knights of St John. Confrères in Grade I have a plain, white, 300mm diameter Maltese Cross on their sopra vests, while members of Grades II and III, plus chaplains, have a plain garment, though the wearer's Order of St John insignia is displayed outside the vest, 152mm below the collar. Clerical inductees of the order may, when officiating, wear over their cassock and surplice a mozzetta of black with red lining, edging, and buttons, a 76mm wide star worn on the left breast and the accordant badge suspended at the neck.[7] When full mantles and sopra vests are worn a black velvet Tudor-style hat is included.[8]