Knights of St. John International
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (June 2019) |
 Emblem of the Knights of St. John International | |
| Abbreviation | KSJI |
|---|---|
| Formation | May 6, 1886 |
| Type | Catholic fraternal service organization |
Supreme President | Frank Waseleski |
| Website | www |
The Knights of St. John International is an international Catholic fraternal service organization. Incorporated in 1886, the organization's members commit themselves to service to the Catholic Church, their communities, and fraternal brotherhood, with individual units, or commanderies, established within a parish.[1]
Members of the Knights of St. John are most notably visually associated with their distinctive uniforms and regalia, incorporating traditional chivalry elements with the U.S. Army uniforms of the 1880s with which many of the order's founders were familiar and had access.
The organization's membership extends globally, but most notably in the United States and Africa, with commanderies in the United Kingdom, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, and elsewhere.
History
The original preamble of the Knights' constitution of 1886 reads:
"Early in the last quarter of the nineteenth century there assembled in one of the large American cities a number of Catholic gentlemen, pledged to inculcate Christian principles, to encourage the practice of civic virtues, to develop better conceptions of public duty and to infuse into human society a broader and loftier morality."[2]
Uniforms and Regalia
The uniforms of the Knights of St. John International are notable for their consistency since the establishment of the order. Uniforms consist of double-breasted frock coats and trousers made of black cloth with two rows of buttons (the quantity and color of which is dependent upon the Knight's rank). Shoulder knots (for Sir Knights, corporals and sergeants) or rank-bearing shoulder boards (for officers), sword belts, and swords accompany the uniform. An ostrich-plumed chapeau (white for Sir Knights, black for officers) completes the traditional uniform. Swords, buttons, belts, and other trim for officers are brass or gold-colored, while for Sir Knights these uniform pieces are silver-colored.[3]
The Knights of St. John International also maintain a more modern marching uniform, consisting of a double-breasted suit coat with shoulder epaulets bearing the Knight's rank and a Pershing cap.
References
- ^ "Knights of St. John plant their root in Brampton". Brampton Guardian. Metroland Media Group Ltd. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ Constitution of the Knights of St. John International. Division of Corporations and State Records: N.Y.S. Department of State. 1992. p. 1.
- ^ "Knights of St. John Uniform Regalia". New London Regalia. June 15, 2019.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help)
 | This Catholic Church–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |