FESTIVAL OF THE EQUINOX
Temple Arranged as for 0○=0□
| Hierophant (Ht.) | (Knocks). Fratres and Sorores of all grades of the Golden Dawn in the Outer, let us celebrate the Festival of the Vernal/Autumnal Equinox! |
| All rise. | |
| Ht. | Frater Kerux, proclaim the fact, and announce the abrogation of the present Pass Word. |
| Kerux (K.) | (Going to Ht.’s right, saluting, and facing West). In the Name of the Lord of the Universe, and by command to the V.H.Ht., I proclaim the Autumnal/Vernal Equinox, and declare that the Pass Word —— is abrogated. |
| Ht. | Let us, according to ancient custom, consecrate the return of the Vernal/Autumnal Equinox. Light. |
| Hs. | Darkness. |
| Ht. | East. |
| Hs. | West. |
| Ht. | Air. |
| Hs. | Water. |
| Hegemon (Hg.) | (Knocks). I am the Reconciler between them. |
| All give signs. | |
| Dadouchos (D.) | Heat. |
| Stolises (S.) | Cold. |
| D. | South. |
| S. | North. |
| D. | Fire. |
| S. | Earth. |
| Hg. | (Knocks). I am the Reconciler between them. |
| All give signs. | |
| Ht. | (Knocks). One Creator. |
| D. | One Preserver. |
| Hs. | (Knocks). One Destroyer. |
| S. | One Redeemer. |
| Hg. | (Knocks). One Reconciler between them. |
| All give signs. | |
| Each retiring Officer in turn, beginning with Ht., quits his post by the left hand and goes to foot of Throne. He there disrobes, placing robe and lamen at foot of Throne or Dais. He then proceeds with the Sun’s course to the Altar, and lays thereon his special insignia, viz.:—Ht. | |
| Ht. | taking from the Altar the Rose, returns with the Sun to his post: |
| Hs. | takes Cup of Wine. |
| Hg. | Waits for the Kerux and takes his Red Lamp from him. |
| K. | Takes nothing. |
| S. | Takes platter of salt. |
| D. | Takes emblem of elemental fire. |
| Returning each to his place. | |
| All officers except K. now keep their places. | |
| The remaining members form a column in the North and, led by Kerux, proceed to the East; when all are in column along East side each turns to left and faces Hierophant. | |
| Ht. | Let us adore the Lord of the Universe. Holy art Thou, Lord of the Air, who hast created the Firmament. (Making with the Rose the Sign of the Cross in the Air towards the East.) |
| All give signs. Procession moves on to the South, halts, and all face South. | |
| D. | (Facing South). Let us adore the Lord of the Universe. Holy art Thou, Lord of the Fire, wherein Thou hast shown forth the Throne of Thy Glory (Making with the Fire the sign of the Cross toward the South.) |
| All give signs. Procession moves on to the West, halts, and faces West. | |
| Hs. | (Facing West). Let us adore the Lord of the Universe. Holy art Thou, Lord of the Waters, whereon Thy Spirit moved at the Beginning. (Making with the Cup the sign of the Cross in the Air before him.) |
| All give signs. Procession passes on to the North. All halt and face North. | |
| S. | (Facing North). Let us adore the Lord of the Universe. Holy art Thou, Lord of the Earth, which Thou hast made Thy footstool. (Making with the platter of Salt the sign of the Cross toward the North.) |
| All give signs. All resume their places and face the usual way. |
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| Hg. | Let us adore the Lord of the Universe. Holy art Thou, Who art in all things, in Whom are all things; If I climb up into Heaven, Thou art there; If I go down into Hell, Thou art there also; If I take the Wings of the Morning and remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea, even there shall Thy hand lead me and Thy right hand shall hold me; If I say “Peradventure the Darkness shall cover me,” even the Night shall be Light unto Thee; Thine is the Air with its Movement, Thine is the Fire with its flashing Flame, Thine is the Water with its Flux and Reflux, Thine is the Earth with its Eternal Stability. (Makes the sign of the Cross with Red Lamp.) |
| All give signs. | |
| Ht. | Goes to Altar and deposits the rose. |
| Imperator | Meanwhile assumes the Throne. |
| Ht. | Returns to a seat on immediate left as Past Hierophant. |
| Each old Officer now proceeds in turn to the Altar and places upon it the ensign he had taken therefrom, returning to places of their grade, not their Thrones, with nothing in their hands: they sit as common members, leaving all offices vacant. | |
| Imperator | By the Power and Authority in me vested, I confer upon you the new Password. It is ——. The Officers of this Temple for the ensuing half-year are as follows:— (Reads list of new Officers.) |
| New Officers come up in turn and are robed by the Imperator. Each new Officer in turn passes to the Altar and takes his insignia therefrom, repeating aloud:— By the Password —— I claim my ——. |
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| S. | After claiming his Cup, purifies the Hall and the Members by Water, without a word spoken by the Ht. unless he fails in this duty. |
| D. | After claiming his Censer, consecrates the Hall and the Members by Fire, without unnecessary word from the Ht. |
THE MYSTIC CIRCUMAMBULATION |
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| This should take place in Silence, but if the Members be unprovided with Rituals, the Ht. may order it as follows:— All form in North, K., Hg., Members, Hs., S., D. Each member as he passes the Throne repeats the Password aloud. |
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| Ht. | Let us invoke the Lord of the Universe. Lord of the Universe, Blessed by Thy Name unto the Eternal Ages. Look with favour upon this Order, and grant that its members may at length attain to the true Summum Bonum, the Stone of the Wise, the Perfect Wisdom and the Eternal Light, To the Glory of Thine Ineffable Name, AMEN. |
| All salute. | |
| Ht. | Frater Kerux, in the Name of the Lord of the Universe, I command you to declare that the Autumnal/Vernal Equinox has returned, and that —— is the Password for the next six months. |
| K. | In the Name of the Lord of the Universe and by command of the V.H.Ht. I declare that the Sun has entered Aries/Libra, the Sign of the Vernal/Autumnal Equinox, and that the Password for the ensuing half-year will be ——. |
| Ht. | Khabs. Pax. In. |
| Hs. | Am. Konx. Extension. |
| Hg. | Pekht. Om. Light |