THE CONSTITUTIONS

The Constitutions of the Blue Cross Order are: the Rule, the Charta and the Institutio Generalis.

CHARTA

"DE MVNDO NON SVNT, SICVT ET EGO NON SVM DE MVNDO. NON PRO EIS AVTEM ROGO TANTVM, SED ET PRO EIS QVI CREDITVRI SVNT PER VERBVM EORVM IN ME."

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." [Galatians 5, 22-23]
"Fructus autem Spiritus est: charitas, gaudium, pax, patientia, benignitas, bonitas, longanimitas, mansuetudo, fides, modestia, continentia, castitas." [Ad Galatas V. 22-23]

• General Principles
• Of the Apostolic Churches
• Of the Ecumenism
• Of the Studies and Research

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

1. According to the principles and the teachings of the Universal Church, the Blue Cross Order believes and states that the only legitimate institution founded by Christ in the purpose of spreading His Kingdom, and for the salvation of mankind is the Church established by the holy Apostles. (St. Matthew 28, 19-20: "Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes: baptizantes eos in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti: docentes eos servare omnia quæcumque mandavi vobis: et ecce Ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus, usque ad consummationem sæculi.").
2. The Blue Cross Order believes and states that the mission of authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether written or orally transmitted, belongs to the Magisterium of the Church (The OCC Rule, Chapter. V, let. d) whose authority is exercised in the Name of Christ. This Magisterium, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, only teaches whatever has been transmitted and keeps the Word of God with veneration and fidelity. (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum).
3. The Blue Cross Order believes and states that the mission of the Church is to spread the Word of God all over the world, for the glory of God the Father, through a specific activity hereby named as apostolate. All Christians are invited to spread the 'good news' of the Gospel to all generations, confessing the Faith and celebrating it into the Liturgy and pray. (Acts 2, 42: "Erant autem perseverantes in doctrina Apostolorum, et communicatione fractionis panis, et orationibus.").
4. The Apostolate of the Lay (they are named as: lively stones, an holy priesthood, 1 Peter 2, 5: "Et ipsi tanquam lapides vivi superædificamini, domus spiritualis, sacerdotium sanctum, offerre spirituales hostias, acceptabiles Deo per Iesum Christum."), has the purpose of harmonizing the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel, therefore this activity is to offer a clear testimony about Christ and to serve to the salvation of mankind.
5. By responding to the invitation of Christ's Church, the members of the Blue Cross Order shall adopt and promote a behaviour based on love, probation and cohesion between life and faith (1 John 3, 23: "Et hoc est mandatum Eius: ut credamus in nomine Filii, Eius Jesu Christi: et diligamus alterutrum, sicut dedit mandatum nobis."), through awareness of everyone's role within the edification of the society, through fighting against the errors that threatens the Christian religion, through achieving personal duties within the family, society and workplace. (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on Ecumenism Apostolicam Actuositatem).
6. Through intellectual formation of its members, the Blue Cross Order shall pursue the acquisition of substantial knowledge in the field of theology, ethics, philosophy and history of the Church, so that they shall achieve the purpose of Christ's mission, being guided by the Holy Spirit. (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on Ecumenism Apostolicam Actuositatem).
7. The members of the Blue Cross Order believe that the authenticity of any real Christian life and faith can be proved by reaching the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as they are enumerated by the Holy Apostle Paul: "Fructus autem Spiritus est: charitas, gaudium, pax, patientia, benignitas, bonitas, longanimitas, mansuetudo, fides, modestia, continentia, castitas." (Galatians 5, 22-24 - Vulgata Editionis).

OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCHES

1. The Blue Cross Order believes and firmly declares that God's revealed Patrimony has an indivisible character and belongs to the Universal Church founded by the holy Apostles at Christ's command. This unique Patrimony is defined by its venerable age and by the Tradition which emerges directly from the Apostles and is transmitted through the holy Fathers.
2. This spiritual, liturgical, canonical and theological Patrimony belongs, in its different traditions, to the Universal and Apostolic Church, which is One and Holy.
3. The Universal and Apostolic Church, also called the 'mystical Body of Christ' is constituted by its holy institutions referred to as: the Catholic Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Churches.
4. All the followers of these institutions are organically united in the Holy Spirit, sharing the same faith and the same Sacraments. They form different communities called Churches or Rites. These Rites, however different from one another in respect of the liturgical form and Canonical Law, are nevertheless equal in dignity and are subjects to the same mission of spreading the Gospel to the entire world.
5. The Apostolic Churches are served by Bishops who are the followers of the holy Apostles themselves; they have the mission of teaching all nations and preach the Gospel to everybody, so that all people can get salvation through faith, baptism and obeying God's commandments (St. Mark 16, 15-16: "Euntes in mundum universum prædicate Evangelium omni creaturæ. Qui crederit, et baptizatus fuerit, salvus erit.").
6. The Apostolic Churches share the same fundamental doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the Word of God incarnated from the Holy Virgin and the seven Sacraments.
7. The followers of both the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Churches, in unity with their Bishop shall come to God the Father through the incarnated Son who suffered and was glorified in the Holy Spirit, reaching the full communion with the Holy Trinity. Thus, in each of these Churches, the Eucharistic Sacrament is celebrated and the Church of God is built (St. John Hrisostom, In Ioannem Homelia).

OF THE ECUMENISM

1. The Blue Cross Order believes and firmly testifies that Jesus Christ has founded only one Church and only one faith (St. John 17, 21: "Ut omnes unum sint, sicut Tu Pater in Me, et Ego in Te, ut et ipsi in Nobis unum sint."), and has also established the unique Sacrament of Eucharist by which the Church reaches its unity.
2. The Blue Cross Order believes and states that the people of God is spread among all nations of the Earth forming the Kingdom of Christ, which does not belong to this world (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium).
3. Following the spirit of the dogmatic constitution called Unitatis Redintegratio, the Blue Cross Order recommends to its members along with all Christians to promote a certain communication in terms of the holy Sacraments between the two Churches. Although separated, they both have valid Sacraments and, in the virtue of apostolic succession, they also have the Priesthood and the Eucharist through which they remain united as mystical Body of Christ.
4. The Blue Cross Order has been founded in a country where the two apostolic Churches are still divided, where numerous Christian denominations claim their apostolic origin; we therefore believe that this separation, as a regrettable deviation from Christ's teachings, and is consequently regarded as an obstacle in the path of the preaching of the Gospel and the salvation of mankind. 'Such division openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages the holy cause of preaching the Gospel to every creature' (Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio).
5. The Christian communities separated from the Apostolic Churches are regarded as 'brothers in Christ' by the Blue Cross Order; In conformity with the principles of the Pontifical Decree Exsultate Deo (Council of Florence, 1439), all Christians who have been baptised in the Name of the Holy Trinity, although separated from the Universal Church, and they are 'incorporated in Christ'.
6. The Blue Cross Order believes in the testimony of the Apostolic Churches with regard to the Holy Eucharist; the Body and the Blood of Christ God are genuinely and truly contained in this Sacrament and not symbolically, as it is declared by other Christian denominations separated from the Universal Church (Council of Trent).
7. Those Christian communities separated from the Apostolic Churches do not have the Sacrament of Priesthood, therefore they do not preserve the real substance of Eucharistic mystery; it is not possible to attain the intercommunion with these communities. For this reason, the Blue Cross Order is focusing its efforts in the purpose of the re-unification between the Apostolic Churches first, for it is not only possible, but also recommended to realise the intercommunication of the people. This shall be achieved whenever the circumstances are favourable and only with the permission of the ecclesiastical authorities.
8. The Blue Cross Order shall promote the ecumenical dialogue in the purpose of re-establishing the full communion between the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Churches, 'the two lungs of the Universal Church', considering the historical realities before the Great Schism of 1054.
9. The Blue Cross Order believes that the different theological statements of the two Churches are rather complementary than opposite; their theology is deeply rooted into the Holy Scriptures, promoted into the liturgical life and equally pursued by the writings of the holy Fathers from the East and the West.
10. The Blue Cross Order shall promote the ecumenical dialogue based on the statement made by the Council of Florence in 1439 (Definitio Lætentur Cæli); according to this principle, the elimination of the separation wall standing between the Western Church and Eastern Church shall undoubtedly lead to the constitution of 'the one Church dwelling, firmly established on Christ Jesus, the cornerstone, who will make them both into one'.
11. The ecumenical engagement promoted by the Blue Cross Order shall be exercised in the spirit of His Holiness the Pope John Paul II Encyclical Letter of 1995 Ut Unum Sint, and also in the spirit of the Pontifical Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam Actuositatem.
12. The ecumenical activity must be preceded by an appropriate personal engagement (Ephesians 4, 1-3: "Obsecro itaque vos ego vinctus in Domino, ut digne ambuletis vocatione, qua vocati estis, cum omni humilitate, et mansuetudine, cum patientia, supportantes invicem in charitate, solliciti servare unitatem Spiritus in vinculo pacis."). In the centre of any ecumenical dialogue must stand the only Truth according to which God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is the only single God.
13. The Blue Cross Order is fully aware of the fact that reunification between the two Apostolic Churches is an endeavour that exceeds the human capacity and capability; therefore, we, the members of the Order, in unity with all Christians engaged in the holy ecumenical activity, believe in the love of Christ for His sheep and in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5, 5: "spes autem non confundit: quia charitas Dei difussa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum Sanctum, qui datus est nobis.").

OF THE STUDY AND RESEARCH

1. The Blue Cross Order requests from its members to intensely study the history of the Church, theology, to live a genuine spiritual life, to understand the religious psychology and to accept different cultures of different brothers engaged in the ecumenical dialogue (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio).
2. All members of the Blue Cross Order shall make efforts to enhance thoroughly the God's mysteries that have been revealed to men in the purpose of their spiritual thrive and salvation (1 Corinthians 2, 7: "sed loquimur Dei sapientiam in mysterio, quæ abscondita est, quam prædestinavit Deus ante omnia sæcula in gloriam nostram.").
3. In their spiritual and intellectual engagement, the members of the Blue Cross Order shall closely follow the principles of love and morale revealed by the Apostle Paul: (1 Timothy 6, 3-5: "Si quis aliter docet, et non aquiescit sanis sermonibus Domini nostri Jesu Christi, et ei, quæ secundum pietatem est, doctrinæ: superbus est, nihil sciens, sed langues circa quæstiones, et pugnas verborum: ex quibus orintur invidiæ, contentiones, blasphemia, suspiciones malæ, conflictationes hominum mente corruptorum, et qui veritate privati sunt, existimantium quæstum esse pietatem.").

THE RULE

The Rule (Regula) is the main status of the Blue Cross Order, upon which all members shall stand their principles of life. All members of the Blue Cross Order must strictly follow its rules and obey its codes of honour and integrity.