Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas

The Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas (EOST) is an independent Catholic intermicronational chivalric order. Founded in January 2015 by Benedict Baughman and Christopher Woods, two micronationalists from the Empire of Quailia, its purpose is to unite the Catholic members of the micronational community and to support and promote Catholic micronationalism. It is named after St. Thomas More, who in the Catholic tradition is the patron saint of statesmen and politicians. The purpose of the Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas is propagate and profess the Catholic faith and the principles of freedom and just government through uniting Catholic micronations and micronationalists, serving as a front of Catholic micronationalism within the greater micronational community, and supporting the fundamental sovereignty of all rightful micronational states. On 03 March 2020, Oscar I of Karnia-Ruthenia, a former Knight and the last active member of the Order claimed the patronage of the Order, inducted new Knights and started the special relation of the Order with Karnia-Ruthenia and restoring its activity, also transforming the order into a private association of faithful under Canon Law.

History
The Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas was founded on 13 January 2015 by Sir Benedict Baughman and Colonel Christopher Woods, two micronationalists from the Empire of Quailia. Two days later, an online forum was created to ease communication between members and to give the Order a centralized meeting place. Since then, the order has expanded to become a vibrant, growing community. By late 2016, the Order became dormant. With the silence of those who previously led the Order, as well as the withdrawal of the micronational movement from the then Principal Patron of the Order, the Empress of Quailia, and the micronational activity and manifest interest verified only in the seventh member of the Order, induced as Knight of the Order in 2015, when it was founded, Oscar I claimed the patronage of the Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas More, vowing to protect and support the Order in Karnia-Ruthenia and abroad.

Principles
The founding members of the Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas declare that the principles guiding the order are the pride of being micronationalists of the Catholic faith, the desire to fight the moral decay of modern society and the increasing ineptitude of the world’s major governments, recognize the beneficial role of micronationalism, and in particular Christian micronationalism, can perform in the world today, the wish to propagate the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith through the use and promotion of micronationalism and the hope that through these ends replace skepticism by faith, replace war by peace and replace division by unity. The Order was reestablished under Canon Law as a private association of the faithful, being able to be integrated by lay people and clergy, having as specific charisma the joint effort of its members to foster a more perfect life, teach Christian doctrine, in addition to other works of apostolate, that is, initiatives of evangelization, exercise of works of piety and charity, and animation of the temporal order, both at the macronational level and at the micronational level, with the Christian spirit, according to canons 321 to 326 of the Code of Canon Law.

Priories
The Order operates in a joint and unitary manner, but subdivided into priories, which in turn will administer a given territory, under the terms of the Magisterial Act. The creation, alteration of territorial jurisdiction or the extinction of a Priory of the Order takes place through the Magisterial Act of the Grand Master, with the approval of at least two of the three officers of the Order. In order to establish a Priory, it is necessary that there are five members of the Order in that territory, a church that serves as the base for the decisions of the Priory and the formal creation of the same by the Magisterial Act of the Grand Master, which may designate the creation of a Priory by continent, country and macronational city, depending on the convenience.

Administration of the Order
The Order is governed by a Constitutional Charter which describes the officers and operating rules as well as describing the name, vision and goals of the Order. The officers are those of Grand Master (the leader of the Order), the Grand Marshal (the second in command), and the Chancellor (the record keeper). The Constitutional Charter also dictates the existence of two other positions, those of Principal Patron (held by the current monarch of the Empire of Quailia) and the Prelate (who is an ordained member of the clergy).

Patron of the Order
The Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas operate under the patronage of various Catholic monarchs of the micronational community who shall agree to protect and support the Order both within their territory and among the nations of the world. The monarch of Karnia-Ruthenia shall into perpetuity hold the title and role of Principal Patron of the Order so long as the holder of the Karno-Ruthenian throne professes the Catholic faith and fulfills the duties of a patron of the Order. Previously, the title of Principal Patron of the Order belonged to the Empress of Quailia until the dissolution of the monarchy she represented.

Grand Master of the Order
The first officer of the Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas is of the Grand Master, who is elected by and from the inducted members of the Order for terms lasting six months. It is the duty of the Grand Master to provide overall leadership and direction to the Order, to direct the organization and activities of the Order through the promulgation of decrees, and to perform such other duties as may be required of him by this Constitutional Charter or by other properly promulgated decrees of the Order.

Grand Marshall of the Order
The second officer of the Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas is of the Grand Marshal, who is elected by and from the inducted members of the Order for terms lasting six months. It is the duty of the Grand Marshal to assist the Grand Master in providing overall leadership and direction to the Order, to perform the functions and duties of Grand Master in the event that the Grand Master in unavailable or incapacitated, and to perform such other duties as may be required of him by this Constitutional Charter or by other properly promulgated decrees of the Order.

Chancellor of the Order
The third officer of the Equestrian Order of Saint Thomas is of the Chancellor, who is elected by and from the inducted members of the Order for terms lasting six months. It shall be the duty of the Chancellor to oversee the administration and records of the Order, to see to the publication and distribution of informational media regarding the Order and its activities, and to perform such other duties as may be required of him by this Constitutional Charter or by other properly promulgated decrees of the Order.

Prior of the Order
A Prior of the Order can be appointed and dismissed by the Grand Master to represent the Order in a given territorial designation, must actively promote activities based on Catholic Faith as well as exercising those duties required by the Constitutional Charter and by Magisterial Acts that assign him duties in particular. The post was established during the reestablishment of 2020.

Prelate of the Order
The Prelate shall be an ordained member of the Catholic clergy appointed and dismissed by the Grand Master to represent the Order in the greater ecclesiastical community, to actively promote the faith based activities of the Order, and to perform such other duties as may be required of him by this Constitutional Charter or by other properly promulgated decrees of the Order. This post was abolished during the reestablishment of 2020.

Guardian
A Guardian can be appointed and dismissed by the Grand Master from among his members, recognized for his qualities, virtues, doctrinal security, practice of faith and spiritual life, to actively promote the orthodoxy of the Faith professed by the Order and actively help its members on their spiritual journey, as well as exercising the duties required by the Constitutional Charter and the Magisterial Acts that designate his duties. This position was created during the reestablishment of 2020.

Membership
Membership in the Order is open to all Catholic micronationalists. In order to be a candidate for induction into the Order, a person must profess and practice the Catholic faith, be a leader of a micronation or of the micronational community and be referred to the Chancellor for induction by an inducted member. To be accepted as a member of the Order, the candidate must fulfill the requirements to be approved for induction by the Chancellor and the Grand Master. If the induction is approved by both of these officers, the candidate is considered a fully inducted member of the Order and is from thenceforth accorded with all the rights and duties of membership. The membership in the Order may be revoked from a member only if the member expresses disregard of the principles of the Order or of the Catholic faith through word or action and the revoking of membership is approved by two of the three Officers of the Order.

Ranks
All members of the Order are divided into four ranks which are, in descending order: The fourth and highest rank of membership within the Order shall be that of Knight Grand Cross. Membership in this rare and prestigious degree shall be limited to those members of royal or imperial dignity who protect and represent the Order as Patrons. Members of this rank shall have permission to use the postnomial letters “KGCST” if male or “DGCST” if female. The rank of Knight Commander with Star, shall be limited to those who have been elected to lead the Order as its Grand Master. Members of this rank shall have permission to use the postnomial letters “KC*ST” if male or “DC*ST” if female. Knight Commander shall be the second rank of membership within the Order and shall be limited to those who have been elected as officers of the Order or have been appointed to serve as the Order’s Prelate. Members of this rank shall have permission to use the postnomial letters “KCST” if male or “DCST” if female. The rank of Knight shall be the first and lowest rank of membership within the Order. All new members shall be inducted into this rank. Members of this rank shall have permission to use the postnomial letters “KST” if male or “DST” if female.
 * Knight/Dame Grand Cross (K/DGCST):
 * Knight/Dame Commander with Star (K/DC*ST):
 * Knight/Dame Commander (K/DCST):
 * Knight/Dame (K/DST):