The Grand Protector

2012-2015: H.E. Richard Comyns of Ludston (Scottland)

2015-2019: H.E. Federal Minister (redt.) Dr. Werner Fasslabend (Austria)

 

Currently vacant 

 Legal base in the statutes:

 

• §01 Name, Headquarters and Fields of Activity
  

1. The name of the association is “LAZARUS UNION” (or English: “UNION CORPS SAINT LAZARE INTERNATIONAL“).
2. Abbreviated form of the name: “CSLI“
3. It is headquartered in 2100 Leobendorf near Korneuburg NÖ, Castle Kreuzenstein (titular seat courtesy of the lord of the castle) and extends its activities to Austria and other countries of the world.
4. Mail delivery address is A-1220 Wien, Spargelfeldstraße 162/Haus 196.
5. The association is a legal personality in accordance with the law regulating registered associations 2002 and is an independent, humanitarian, voluntary non-profit relief organisation following the ideals of Saint Lazarus. It can offer voluntary and at any time revokable relief services to other governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGO) but by doing so gives neither up its independence nor its right of self-ruling.
6. Setting up branch associations is possible.
7. Spiritual protectorate as Grand Protector over the LAZARUS UNION and its Knighthood of Honour (§05) can be awarded to honourable single persons by decision of the General Assembly, which can also deny it again. The Grand Protector has the power of veto in all association matters. Such veto can only be voided by the General Assembly. If a Grand Protector is appointed, he is the highest member of the LAZARUS UNION in terms of protocol.

and

• §05 Knighthood of Honour
  

1. True knighthood orders (i.e. those recognised by the Roman-Catholic Church) are the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the Teutonic Knights, and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Still today there is a great number of associations calling themselves “knighthood orders.” These at best are “knightly associations” whose members have more or less anchored the old knightly virtues in their statutes, constitutions, codices of honour, or whatever they call it and (try to) act along those. The CSLI neither intends nor is it entitled to judge or comment on such “modern knighthood organizations.” Everybody who is acts in a knightly way, regardless why, earns the respect and the regard of the CSLI. Even in our days the old knightly virtues have not lost their meaning. Striving to act according to those virtues can be seen more than necessary in today’s times. The CSLI as a pro bono humanitarian charitable world-spanning organization wants to leverage these knightly virtues (faith, hope, love, compassion, justice, bravery, and modesty) whenever possible and as such has (although it is no knighthood order in the strict sense) introduced the symbolic knighthood in the form of the “Knighthood of Honour.”
2. The Knighthood of Honour is represented by a Grand Master according to a “Knighthood of Honour Order“ (published on the home page).
3. The Grand Master decrees the “Knighthood of Honour Order“ which is valid inside the union and which has no outside impact. The Knighthood of Honour hence is an internal union matter only.
4. The Grand Master of the Knighthood of Honour is elected by the general assembly AND all Knights of Honour present and holds the status and rank of (3^rd) vice president if he does not hold a higher vice president rank already. He is the only Knight of Honor wearing a red mantle.
5. Admission into and discharge from the Knighthood of Honour is decided upon by the chapter which is nominated by the Grand Master. The Grand Master decides on the rank alone and under personal responsibility.
6. All awards and award ranks which are reserved to be awarded by the Grand Master are awarded under the sole responsibility of the Grand Master.
7. The protectorate is held by the person nominated by decision of the board and who has accepted this nomination.