This Royal Decree establishes an Ecclesiastical Household within the Kaharagian Royal Court to manage the spiritual affairs of the Sovereign and Royal Family. The Household includes Chaplains and Honorary Chaplains. Three offices are set up: the Protopresbyter, who oversees the chaplains and maintains interfaith relationships; the Royal Confessor, who provides confidential spiritual guidance; and the Royal Almoner, who manages charity efforts. The Chaplains and Honorary Chaplains are tasked with providing spiritual support, leading religious services, and participating in community outreach programs. Appointments to these roles are lifetime positions, made by the Sovereign, but can be revoked. A Mediation Council is established to handle any disputes within the Household.
By the Grace of God,
We MAXIMILIAN,
Prince of Kaharagia, etc.,
CONSIDERING Our earnest aspiration to safeguard the spiritual well-being of Our sacred person and Our family through the faithful ministry of the Word of our Lord by trusted members of the clergy;
ACKNOWLEDGING Our Royal Decree No. 4/2010, which established the Kaharagian Royal Court and defined its functions and organisation;
HEREWITH, in pursuit of further enhancing the spiritual guidance and services provided by the clergy to Our Royal Court, have found Ourselves most graciously moved to order and decree the following:
Article I: Establishment of the Ecclesiastical Household
1.1 The Ecclesiastical Household is hereby constituted as part of the Royal Court to minister to the Kaharagian Sovereign and Royal Family, managing the religious and theological facets of their lives.
1.2 The Ecclesiastical Household shall comprise multiple Chaplains and Honorary Chaplains to the Sovereign, who are legitimate clergy of the Christian faith, charged with providing spiritual guidance and support to the Sovereign and their family.
1.3 The scale and composition of the Ecclesiastical Household shall be adaptable and responsive to the needs and preferences of the Sovereign.
1.4 Chaplains to the Sovereign shall be invested with an insignia plated gold with the Sovereign’s monogram as a sign of their appointment. Honorary Chaplains to the Sovereign shall be invested with the same but plated in silver.
Article II: Establishment of the Protopresbyter
2.1 The office of the Protopresbyter of the Chapel Royal is hereby established. The Protopresbyter shall preside over the chaplains and honorary chaplains, ensuring the fulfilment of their religious and theological requirements.
2.2 The predominant duty of the Protopresbyter shall be to cater to the spiritual needs of the Sovereign and their family.
2.3 The Protopresbyter, while overseeing the Chaplains and Honorary Chaplains, is also tasked with fostering the spiritual development of the wider community in coordination with other clergy.
2.4 The Protopresbyter shall further be charged with maintaining the ecumenical and interfaith relationships between the Kaharagian Sovereign and other denominations and faiths. Other chaplains may assist him or her in this essential role.
Article III: Establishment of the Royal Confessor
3.1 The office of the Royal Confessor is hereby established. The Royal Confessor shall extend confidential spiritual counsel and guidance to the members of the Royal Family.
3.2 While the Royal Confessor’s primary duty is to the Sovereign and their family, he or she may also offer confidential spiritual counsel to members of the Ecclesiastical Household, as requested and deemed appropriate.
Article IV: Establishment of the Royal Almoner
4.1 The office of the Royal Almoner is hereby established. The Royal Almoner shall coordinate the distribution of charitable funds and resources on behalf of the Sovereign and the monarchy.
4.2 The Royal Almoner shall be charged with upholding the principles of charity, social responsibility, and community service within the Kaharagian monarchy.
4.3 Further, the Royal Almoner shall be responsible for planning and executing events related to Maundy Thursday.
Article V: Responsibilities of the Royal Chaplains
5.1 The Chaplains to the Sovereign shall provide spiritual guidance and support to the Sovereign and their family.
5.2 The Chaplains shall lead religious services, offer counsel, and assist with charitable initiatives and other community outreach programmes.
Article VI: Responsibilities of the Honorary Chaplains
6.1 The Honorary Chaplains to the Sovereign shall be summoned to provide spiritual guidance and support to the Sovereign and their family on an as-needed basis.
6.2 The Honorary Chaplains shall be appointed based on their particular expertise or knowledge in a specific area of faith or spirituality, their longstanding service to the community or their contributions to the broader religious community.
Article VII: Appointment and Length of Service
7.1 Appointments to the Ecclesiastical Household are made at the pleasure of the Sovereign and shall endure for the duration of the appointed individual’s life unless otherwise determined by the Sovereign.
7.2 Appointees may be relieved of their duties by a subsequent Royal Decree at any time at the discretion of the Sovereign.
7.3 While the appointments to the Ecclesiastical Household are honorific and without stipend, We recognise the importance of deepening one’s religious understanding and pastoral expertise. As such, Chaplains and Honorary Chaplains are encouraged and will be supported in pursuing further theological education and enrichment of their spiritual wisdom.
Article VIII: Dispute Resolution Mechanism
8.1 Should disputes or grievances arise within the Ecclesiastical Household, they shall be addressed through a Mediation Council composed of senior members of the Ecclesiastical Household as appointed by the Sovereign.
8.2 The Mediation Council shall strive for resolution through dialogue, reconciliation, and, above all, guided by the principles of the Christian faith.
Article IX: Enactment and Enforcement
9.1 This decree is to be observed and respected by all, fortified by the Grace of the Divine and in the name of the Kaharagian Sovereign.
9.2 This decree comes into effect from the moment of Our sign-manual and affixation of the Great Seal of Our Realm.
GIVEN under Our Hand and the Great Seal of Our Principality, at Our Court in Detroit, This 1st day of May, in the year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-Three, and the Thirteenth of Our reign.