With the announced desire in 2023 for a reform of the Royal Order of Saint Michael of the Wing so as to ensure a more efficient international command structure of the Royal Brotherhood and thus improve management for continued transparency, the RISMA of the Archdiocese for Military Services and the American Association of Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House under AMS RISMA Judge Lt. Col. Stephen Besinaiz, presented on June 22nd, 2025 during an international zoom meeting, the conclusions of an exhaustive review and audit of all International activities including accounting between 2000 and 2024 with the presentation of proposals, subsequently approved by the Curia and Chancellery, for immediate international implementation of reform.
The meeting Began with a prayer to Saint Michael after which Judge Besinaiz addressed the 20 Officers assembled Officers including Chaplain General Bishop D. Manuel António Mendes dos Santos representing the Curia, H.R.H. D. Dinis de Bragança, Duke of Porto representing the Chancellery and Secretary General / Chancellor Carlos Evaristo representing the Federation of Royal Brotherhoods.
In the opening address it was explained by Judge Besinaiz that “It should be clarified that we, the Commission have FULL “EXECUTIVE POWER” granted us by the Grand Master and the Grand Chancellor in
representation of the Chancellery, by the Secretary General in representation of the RISMA Judges, by the Chaplain General in representation of the Bishops and by the Grand Chaplain in representation of the Chaplains, to review, audit and scrutinize not only the activities and accounting but also every aspect of
the running of the Royal Brotherhood and Order during the past 25 years. And, after making an assessment, to DELIBERATE AND IMPLEMENT IMMEDIATE CHANGES AND POLICIES without need of approval, and thus provide accountability, and reform to the organization for continued transparency”.
Judge Besinaiz, acting as Extraordinary Officer and Head of the Audit Commission of the International Federation Secretariat is also President of the American Association of Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House 501(c)3 organization and was commissioned by the new Federation Board in September of 2024 to carry our the review and audit and present its conclusions to the Chancellery of the Order, the Curia , the General Secretariat of the International Federation of Royal Brotherhoods of the Archangel Saint Michael, its Council members and Delegates.
I. REGARDING THE REVIEW AND PROPOSED CHANGES IN NORMS FOR ADMISSION AND PROMOTION
The Commission confirmed that:
1) Since 2000 to present (June 2025), International Passage Fees for simultaneous admission of members into the Diocesan Royal Brotherhoods and the Order of Saint Michael of the Wing (now Royal Brotherhoods and Order of the Archangel Saint Michael), through any one of the 12 Canonically Erected Diocesan Royal Brotherhoods, was set at 500.00 € with 100.00 € yearly dues having been established.
2) Each Diocesan RISMA however, being autonomous, when organizing investiture ceremonies, or recruiting members through Delegates or Recruiting Officers, may have justifiably added onto this amount during investiture ceremonies expenses of participation of postulants in venues, pilgrimages, lunches, dinners, including insignia, capes, etc. or else may have stipulated and so collected a one-time donation for dues in whatever amount was determined by the Board or Curia. This means that the admission of members in anyone of the 12 Diocesan Royal Brotherhoods ranged between 500 – 1,850.00€ at the corresponding rank of Knight or Dame.
3) Promotional fees in the same amount of 500.00 € were to be levied per rank normally after three years of postulancy with the contribution of annual dues or an additional one-time promotional fee collected by the Diocesan Royal Brotherhood or its representative (Bishop, Episcopal Secretary, Chaplain, Treasurer, Delegate, Extraordinary Delegate or Recruiting Officer).
4) In the cases of the RISMA Diocese of São Tomé e Príncipe and the RISMA of the Ukrainian Dioceses, these having permitted, up until now, and due to urgent need for funds, admission of members at ranks in the Order higher than that of Knight or Dame, provided the Passage Fees or Promotional Fees were received, or else merited for donations equivalent to or over and above the stipulated amounts in 1), 2) and 3) also received by the Diocesan Royal Brotherhood or its representative (Bishop, Episcopal Secretary, Chaplain Treasurer, Delegate, Extraordinary Delegate or Recruiting Officer).
DELIBERATION – In the case of those invested Motu Proprio by the Grand Master or the Episcopacy for outstanding merit or extraordinary services rendered with exemption of Fees and Dues, LET IT BE KNOWN that no promotion in the Order may be solicited not even upon contribution of Passage Fees, as the admission in this category is not compatible with the promotional structure as delineated in the Statutes of the Royal Brotherhood.
Given the necessity to review all admission cases, it is now recommended to the Diocesan RISMA for Postulants to complete a minimum one-year postulancy period, as brothers of the Royal Brotherhood, before being proposed by two long standing members as a Knight or Dame of the Order.
The admission and case review process will now be fully supervised by the Chief Inspector for Admission and Senior Case Review Officer.
FURTHERMORE – In keeping with the Statues, Protocols and Norms, NO members of Diocesan Royal Brotherhoods are permitted to contact the Grand Master, Curia, Chief Inspector for Admission and Senior Case Review Officer or any of the members of the Chancellery or General Secretariat on matters pertaining to the Royal Brotherhood or the Order, but must address their concerns, questions or proposals for admission to their Judges, Delegates or Recruiting Officers. In the event of not being able to contact the aforementioned within 30 days, communication through the official International Federation Secretariat email address is recommended.
Judge Besinaiz stressed; “being military we at the AMS RISMA respect the chain of command and expect everyone in the organization to also have this respect for the hierarchal structure and that each member on matters pertaining to the organization, only contact the imediate superior. The Commission will not tolerate any abuses in this regard.”
II. REGARDING ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND AUDIT
Lt. Col. Stephen Besinaiz then explained that In keeping with the decision of the General Secretariat and Council of the International Federation, on September 29th, 2024, to have a full Review of activities and fiscal Audit of the International Receipts of all RISMA Federation Associations as of 2001 and including a Review of all previously approved and Audited autonomous accounting of each collective associative and Diocesan RISMA structure including pilgrimage and event accounting, the following was confirmed:
CONFIRMED FACTS
The Commission confirmed that:
1) The RISMA of the Diocese of São Tomé e Príncipe and the RISMA of the Ukrainian Dioceses, being the only associations that have allowed for international “honorary” membership in the Royal Brotherhood and Order, found it necessary, in the past, to maintain Extraordinary Nominal Delegates in the United States of America, New Zealand, Ukraine, Philippines, Brazil and the UK, so as to collect funds, (Passage Fees, Dues, Extraordinary Donations, Subsidies etc.) into bank or digital payment platforms, online payment gateways, or electronic funds transfer services accounts set up for members of non-European Union (EU) RISMA Delegations* as well as to collect funds from members of Associations governing Orders of Merit, memberships in Legions of the Royal Honor Guard, Confreres of the Royal Confraternity of the Holy Constable and Members of the Hereditary Knights Circle, etc.
* Delegations of the São Tomé e Principe Diocese in the United States of America, Canada, UK and Commonwealth Countries, Ukraine, Russia (Currently suspended), Macau, Philippines, East Timor, Angola and Mozambique.
2) The aforementioned Extraordinary Delegates were also to collect extraordinary donations of support for ongoing projects (e.g., construction projects and acquisitions) meriting extraordinary recognition Motu Proprio as proposed by the Dioceses to the Royal House Chancellery according to Protocol Partnerships. These were also proven to have subsequently made sporicidal, direct payments to suppliers of services both on behalf of the Dioceses, the Associations, or Foundations with Protocols under the Patronage of the Royal House, either in Portugal, or in former Portuguese Territory non-European countries.
3) Pursuant to II, 2) said Extraordinary Delegates have likewise collected funds from members for payment of services provided to the same or sponsored by the RISMA International Federation for Patrons, Curia and VIP guests during Pilgrimages, Royal Visits and including mass stipends to Chaplains, Donations to Churches for their usage and most especially, the continual support to the São Tomé e Príncipe “Casa dos Pequeninos” Orphanage, and the Ukraine COVID / War Relief Fund, which are some of the main causes supported by the RISMA Federation and the Royal House and its charities, since the Pandemic and the war.
(e.g., Extraordinary donations to construction projects, archival equipment for the Sister Lucia Archive and Museum, purchasing reliquaries/monstrances, purchase of buildings for school in São Tome e Príncipe, silver lamps for Santiago de Compostela, golden embroidered vestments for Santiago de Compostela, sculptured monstrance at Oseira Monastery, and 500 – 1000 Euros stipends for Investiture Masses, and use of buildings for activities. These payments were made directly to the institutions or suppliers of services because once money enters specific accounts like the Claretian or Foundations, only those organizations can access those funds and thus the deposit in these of accounts was a decision the Curia had made.)
4) Due to the fact that the greater part of the members of the São Tomé e Príncipe Diocesan RISMA live outside the Diocese and are admitted into that Royal Brotherhood through non-European Union (EU) Delegations, it was also the confirmed practice of the Curia that the part of the Passage Fees pertaining to the memberships in this Diocesan RISMA would go directly to the accounts or be given in hand to the Bishops, Vicar Generals, Episcopal Secretaries or Chaplain / Treasurers of this Diocese or the account in Lisbon, Portugal, of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretian Missionaries) an account also set up to support that Diocese which being African could otherwise not have an account in the EU. (It was confirmed that from 2001 – 2015 members would bring cash envelopes to the Bishop of São Tomé e Principe at events, a practice set up by former Bishop D. Abílio Rodas de Sousa Ribas R.I.P. This practice continued until 2015 when the Claretian and Extraordinary Delegate accounts were set up by order of the Curia under Bishop D. Manuel António Mendes dos Santos. These funds however were also accounted for and had referenced on receipts that they had been given in hand to the Bishop who subsequently signed the receipts.)
5) Additionally, all Passage Fees, Dues and Donations pertaining to membership in the aforementioned Associations of the Faithful Canonically Erected in the Diocese of São Tomé e Príncipe or mentioned in II, 1) benefiting the same and including donations meriting the concession of the Diocesan decoration Cross of São Tomé Apóstolo, likewise have been transferred to the account in Lisbon, Portugal, of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretian Missionaries) referred to in II, 4).
6) In conformity with I, 1 – 3) all U.S. members of the Archdiocese for Military Services RISMA have contributed to the US accounts of the corresponding São Miguel Association 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with issue of tax-deductible receipts for income tax purposes.
7) Likewise, in conformity with I, 1 – 3) all Spanish heritage and Spanish language members of the RISMA from Spain including those from all Hispanic Countries in the world were found to have contributed to the Spanish accounts of the Delegations and the subsequent corresponding Canonically Erected Santiago de Compostela Archdiocesan Association of the Faithful with issue of tax-deductible receipts for income tax purposes.
8) Also, in conformity with I, 1 – 3) all Portuguese members of the Évora Archdiocese Royal Brotherhood have been found to contribute to the Portuguese bank account of the Association of the Faithful set up in Évora, Portugal with issue of tax-deductible receipts for income tax purposes.
The accounting referred to in II, 6 – 8) have previously been audited, reviewed and scrutinized locally under own Diocesan systems and hierarchy prior to submitting a report to Chancellery. This Committee is only scrutinizing and reviewing the system prior to these diocesan accounts, now reviewing all revenue previously mentioned and expense funds prior to 2012/2013.) This Audit did not scrutinize or confirm where funds were spent by the Curia or the administration as that is no-one’s concern but the bishops.
9) It was also the practice that at year’s end all residual funds in the account of AMS Diocesan Royal Brotherhood is publicly given to the Archbishop of the Archdiocese for Military services at the annual AMS fundraising dinner in Washington D.C., whereas the residual funds in the account of the American Association of Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House 501(c)3 and in the bank and digital payment platforms, online payment gateways, or electronic funds transfer services accounts of Extraordinary Delegates is withdrawn and personally given to the Bishop of the Diocese of São Tomé e Príncipe or otherwise personally given to or transferred to the account of the Mukachevo Ukraine Diocese Chaplain / Treasurer Father Oleksander Gurzinsky on behalf of the Bishop of that Ukraine.
On this point, D. Manuel António Mendes dos Santos personally confirmed these practices during the “zoom” meeting. and Judge Besinaiz stressed that: “All this Commission needed to confirm, and did, is that all monies for admissions, promotions and donations, etc. were indeed accounted for and received by the Diocesan Authority or went wherever it had deliberated with receipts on record for having been issued for each amount with reference on receipt and in the individual physical case files of members as to where and when it was collected and into what account or payment system the Bishop or his representative had specified or if it was otherwise given in cash to the same or his representative.”
DELIBERATION: The reactivating of the Portuguese 501 (3) C Association of Saint Michael which will be managed by the Grand Chancellor and the Royal Princes so as to collect funds and percentages from RISMA for personal travel and representation expenses and also royalties and donations from possible merchandising.
CONCLUSION: IT WAS VERIFIED THAT ALL DIOCESAN RISMA OPERATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCAL LAWS AND THE CONCORDAT BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND PORTUGAL. IT WAS ALSO CONFIRMED WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, PREJUDICE, QUESTION OR RESERVATION, THAT THERE WERE NO IRREGULARITIES OR ABUSES COMMITTED SINCE 2000 AND THAT ALL FUNDS RECEIVED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2001 AND SEPTEMBER 2024 WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AND HAD CORRESPONDING RECEIPTS ISSUED WITH COPIES ON RECORD IN THE RESPECTIVE ACCOUNTING LEDGERS AND INDIVIDUALL MEMBERSHIP FILES. SAID ACTIVITIES WERE APPROVED BY THE CURIA WITH ACCOUNTING MADE AVAILABLE BY THE JUDGES FOR CONSULTATION OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE RESPECTIVE CURIA, GENERAL ASSEMBLY, CHANCELLERY, CHAPLAINS, JUDGES AND INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OFFICERS. A CONSULATION OF THE ARCHIVE HAD PROVEN THAT FROM 2001 UNTIL 2010 AN ACCOUNTING FIRM HAD BEEN HIRED LOCALLY BY GRAND CHANCELLOR D. JOÃO VICENTE SALDANHA DE OLIVEIRA E SOUSA R.I.P. TO CARRY OUT A YEARLY ACCOUNTING FOR THE ORDER AND THAT THIS WAS DONE UNTIL LOCAL DIOCESAN ACCOUNTING WAS IMPLEMENTED BY EACH RISMA.
COMISSION WARNS “INVESTIGATIONS TO CRACK DOWN ON VARIOUS REPORTED ABUSES BY MEMBERS WILL COMMENCE WITH SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS IF NECESSARY“
WARNING – In accordance with the RISMA Federation Statutes of 2000, the Diocesan Statues and Internal Regulative Norms of each Diocesan Royal Brotherhood ANY AND ALL form of public or private criticism amongst members regarding the operative norms and practices referred to in I and II implemented by the Curia as well as ALL unjustified suspicions and denunciation, having been raised or carried out by members with the malicious intent to defame, raise suspicions and foster denunciations and attacks against the honesty, integrity and good name of the Members of the Board of any of the 12 Diocesan Royal Brotherhoods, the Curia, the members of the General Secretariat of the International Federation, Members of the Chancellery, Judges, Treasurers, Episcopal Secretaries, Delegates, Extraordinary Delegates, Recruiting Officers, Patrons, Chaplains, etc., will warrant notification with the member being asked to apologize. If they refuse to recant and apologize or if they are repeat offenders, in accordance with the Statutes, they will face Immediate suspension, expulsion or auto-exclusion from events depending on the gravity of the infraction. This to be determined by the Bishop.
Following this point, five of the Officers, Judges and Delegates participating in the meeting voiced concerns over various members who had been expressing themselves negatively in public both in Portugal and abroad with rumors and comments being circulated against other members and the organization and this in a continuous manner.
Judge Besinaiz clarified that in fact following several reports the Commission had received regarding the malicious behavior of several members and even the sad news of persons having been convicted by the Civil Courts for racist comments on social media; actions are being carried out by the Commission: “So as to halt these persistent infractors and their attacks on the good name of Officers of Royal Brotherhood and the Order itself. All. allegations brought up during this meeting regarding will be fully addressed and investigated and witnesses will be heard during a canonical inquiry. If these infractions are confirmed these members will be served with a CEASE-AND-DESIST LEGAL WRIT issued by an AMS RISMA lawyer demanding a Public Apology in writing so as to not be sued for criminal defamation but which will not necessarily avoid their suspension or expulsion.”
EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE – SUSPENSION OF ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS PENDING IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ADMISSION NORMS
DELIBERATION: WE HAVE DELIBERATED by suggestion of the General Secretariat the SUSPENSION OF INVESTITURES of any new Postulants with admission files submitted after May 8th, 2025. THIS SUSPENSION WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL the new operating procedures recommended by the Commission are implemented namely the Collection of ALL FUNDS coming from members of non-European (EU) Delegations* by the American Association of Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established by Mandate of the Royal House, Curia and the General Secretariat for this purpose with the Bezines Group 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established as the only Protocol Partner to fundraise and collect funds for all Protocol Projects, Foundations and Associations.
III. CHANGES IN RISMA STATUTES AND NORMS
PERMITTING OR PROHIBITING TRANSFER OF MEMBERS
1) In conformity with the 2000 Decree of the Grand Master, the Order of Saint Michael of the Wing, today known as the Royal Order of the Archangel Saint Michael, has ceased to have any form of organization or representation in Portugal or abroad including Delegates and Delegations, reserving only its Chancellery for the keeping of records and the maintaining as an admission and case review instrument. Anyone claiming to represent the Order or the Royal House or Grand Master other than the members of the Royal Family or the Chancellery, will merit Immediate Suspension and auto-exclusion from events.
2) Since 2000 each member of the Order, whether invested Motu Proprio, or simultaneously through admission in a Diocesan Royal Brotherhood, MUST belong to one of the 12 Canonically Erected Royal Brotherhoods of the same sovereign invocation, so as to have an active social participation and to provide financial support to the Diocesan Royal Charities and Protocol Projects under the Patronage of the Portuguese Royal House.
3) Royal Brotherhoods, may have Delegates, Extraordinary Delegates, Delegations, Recruiting Officers and other forms of “Canonical” representation as afforded Canonically Erected Associations of the Faithful.
4) Concerning III, 1 – 3) RISMA-AMS has informed all former members of the RISMA Family in the USA and of all non-European (EU) Diocesan RISMA Delegations, that the RISMA of the Archdiocese for Military Services US petitioned in 2023 and obtained from its Archbishop, the alteration of its Statutes so as to now admit and include, in its membership roster, any non-military honorary members, residing in North or South America or in any of the Delegations in the territories outside the EU*.
5) In view of III, 4) any members of the RISMA of the São Tomé e Príncipe or Ukraine Dioceses residing in North or South America or in other non-European countries, WISHING to transfer to the Royal Brotherhood of the Archdiocese for Military Services, are now free to solicit said transfer, the requests subject to be approved by the board of said Royal Brotherhood.
DELIBERATION – With the purpose of continuing to provide much needed income of the Portuguese national members of the Royal Brotherhood and Order of the São Tomé e Principe and Ukraine Diocesan RISMA transfers of members to the Évora Archdiocesan RISMA IS NOT TO BE PERMITTED. Those Portuguese Members openly critical of continuing to support and belong to these Associations of the Faithful, will merit Immediate Suspension and auto-exclusion from events.
FURTHERMORE – Those members of Delegations of the former RISMA of the São Tomé e Príncipe or Ukraine Dioceses residing in the United States of America or in other non-European countries NOT wishing to be admitted or transfer to the Royal Brotherhood of the Archdiocese for Military Services, as well as those members of other Associations with Order of Merit and Confraternities, WILL HENCEFORTH continue to support the aforementioned Dioceses through the American Association of Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which will turn over yearly dues to be collected to the Dioceses concerned with extraordinary funds for the Protocol Partner Projects of Foundations and Associations now being collected exclusively under Protocol by the Bezines Group 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
IV. ORGANIZATION AND PARTICIPATION AT INVESTITURE CEREMONIES, MASSES AND PILGRIMAGES
The Commission confirmed that:
1) In accordance with the Statues, each of the 12 Diocesan Royal Brotherhoods are autonomous and free to organize local Investiture Ceremonies and Votive and Commemorative Masses or other events, and although only members of their own Royal Brotherhood Roster, may participate in these events, the Boards however may invite official representative(s) of the Chancellery of the Order or of the Board of the other Royal Brotherhoods to attend, as guests, although said representatives are to be designated by their respective Diocesan RISMA board.
2) Patrons and VIP or local civil or ecclesiastic authorities may also be invited as guests to attend any of the events mentioned in IV, 1), however, neither these nor any designated representatives of other Diocesan RISMA may attend, participate, vote or comment in the General Assemblies of Diocesan Associations they do not belong, unless written consent has been given by the respective Curia.
3) All members of the 12 Diocesan Royal Brotherhoods are invited, and may attend International Federation events; i.e., Investiture Masses, Commemorative Masses or Pilgrimages.
DELIBERATION – All International Federation Pilgrimage Investiture events and Pilgrimages will be organized exclusively by the American Association of Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House (USA) with help from Extraordinary Federation Delegates G.C. Dave Carollo, G.C. Paul Perry with G.C. Hung Nguyen acting as Treasurer for the collection of all funds, G.C. Armando Calado being HEREBY NOMINATED Master of Ceremonies in charge of all operations for events being organized in Portugal on behalf of the aforementioned Association and for the purpose of confirmation of reservations.
NOTE: Continued non participation of members at RISMA events and/or non contribution of yeary Dues will result in the impossibilty of promotion.
V. DELIBERATION REGARDING PROPER AND INPROPER USAGE OF INSIGNIA, COLLARS AND CAPES
DELIBERATION – Insignia of the Order can be used without impediment by all members during events where the use of the same is deemed appropriate and permitted. The Insignia of the Order is to be the main insignia displayed without exception, at the neck, breast star and Grand Cross sash at all RISMA events. If one does not have the insignia of the Order, then one should not wear any other insignia at RISMA events unless they are members of an invited Delegation of another Chivalric Order.
So as not to upstage or unintentionally insult the Grand Master, the Curia or Members of the Chancellery, Collars of the rank of Grand Cross with Collar of the RISMA are extraordinary honorary distinctions, and like the RISMA Collars of Rank worn by Judges, Delegates, Chaplains and the like are to be worn exclusively at International Federation events but only when the Grand Master is also wearing a Collar. The rank of Grand Cross with RISMA Collar is a Diocesan RISMA distinction and is not to be confused with the rank of the Order of Grand Collars OSMA. In order to distinguish the RISMA Collar of Merit from the RISMA Collar of Office, a different pendant symbol will be devised for the Collar of Office.
In order to avoid insult to parent Royal Houses or legitimate Church Orders and thus prevent abuses by Fantasy Orders the wearing of Insignia of any other Orders at events of the International Federation of Royal Brotherhood is subject to previous approval by the Judges of the respective boards.
All detected members of Fantasy Orders and or those that usurp the legitimate Orders of recognized parent Royal Houses (i.e., Self-styled Orders of pseudo-Imperial and Royal Houses of Brazil, Savoy, Hawai’i, Georgia, etc.) will merit immediate suspension and auto-exclusion from events.
WARNING AND CLARIFICATION – Regarding use of improper insignia, it has been reported to the International Federation General Secretariat that some members of the Royal Brotherhood and Order have been using insignia at events that is not authorized.
We hereby warn and clarify once again that since the year 2000, the use of the crown on any and all of the various insignia of the Order of Saint Michael is only allowed for those members of the Chancellery or people with a representative position or charge in the Royal Brotherhoods such as Patrons, Judges, Delegates and Chaplains. No one else may wear the crown on the insignia without any exception!
In the year 2000, the order adopted the medieval original insignia without crown but since then many members have persisted in using the crown on the insignia. The unauthorized use of the crown on insignia is considered usurpation of representative charge will merit Immediate Suspension and auto-exclusion from events.
All those members of the Royal Brotherhood who are wearing such unauthorized insignia are ordered to immediately remove the crown so as to avoid any unpleasant and embarrassing situations.
Following this warning anyone who continues to perpetrate such abuses will merit Immediate Suspension and auto-exclusion from events. Those having obtained the wrong insignia please contact the authorized supplier for a. exchange or modification.
REGARDING PARTICIPATION OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL HONOR GUARD (RHG) AT RISMA EVENTS
An important Clarification regarding the use of Royal Honor Guard Insignia and Mantles
Due to various abuses and cases of unauthorized participation or misrepresentation, the General Command is forced to remind all members that the use of insignia and mantles is exclusive to Royal Honor Guard events and services being rendered at castles, pantheons, tombs and national monuments during authorized events.
Additionally, these acolytes may be worn by designated Honor Guards in attendance to HRH the Duke of Bragança but ONLY at events where Dom Duarte or members of the Royal family are present and this by punctual designated of the General Command.
Apart from these occasions, no membership distinctions may be worn at religious or social events without previous permission being sought and granted by the General Command.
Members of the General Command, Patrons and Chaplains in official representation of the RHG may wear these acolytes without any restrictions.
It should be understood that the insignia of the RHG, unlike the insignia of Royal Orders IS NOT be worn on the neck or breast without mantle.
Breast stars and Collars of the RHG DO NOT represent knightly ranks but rather ranks within the command structure and so should not be worn alongside those of Orders on civil attire at social events.
Likewise, insignia should not be worn on ribbons or bows at the breast unless those wearing them are military in full uniform, members of the LOF or members of the General Command in representation of the RHG.
Miniatures and lapel pins of RHH insignia may be worn without any restrictions.
All unauthorized use of insignia and mantles and use of unauthorized insignia will merit Immediate Suspension and auto-exclusion from events.
In closing Grand Chancellor D. Dinis thanked everyone present and Secretary General Carlos Evaristo informed that the DOCUMENT issued by the Commission in Washington D.C, USA, on June 10th, 2025, would be published in the English Language in conformity with the September 29th, 2024 International Federation resolution.
Bishop D. Manuel António Mendes dos Santos thanked everyone who participated in the meeting including the members of chancellery, Judges, Chaplains, Delegates, Recruiting Officers etc. and imparted his blessing hoping to see everyone present at the September 26 – October 4, 2025 International Pilgrimage.
FONTE: Lt. Col Stephen-Michael Besinaiz (Ret.) KSS, GCSMA-Collar, KCVV
- Judge of the Royal Order and Brotherhood of Saint Michael of the Wing – Archdiocese of US Military Services, President of the American Association of Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House
- Extraordinary Fiscal Officer and Head of the Audit Commission of the International Federation Secretariat /President of the American Association of Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House
June 22, 2025