Jonathan I and Princess Hannah marry
Emperor Jonathan I and the now Empress Hannah have been married in two ceremonies over the last few days. The couple were legally wed in a Church of England ceremony on Saturday 5th November, and their marriage was then celebrated according to the rites of the Orthodox Church on Monday 7th. The decision to hold two ceremonies was taken by the couple in order to emphasis equal respect for both of their respective religious traditions. The Anglican service, held on Saturday 5th, took place in the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Beddington, the parish attended by the Empress and her family during her childhood. This was followed by a reception at a golf course conference centre by Oaks Park. The Orthodox service, held on Monday 7th, took place in the Church of Ss. Constantine and Helen, attended by the Emperor since he joined the Orthodox Church in July 2011. It was livestreamed by Emperor Father Terry in the official Austenasia Facebook group, and followed by a celebratory buffet. Both services were attended by many of the friends and family of the imperial couple, as well as various state dignitaries. Emperor Adam I of Adammia and King Calum I of the Grove – the former of whom served as one of Jonathan I’s groomsmen – attended both services, and the former Emperor Esmond III attended the Orthodox service. Lord Timothy, the Emperor’s cousin, was his best man, and his sister Crown Princess Caroline was another of his groomspeople. Lord John Gordon, former Prime Minister, had planned to attend as another of the Emperor’s groomsmen, but was unfortunately unable to make it due to illness. Congratulations have been pouring in from numerous well-wishers from across the globe. The Prime Minister, Lord William Wilson, designed an arms of alliance for the imperial couple in his capacity as Chief Herald, which was prominently displayed behind their table at Saturday’s wedding reception and referenced in the Emperor’s speech. The imperial couple first met on 11 November 2011, began a romantic relationship on 5 November 2015, and were engaged in September 2016. Their engagement lasted several years, due to the desire to complete their university degrees before focusing on wedding planning. The Empress has reigned as Princess of Wildflower Meadows since May 2016. As this position is that of a sovereign head of state, she will likely continue to go by Princess in various contexts.
Easter celebrated by the Imperial Family
Easter was yesterday celebrated by the Imperial Family, and across the Empire. Austenasia recognises both Western Easter and Orthodox Easter as public holidays, which this year fell on the same date. Emperor Jonathan I attended a midnight service on Saturday evening at his church, the Greek Orthodox Church of Ss. Constantine and Helen, whereas the rest of the Imperial Family joined the population of Zephyria at a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church. On Sunday afternoon, Jonathan I and Princess Consort Hannah were hosted with the rest of the Imperial Family at the residence of the Boxalls, the maternal relatives of the Emperor. An evening buffet was enjoyed, and board games played. Western Easter is calculated by the Gregorian calendar and observed by Protestants and Roman Catholics, whereas Orthodox Easter is calculated by the Julian calendar and observed by the Orthodox Church. The two Easters are therefore usually observed separately, but sometimes – as on this year – fall on the same date. This last happened in 2014, and will not occur again until 2025.
Emperor founds Christian charitable order
Emperor Jonathan I has founded the Order of Saint Constantine as a specifically Christian order of chivalry for Austenasia. Members of the Order must be baptised Christians. Also – uniquely for Austenasian orders of chivalry – the Order is to function as a philanthropic organisation, raising money for various charities. A meeting of the Order, which has started off with ten founding members, will take place at some point in July or August in order to discuss the means and decide the recipients of their fundraising. The date of the Order’s foundation is of some significance. May 21st is the feast day of Emperor Constantine the Great and his mother Helen, who Christians venerate as saints. Ss Constantine and Helen have been named the patron saints of the new Order. They are also the patron saints of the church attended by the Emperor, to which he went this morning to attend a service celebrating the feast day. The new Order ranks below the Glorious Order of St. John and above the Order of the Bullmastiff.
Emperor hosts fundraiser quiz night
Yesterday evening, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor hosted a fundraising quiz night at Carshalton Methodist Church. Emperor Jonathan I set up a quiz evening in a hall next to Carshalton Methodist Church as a means of fundraising for the construction of a cultural centre being built by his own church, the Greek Orthodox Church of Ss. Constantine and Helen. Money raised by the entry price was split between the two churches. Emperor Mother Margaret and Crown Princess Caroline, both of whom regularly attend Carshalton Methodist, helped the Emperor prepare the hall for the quiz. Refreshments during a break in the middle were free, but the Crown Princess was also selling home-made cakes to raise money for a humanitarian trip to India she plans to go on with her school next year. Over £150 was raised for Carshalton Methodist, St. Constantine’s, and the fund for Crown Princess Caroline’s India trip. The entire population of Greater Wrythe attended the quiz night, as did several members of Carshalton Methodist, with an overall attendance of over 30. There were seven rounds, on subjects including history, geography, general knowledge, and famous quotations. The members of the winning team each got a notebook and pen as a prize.
Easter celebrated by the Imperial Family
Easter was celebrated yesterday by the Imperial Family, and across the Empire. Easter Sunday, which is an official public holiday in Austenasia, was celebrated with members of the Boxall family (the relatives of the Emperor Mother) visiting the Imperial Residence, where a meal of roast lamb was eaten. Chocolate Easter eggs had already been handed out amongst the Imperial Family at the start of the day. Commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the day was also observed with attendance at church services. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor went to a midnight service on Saturday evening at the Greek Orthodox Church of Ss Constantine and Helen, and the other members of the Imperial Family went to a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church. Crown Princess Caroline was given a bag of chocolate eggs by the Emperor to share amongst the children at the latter church.
The Emperor celebrates Orthodox Easter
HIM Emperor Jonathan I has become the first western emperor in over 900 years to attend an Orthodox Christian Easter service. The Emperor, who converted to the Orthodox Church in May 2011 while still Crown Prince, last night attended the midnight service at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saints Constantine and Helen at Crystal Palace, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Unlike Western Christianity, Eastern Christianity (which includes the Orthodox Church) uses the Julian instead of the Gregorian calendar to calculate the date of Easter (known as Pascha in Orthodoxy), meaning that it falls later than in the West most years. After prayers and chants, all light in the church was extinguished shortly before midnight. The congregation, all holding candles, then lit them from candles held by the priest by the altar, with the light spreading throughout the church as those with lit candles lit the candles of those standing behind them. Illuminated only by candlelight early on Easter morning, the Paschal troparian – a short Easter hymn – was sung (in Greek) by the congregation: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and bestowing life upon those in the tombs!” The troparian at last year’s service can be heard at this link. After celebrating the Resurrection, the 1600-year old Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was held, with the Emperor recieving Holy Communion before the service finished at around 02:15. It is thought that this is the first time for over 940 years that an emperor ruling in the west has attended an Orthodox Easter service. The last time that this would have happened would have been when (“Byzantine”) Roman co-Emperors Michael VII and Romanos IV celebrated Easter on 4 April 1070, the year before the last territory of the medieval Roman Empire in Italy fell to the Normans.
