Order of the Seraphic Star

History

The Order of the Seraphic Star, most senior of all baronial service awards in the Kingdom of the West¹, was founded by Vicar Sarkanyi Gero on January 9, 1971, A.S. V to recognize outstanding contributions to the Barony of the Angels. The Crown-chartered Order was organized along the lines of traditional European orders of chivalry, with active membership limited to twelve at any given time.² The sign of the Order at its initial creation was a stole-like mantle of pearl-grey moire faced with scarlet, with the intention that the insignia of the Order, a star, would hang from the center point of the stole.

Membership in the Order was conferred by the Baron of the Angels, who served as Prefect of the Order,³. Companions of the Order, up to three at a time, were admitted back then at Caid Twelfth Night⁴, although there were charter provisions to permit the admission of one additional member at mid-year, provided that the total number did not exceed twelve. The Prefect of the Order was not a member during his tenure, but assumed a special membership status upon leaving the post of Baron.

Companions of the Seraphic Star were expected to continue active service to the barony as a group, not just as individuals. This was most apparent in the Albert Fund, the name of which, if not the purpose, was familiar to most subjects of Caid when the Order was created. Albert, for whom the fund was named, is the toddler son of Demetrius Christianson of Athens, a member of the household of Viscount Sir Christian of Orange. Albert was born nearly four months premature and, because of oxygen difficulties in his incubator, was almost totally blind. The fund was established to help defray Albert's educational expenses. The source of the funds had been the sale of the fighting waivers and baked goods at local events, and the donations of the good people of Caid to the Maneki-Nekko⁵ cats.

In 1978, Sarkanyi Gero closed the Order. In 2004, it was restored by Baron Jason Thomas the Wanderer and Baroness Morgaine FitzStephen. Since then, the Baron and Baroness of the Angels admit new members after current members have been polled and the results reported to them by the Principal of the Order. Admission usually occurs at Angels Yule in December, and occasionally at Angels Anniversary in Sept/Oct.

¹It is actually the first Baronial Order created in the SCA.
²This has since changed, as evidenced by the list of recipients below.
³The current Principal of the Order is Baroness Gabrielle nicChlurain.
⁴New members are now inducted at Angels Yule.
⁵Donation collection was designated by the presence of a maneki-neko, the white, gold and green Japanese "welcome" or "lucky" cat statue with one paw raised.

Titles

No title is associated with this honor.

Token/Regalia

As noted in the article, a grey and red stole with a star dependent from the center is an insignia of the Order.

The badge of the Order is: (Fieldless) A mullet of six points argent surmounted by a set of seraph's wings Or, which was registered in April 2013, although the name of the Order was registered much earlier, in April 1981.