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Q. What is the House of Sellassie and what are the responsibilities of the Secretariat General of the House of Sellassie?
As the dynastic family in descent through the line of primogeniture from H.I.M. Amha Sellassie, eldest son of H.I.M. Haile Sellassie, the House of Sellassie is distinct from and not to be confused with: 1.) the Imperial Family of the Solomonic Dynasty or, 2.) the Imperial Ethiopian Crown Council.In the first instance, Article 16 of the 1955 Constitution states:
“The Imperial Family shall include all direct lineal ascendants and descendants, together with their spouses, of the Emperor, with the exception of those who have not complied with the provisions of Article 15 or who are not of the Ethiopian Orthodox Faith.” (Sourcebook of Ethiopian Constitutional Law p. 2-24.)3.) In the second instance, only in Article 70 is there a discussion of the Imperial Ethiopian Crown Council: “The Emperor may, in such instances as He deems appropriate, convene the Crown Council, which shall consist of the Archbishop, such Princes, Ministers, and Dignitaries as may be designated by Him, and the President of the Senate. The Crown Council shall be presided over by the Emperor or by a member designated by Him.”
All financial matters are left to the individual members of the Imperial Family to decide for themselves. All political decisions are left to the discretion of the Interregnum Regent of the Crown Council, H.I.M. Bekere Fikre-Sellassie, a member of the House of Sellassie.
The House of Sellassie, as the dynastic family of primogeniture, focusses its energies on humanitarian and cultural issues exclusively. It sees itself as the Supreme Patron of Ethiopian Culture and maintains a stringently passive position both as regards Ethiopian and American politics. This apolitical policy allows it to work quietly with the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church in matters of outreach to the African Diaspora, and to encourage the Ethiopian arts and music and to engage in humanitarian efforts to better the life of all Ethiopians and of all those of African heritage world wide.
The House of Ethiopia shuns publicity and cultivates anonymity in its work. It is recognized by the International Chivalric Community as the dynastic family of primogeniture. The order of precedence flows through H.I.H. Zara Yaqob, and H.I.H. Samson Fikre-Sellassie. H.I.H. Princess Esther Sellassie Antohin serves as the Chief Executive Officer.
The Secretariat General functions to provide all infra-structural services to the House of Sellassie. It is drawn from key personnel of the Sept of the Knight de Bryan, Sodality of the Ark International, an institutional member of the Clans of Ireland, Ltd., the administrative organization of all Irish clans. Chief of Clan Bryan, Chev. Charles Bryant-Abraham, PhD, (see THE INTERVIEW WITH ARCHDEACON ATLAW) serves as Secretary General and the clan has accepted responsibility as the Honour Guard of the House of Sellassie. The Sept of the Knight de Bryan, Sodality of the Ark International, has opened its scroll of honorary membership to all who are committed to the support of the humanitarian and cultural endeavors of the House of Sellassie.
On St. Patrick's Day 1999 the House of Sellassie, Fons et Origo Honorum Aethiopiae, founded by H.I.M. Haile Sellassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, the Lion of Judah, and under the executive administration of H.I.H. Princess Esther Sellasie-Antohin, summoned the Sept of the Knight de Bryan, Sodality of the Ark International, institutionally affiliated with The Clans of Ireland, Ltd., administrative organization of all Irish clans, to serve as The Noble Corporation of the Knights de Bryan, Honour Guard of the Imperial House of Sellassie.
It should be noted that a noble corporation, al it shares many of the historical attributes and functions of a Chivalric Order, is nevertheless distinct from Chivalric Orders in many ways. It is the performance of dynastic duties that ennobles a Knight de Bryan, tesserae nobilitatis ex officio.
The Meritorious Ethiopian Order of the Lion of Judah was subsequently founded and lodged within The Noble Corporation of the Knights de Bryan, Honour Guard of the House of Sellassie, which accepted responsibility for conferring it on individuals deemed of merit by the House of Sellassie. Men and women of African Heritage, who through their accomplishments in the professions, the arts, academics, sports, entertainment, religiona and journalism have brought lustre and honor to the African Diaspora are nominated for the conferral of this honor.
At present the Honour Guard of the House of Sellassie is engaged in two primary service projects: (1) development of the Sellassie Y2K Children of Jah internet coordinated Reggae concerts with funds dedicated to war relief efforts for the children of both sides of the Ethio-Eritrean conflict; (2) in its function as the Sodality of the Ark International (cf. www.restorationfoundation.com) advancement of the Restoration/Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church outreach into the African Diaspora. The Restoration movement, an international, non-political, transdenominational movement to restore the Hebraic Biblical foundations of Christianity, is spiritually and philosophically assisted in its African outreach program by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church, the only authentically African Christianity never filtered through European thought processes. The objectives of the Restoration Foundation, whose fall issue of its quarterly Restore! will feature Princess Esther and articles by a wide spectrum of African American religious leadership.
The Noble Corporation of the Knights de Bryan, Honour Guard of the Imperial House of Sellassie, is currently open to nominatiohs for cooptation, with North American, Scandinavian, Persian, Francophone, and Middle Eastern Commanderies. A commandery for the African Diaspora, to include the Caribbean, and Central and South America , is under preparation.
Individuals, men and women equally, may submit a brief autobiography - no nick-names/full mailing address -in petition for nomination. Evidence of personal commitment to the humanitarian and cultural work of the House of Sellassie should be included. Petitions may be addressed to e-mail: joshua@sdcoe.k12.ca.us
The Chevalier Sir Charles Bryant-Abraham, PhD Secretary General of the House of Sellassie