ECCLESIASTICAL CONSTITUTION I
CONCERNING THE GOVERNANCE OF THE CHURCH
Introduction.
1. Need for a Church. Being ever desirous of establishing and promoting the true worship of the Triune God throughout all of the world, inasmuch as my meagre abilities allow, and finding that in the Empire of the Alexandrians there exists no place where her citizens can go to pray, to worship together, and perhaps to increase their knowledge of the Faith and the Holy Scriptures, I have sought and by the grace of God have abundantly received the support of the Alexandrian people for the establishment of a new Church in and for the Empire, being honoured even by the support of His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor.
2. Establishment of the Church. Therefore, I do by this Constitution create, establish, and constitute a Christian Church for the Empire of the Alexandrians, to be known as the Church of Alexandria. And I do appoint and declare this Constitution, and such subsequent Ecclesiastical Constitutions as may lawfully be made, to be its governing rule and charter in perpetuity.
3. Clergy and Laity. Within the Church there are laity, or the ordinary members of the Church, and clergy, or the members who have been designated to lead the laity in worship, and to preach on the Faith. No clergyman of the Alexandrian Church shall, however, claim for himself the sacramental authority which is held only by those in Holy Orders, validly conferred by macronational Christian Churches alone. The titles and offices held by the clergy lend grace and majesty to the Church, and enrich its ceremonies, but are not intended to imply the actual possession of the relevant ranks of Holy Orders.
4. The Archbishop. The Primate of the Empire, who holds episcopal title as Archbishop of Geneva, is the highest officer and the overall spiritual leader of the Church. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, he has the appointment and dismissal of all offices within the Church. The Primate himself is elected by the Sacred College to serve until his natural death, voluntary resignation, or removal by a three-fourths majority of the same body.
5. Suffragan Bishops. Each See or Diocese of the Church shall have a Bishop, appointed by the Archbishop to serve until his death, resignation, or removal by a two-thirds majority of the Sacred College. Bishops shall preferably be appointed from amongst the residents of their Diocese, and no person shall serve as Bishop in multiple Dioceses.No person shall be appointed bishop of a diocese unless that diocese has at least three members of the church residing in its boundaries.
8. Vicars-General and Vicars. The Archbishop may appoint a vicar-general to aid in the affairs of the Archdiocese. Suffragan bishop may appoint vicars to aid in the affairs of their diocese. In the absence of regularly appointed suffragan bishops, the Archbishop may appoint a vicar to aid in the affairs of a diocese until a bishop is appointed and consecrated. (Added by the Sacred College, 6 September 2014)
8. Diocesan Sees. The Archdiocese shall be divided into four dioceses, each led by a suffragan bishop: the Diocese of Edgardia, which shall handle the ecclesiastical affairs of the Imperial Province of Valenciennes; the Diocese of Crecy, which shall handle the ecclesiastical affairs of the Imperial Province of Ibelin; the Diocese of Los Santos, which shall handle the ecclesiastical affairs of the Imperial Province of San Martin; and the Diocese of Kakali City, which shall handle the ecclesiastical affairs of the Overseas Imperial Provinces. The ecclesiastical affairs of all other areas of the Empire shall be reserved for the Archdiocese of Geneva.
10. Composition and Jurisdiction. The Sacred College shall comprise all members of the Church, sitting together in a single chamber under the presidency of the Archbishop or a person designated by him. It shall meet regularly to exercise its elective and executive functions as set out in this Constitution, and to discuss and debate matters of the Faith. Should it happen that the total membership of the Sacred College exceeds twenty persons, the right to vote therein shall be restricted to the clergy of the Church.
11. Manner of Voting. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, all votes in the Sacred College shall be decided by a majority of those who declare their votes within twenty-four hours of the vote in question being called.
12. Ecclesiastical Constitutions. The Church regulates its internal administration and defines its various ranks and divisions by promulgating Ecclesiastical Constitutions. Both the Archbishop and the Sacred College shall have authority to issue such Constitutions, provided that the Constitutions of the Archbishop are not repugnant to those of the Sacred College, which have superior weight and force.
13. Amendment. This Constitution may only be revised, amended, or abrogated by the Sacred College.
AMENDED AT GENEVA ON THIS THE SIXTH OF SEPTEMBER, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD TWO-THOUSAND AND FOURTEEN