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Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (EGC), or the Gnostic Catholic Church, is the ecclesiastical arm of Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), an international fraternal initiatory organization devoted to promulgating the Law of Thelema. Thelema is the religious and philosophical system established by Aleister Crowley in 1904. The term "Catholic", of course, indicates "universal", as it does in the names of those Christian churches that use it.

The chief function of EGC is the performance of the Gnostic Mass (Liber XV), a eucharistic ritual written by Crowley in 1913. The structure of the Mass is influenced by the rite of the Russian Orthodox Church; its content draws from the symbols and texts of Thelema. Its most notable divergence from similar rites of other churches is that both a Priest and a Priestess officiate, the latter sitting unclothed on the altar during most of the ceremony. In addition to the Mass, baptism, confirmation, marriage, and last rites are offered by EGC.

Crowley described the Gnostic Mass as "the central ritual of the OTO, both public and private". It is the single most commonly performed ritual at OTO bodies, with many locations celebrating the Mass monthly or more frequently. Most OTO bodies make some or all of these celebrations open to interested members of the public, so the Mass is often an outsider's first experience of the OTO.

EGC has a hierarchical structure of clergy, assisting officers, and laity which parallels the degree structure of the OTO initiatory system. Before 1997, the two systems were more loosely correlated, but since then there have been strict rules concerning minimum OTO degrees required to serve in particular EGC roles.

Membership

Membership in EGC is similar to the Roman Catholic Church, with some important differences. As currently constituted, E.G.C. includes both clergy and laity. Clergy must be initiate members of O.T.O., while laity may affiliate to E.G.C. through baptism and confirmation without undertaking any of the degree initiations of the Order.

Novice clergy are initiate members who participate in the administration of E.G.C. sacraments, although they have not yet taken orders (i.e., been through a ceremony of ordination).

The first ordination in E.G.C. is that of the diaconate. Second-Degree initiates of O.T.O. who have been confirmed in E.G.C. can be ordained as Deacons, whose principal duties are to assist the Priesthood.

The sacerdotal ordination admits members to the priesthood. Sacerdotal ordinands must hold at least the K.E.W. degree of O.T.O., a degree only available by invitation. The Priesthood is responsible for administering the sacraments through the Gnostic Mass and other ceremonies as authorized by their supervising Bishops.

The Priesthood is supervised and instructed by the Episcopate, or Bishops. Full initiation to the Seventh Degree of O.T.O. includes episcopal consecration in E.G.C. The Tenth-Degree Supreme and Holy King serves as the Primate or chief Bishop for any country in which O.T.O. has organized a Grand Lodge. The Frater (Soror) Superior of O.T.O. is also the Patriarch (Matriarch) of the Church, with ultimate authority over the clergy.

The similarity of the titles of the various E.G.C. offices and ranks reflects some common history with Christian churches. However, E.G.C. does not administer Christian sacraments, and has no Christian ecclesiastical standing.

References

• Thelemapedia (2005)
  • Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica. Retrieved June 9 2005.
• Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica — Ordo Templi Orientis, U.S. Grand Lodge (2004). Retrieved January 3 2005.

External links

• More on the E.G.C. at Thelemapedia.org
• Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica homepage

• Thelema