The Supreme Order of Christ Pantokrator
The Equestrian Order of Christ Pantokrator will be the highest Order given by the Royal House of Ghassan. The “Yawm Halima” (Arabic for 'Day of Halima') is the name given to a battle fought between the rival Ghassanid and Lakhmid Arabs in 554 CE. Considered one of the most famous battles of pre-Islamic Arabia, it was named after Halima, a Ghassanid princess who assisted the warriors. Under the banner of Christ Pantokrator, only one hundred Ghassanid Commandos led by King Al-Harith V defeated an overwhelmingly larger Lakhmid and Persian army. The Order became active in 2024, and the first member was honored.
The Order will only permit 100 (one hundred) members, each representing the 100 Ghassanid Commandos that won that fantastic battle. Only after the passing of one member will another be admitted, succeeding the late member.
The Royal Ghassanids were an Arab dynasty that ruled several realms from the third through the eighteenth centuries of the Common Era. Even though not organized in chivalric orders, per se, like their later European counterparts, the Ghassanid knights used to fight under the banners of Christ Pantocrator and Saint Sergius. The Ghassanids were the first defenders of Christianity in history to incorporate what's known today as a "code of chivalry" (originated from the Arab concept of "Muru’a"), which means bravery in war, hospitality, respect for women and honor, and protection of the weak and the orphans. Thus, Ghassanid chivalry developed in the sixth century of the Common Era and was spiritualized by Christianity, bringing it close to the Christian version of chivalry in medieval Europe. Despite being unknown in Christian chivalry, the Ghassanids' commitment to Christian chivalry is one of the ideals they developed and tried to uphold, especially during war. The Royal Ghassanids created this Order to perpetuate the legacy of Christian chivalry. The Equestrian Order of Saint Sergius is a modern chivalric and international community organized under the Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan, and the members of the Order provide support to the Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan for its charitable and cultural projects. The Order is non-religious and temporal, sovereign in its affairs, and subjected only to the Head of the Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan. The Order shall not be subjected to religious affiliation, hierarchy, or denomination while maintaining its not-for-profit educational corporate status.
Website: Equestrian Order of Christ Pantokrator
Founded: 2024
Maximum Number of Members at Any Time: 100 per rank
Ranks and Post-nominals: The title granted is Knight (Faris) or Dame (Farisa), and the rank is Grand Cross of the Christ Pantokrator. Of the bearers of the Grand Cross, the member may receive the additional honor of being named: Royal Companion (those who are recognized royalty), of Justice (those who hold recognized noble title by this House), of Merit (those of exceptional distinction in the arts, learning, sciences and other areas such as public service). Grand Collar is a rank held only for a few high dignitaries and is mostly honorary. Of the Honorary ranks, the above ranks may be bestowed by the Grand Master to particular heads of state, heads of royal houses, ecclesiastical leaders, and so forth. The honorary members of the Order are not bound to rules and regulations and are not members of any priory or commandry. There are no styles, titles, or post-nominals for these ranks.
Heraldic Privileges: By the right and privileges conferred through Letters Patent, the Knights and Dames of the Order have a Royal Warrant to use particular heraldic devices related to this Order and the Royal House. The Chancellery will provide a heraldry guide. As is the custom of other Royal Houses worldwide, a member shall submit a copy of their arms to the Chancellery for review if the knight or dame seeks to adopt the Royal House and Order's particular heraldry devices. With the Chancellery’s approval, the achievement will be registered on the Royal House’s Roll of Arms, which may be published and made public. With the Knight or Dame’s achievement recorded by the Chancellery, they may register their arms with any registries. Members may use the likeness of their medal suspended from their escutcheon as decorations. Members of the first class may use as decorations the likeness of their medal suspended from their escutcheon, as well as encircle their arms with the Garter of the Order, heraldic supporters, and the coronet of a knight on the helmet instead of a torse, or the coronet of a knight in place of a helmet.
Courtesy titles: The Style, Title, and Address of the Knight or Dame are customary within the Royal House of Ghassan. Style, title, and address may or may not be recognizable under the laws and statutes of the member’s place of citizenship, and the customary and lawful practices of said places should guide members. Letters Patent shall issue the title and honor. The Grand Master issues these through the Chancellery. This Order does not confer nobility upon the member at any rank. The title and honor of the Order are not inheritable unless otherwise noted. The Grand Master's dynastic noble titles may award those who bear the Order’s Grand Cross. A Knight or Dame may use the equivalent titles of Faris and Farisa, which are Sir and Dame. Knights and Dames (title, Faris, and Farisa) of the Cross are entitled to the courtesy style of “His/Her Excellency,” followed by the title of Faris/Farisaor Sir/Dame name, and the appropriate post-nominals. Therefore, the full name, title, and style of a holder of the dame is “Her Excellency, Farisa First Name Middle Name Second Middle Name [if any] Surname and post-nominals”. Suppose a particular recipient's Letters Patent or Brevet contains a different style, title, and address than the above. In that case, the Letters Patent or Brevet will triumph only for that particular recipient. The courtesy title for the lawful spouse of a member of the Order is “Lady” or “Mister” (Sayida or Sayidi). Children of a member of the Order have no courtesy titles.
Current Members of the Order in Good Standing (as of 11 March 2026):
Harper, Jackson Theodore
Kwong, Michael
Lau, Peter
Doner, Colonel
Yiu, Nathan
Ruta, Concetto
Aoun, HE Gen. Joseph Khalil
Tommasi Baldi, Alessio
Boyd, Christian Dominic
Luk, Lewis Tei
Chang, Benson Sun Bun
Chiu, Chi Shing Cook
Yau, Pak Man
Tsang, Wai Chun Marianna
Pang, Carmen
Arbeen, Mark
Caudill, Jason
Sinclair, Blake
Schirrmacher, Thomas
So, Albert Man Kit
Digilio, Jr., BG (ret.) John Thomas
Cummins, MD, LTC Christopher Marascalco
Nassar, Fr Nadim