The Order of Cyrene is composed of members of the Templar Sir Knights, their wives, widows, mothers, sisters and daughters. John Elzey, Sr., John Elzey, Jr., and Isaac L. W. Holland, who were members of the United Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, first established the Order of Cyrene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1884. They adopted the name “The Order of Cyrene, Auxiliary to the Knights Templar,” after Simon the Cyrenian, who helped our Savior Jesus Christ bear His Cross up to Calvary.
In that year the first Cyrene Court was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Between 1884 and 1904 two other Courts were established in Philadelphia and a governing body for the Cyrenes, known as the Supreme Grand Court of America, was subsequently organized. In 1904 the United Grand Commandery of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania accepted the Order of Cyrene as its Auxiliary. In 1878, Ivanhoe Commandery No. 5 was warranted as a subordinate Commandery of the Prince Hall Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of the Jurisdiction of New York.
In 1881 at 114 West 54th Street in New York City, the wives, widows, mothers, sisters and daughters of the Ivanhoe Commandery organized Helping Hand Auxiliary to assist the members of the Commandery. Sister Nanny Jones was elected its Presiding Officer and Sir Knight James McCadden its Chief Advisor. The members of Helping Hand Auxiliary soon affiliated with the Order of Cyrene, Auxiliary to the Knights Templar in Pennsylvania. In 1914, the Supreme Grand Court of America established the members of Helping Hand Auxiliary as Helping Hand Royal Court in Manhattan. This was the first Court in the State of New York.
Between 1914 and 1918, the Grand Court of Pennsylvania established two other Cyrene Courts in the State of New York: Nazarene Royal Court in Brooklyn and Bethany Court in Manhattan. On October 31, 1918, the three Cyrene Courts in New York surrendered their warrants and, with the assistance of the Supreme Grand Court of America — Most Royal Grand Commandress Elizabeth Banks and Most Royal Grand Chief Engineer John W. Elzey presiding, assisted by Grand Secretary A. E. Robinson — constituted and established the Most Royal Prince Hall Grand Court, Order of Cyrene for the State of New York. Royal Lady Betty DeToscano was selected as the first Most Royal Grand Chief Engineer and Royal Eva A. Green as the first Right Royal Grand Secretary.
“As Simon helped Christ to bear His cross, so should we help one another to bear the burdens.”
On May 31, 1948, the Prince Hall Grand Commandery, Knights Templar for the Jurisdiction of New York — Most Eminent Clarence A. Miller, Grand Commander, presiding — officially adopted the Most Royal Prince Hall Grand Court Order of Cyrene for the State of New York as its Auxiliary.
In 1995, the 77th year of the Grand Court, under the administration of Most Royal Grand Commandress Bobbie O’Garro and Most Royal Grand Chief Engineer Sir Percy Purdue, the three Cyrene Courts in the State of Connecticut — Miriam Royal Court in Bridgeport, Faith Royal Court in New Haven, and Mary Magdalene Royal Court in Hartford — surrendered their warrants and requested to be established as a Grand Court Order of Cyrene for the State of Connecticut. With the permission of the Most Eminent Prince Hall Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of the State of New York, Most Eminent Sir Ludwick Hall presiding, permission was granted. Royal Lady Anne M. Bolden was elected its first Most Royal Grand Commandress and Sir William Randolph its first Most Royal Grand Chief Engineer.
Contributed by Sir Ludwick Hall, Past Most Eminent Grand Commander of the Most Eminent Prince Hall Grand Commandery, Knights Templar, of the State of New York.