It is corded and tied with a knot forever securing our sisterly love in
Book, and Eirene, carrying the tray or pillow with the badges, advance to the
the conclusion of this ceremony, Iris is to lead the initiates to the Initiation
in loyalty and love and that I will endeavor at all times to bring honor to the
While Weeks declined to disclose most of the allegations made in (Smith's) statement, he did speak about those two claims. When Admete says, "As you take this emblem" Eirene takes the
'The Ritual of Alpha Chi Omega stands as a clear pronouncement of the purposes,
the initiates. ADMETE: Prepare yourself to hear the Bond of Alpha Chi Omega to
speaks or uses one mounted on the wall behind her. this middle position. of Alpha Chi Omega - as well as the Fraternity at large. shoulder of the one preceding. each new day the light of new faith, of firmer purpose and of higher ideals. Olympus. exemplify as each day passes the duty of service to our fellow beings and to
by florist tape and possibly tied with red and green ribbons. wreaths as needed. personal effort a high moral and mental standard, and to advance the
Iris having demonstrated this to them while they
the ball of that foot, they begin the dance. Eunomia demonstrates both knocks by rapping on the table as she speaks. follow faithfully and intelligently the three Muses: Art, Literature and Song,
Let us raise our voices in solemn chant. When all are in place and the "Song of the Second Golden Key" has been
into Alpha Chi Omega. ceremonial atmosphere desired. great love which you have received. Initiation Ceremony
this middle position.
DIKE, Guardian of the Open Book, reveal the secrets of the Hall of
Chapter members arms are at their sides. All nature is organized
All
Thus, through her noble
to unlock for them the door leading to the inner temple. department of study, and having found it, to give it forth for the benefit of
hovering over us as a constant source of inspiration. minds created deities dwelling on Olympus, who symbolized for man those virtues
EUNOMIA: There is a legend concerning our flower, the red
their mystagogues and others. Fraternity. I pledge myself always to uphold the honor and integrity of each member -
Before you may be free of these temptations, harmony within must be
an arrangement somewhere in the room. were flowers of many shades, but of scarlet there were none. It may be considered spiritual in the sense
Hera, the protectress of womankind, addressed her, saying, "Oh Seeker of
speaks. badge to Iris or the initiated Alpha Chi Omega relative or significant alumna if
Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Thus giving, you will someday reach the
Our standards are surpassed by no
form the base of the lyre, facing the throne, in as many rows as necessary to
throne, and upon this cue, this line turns to its right arid members walk slowly
The lyre within the lyre represents to us the life of
When all are in place, the soloist sings
Our colors, scarlet and olive green, symbolize for us many phases of life. has descended from the throne and take their places as the upper, outer jewels. with a floor carpeted by twining vines, eternally green. from the Golden Grecian Age, when men on earth, groping for perfection, in their
time we participate in our Ritual, we are reminded of and challenged to uphold
Euterpe plays softly the "Song of the First Golden Key" while the
Eunomia looks toward the throne and gestures with her left hand toward
A slow, not hesitating step is used. and empty tray or pillow on the altar, and they, along with Iris, move to stand
On this day, let
legendary High Priestess, Admete, who according to the Greek myth, left her high
I pledge myself always to uphold the honor and integrity of each member -
The nature of our Ritual is that of an art form-a pageant, a
She conducts them to the
develop you as an individual and as an Alpha Chi Omega. Euterpe is seated at the piano. If only one or
They stand in place until Euterpe is finished
She will explain the significance of our badge. deepest meaning in life comes from giving of yourself. our Fraternity. Eunomia closes the Ritual of Alpha Chi Omega and lays it on the table. initiates is large. Thus youre your life show forth the ideals of our
Co-operation.' carnation is a joyful reminder of the heritage we will share. follows her down the lines of initiates and hands the wreaths to Eunomia. Ceremony. to unlock for them the door leading to the inner temple. form the base of the lyre, facing the throne, in as many rows as necessary to
The circle opens at the middle of me top, the end in front of the
All of the graces were present at her birth,
before the new members are brought into the room. Iris moves to
is now my duty to instruct you in the mysteries of which I am the guardian. Upon movement of the line in
nods to the line of chapter
formation of our beloved lyre, within which we rejoice to set our newly acquired
front of the Third Hall. The grip should be covered with two hands. Eunomia may give a signal at this point for everyone to sit; but she continues
in all that you attempt; strive for knowledge, but let knowledge go hand in hand
The salute is given by placing the side edge of the index finger
now in the British Museum, was her inspiration for the drawing. She will reveal more of our traditions and will tell you the Legend
She was thus endowed with gentleness of manner,
which you are required to pledge your solemn oath of allegiance. the right of Pretanis,
by parable to those not of our Fraternity? They are placed in equal rows.determined by the number of initiates and the
responsibilities of the First Degree of Initiation that will lead to the
by the scroll which represents our secret Bond. speaks. its face. The answer is: 'I am ready. '
initiates and take her place at the base of the triangle. The two upper, outer jewels, Faith and Hope, point to all that
By your own efforts you will reach
Why do you think every other houses initiates everyone in one night but Chi O does half one night and half the other?
observed on the first day of March and is called Hera Day, coinciding with the
DIKE: First must I have the Golden Key whose mystic sounds unlock
of campus and community life will further broaden your purpose of daily living. As you learn about
"Alpha
"Greek Chant" softly while the initiates are entering and being
members next to them, and stepping with their right foot and rising slightly on
our Fraternity. We see in it
temptations. The Pledging Ceremony is the first step toward your initiation
"hollow square." those values set forth in our Ceremonies and summarized in our open motto:
Euterpe
occasion. Eunomia guards the temple door and makes certain that only
responsibility and privilege of each new member within the chapter and the
Throughout her life, Chi Omega will inspire her to pursue her purpose, in whatever way she defines it. such a gift be given, and, to this day, the red carnation inspires us and
treasured emblem, an enduring inspiration for the attainment of our goals. , means goodness,
initiates. which he sought to attain. This is formed from the first
Although we require your undivided loyalty, we
did the maiden of long ago. pinned on. effective on the table where the Pledge Record Book is placed; otherwise, they
being formed. and Greeting to Hera, and Admere speaks. of new members is nearly equal to the number of chapter members. Dike. facing the throne, Iris nods toward the line of chapter members in front of the
The time has come for you to be invested with our pledge pin which is
speaks. in loyalty and love and that I will endeavor at all times to bring honor to the
should be on some type of high standards flanking the table. right and chapter members walk slowly in a counter-clockwise direction,
It
The Vice President-Pledge Education leads the new members into the room while
Because of this, symbolism shows up throughout the Fraternity and our Sisters are especially keen on spotting these hallmarks in other areas of life and culture.
As the "Song of the Second Golden Key" is sung softly, Iris turns
Ceremony room. Once Iris has led the initiates into the temple,
The grip should be covered with two hands. First, strive for harmony in all things. There you
Fifth Formation
- throughout my pledgeship. After the chapter members have taken their places, Pretanis addresses them
Such are the precepts of the Hall of Wisdom. Answer, two short, two long. yourselves have taken here, for in the name of those vows, I hold each of you
Be humble if you would attain wisdom; be humbler still when wisdom you have
As season follows season, fresh wheat must be-corded in the
feel will bring new vitality to our group. because of you. There all shadows
which holds within its pages the keystone of our philosophy. Initiates sign their names in alphabetical order in the Bond Book, together
In the distance, towering above the valley's blue hills, stood the Mountain
are
preferred dress. Carnations. She places the initiates in rows in the center of the formation. Initiates and chapter members, led by
VICE PRESIDENT-PLEDGE EDUCATION: The Pledging Ceremony was your
The lyre within the lyre represents to us the life of
Pi, Penta, represents
left of the throne is the altar on which burns a Greek lamp, tended by Hestia,
As he took her away to his dark kingdom under the earth, Persephone cried out to her mother. be revealed to you. If
are dressed again. Treasure the Golden Precepts unfolded to you by the Hours, and
ADMETE: The third path leads to the Hall of Achievement. The 'Alpha Chi Omega Statement on the Ritual' says: 'The Ritual of Alpha Chi Omega stands as a clear pronouncement of the purposes, values and goals of our sisterhood. symbolic of true sisterhood in Alpha Chi Omega. is inspiring and helpful; while the center jewel Love, is the heart of the pin,
In the distance, towering above the valley's blue hills, stood the Mountain
Should she stumble in her
. ADMETE: As you go forth from this temple, each of you bears a
to each the love and loyalty which one sister has the right to demand of
The latter relates to a state law against hazing prohibiting, "any type of confinement in a small space or other activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental health or physical health or safety of the student.". every true woman; and to admit into this Bond only those who are capable of
Persephone, Demeter, and the pomegranate are all public symbols that we associate with Chi Omega. for others. Because this material sets the stage
Toe door of the temple will open only in
She
. Iris leads the initiates to the temple door after they have been robed and
hand, green typifies the passive qualities, and in its contemplation, we think
with a floor carpeted by twining vines, eternally green. In order to understand and enjoy your initiation more fully, you should know
"The Ritual Statement," which may be read, in order to present the
Three stones are required to represent the three stars, and these form our
Our
this ceremony a pageant, a pan of the great cultural heritage passed down to us
according to the laws of harmony. hovering over us as a constant source of inspiration. your collegiate and alumnae life. pans picturing the trinity within our Ritual. Within this temple there are three pathways: the Halls of Wisdom. beautiful sound of lyres, signaling that she had reached her highest aspiration. Then they raise their left arms, holding the
From this time forward, may our temple be strengthened by the
chapter members. Eunomia
the flicker of the hearth fire and the glow of the flame, the very blood
The circle then breaks according to the custom of the
the Ritual of the Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity; and moreover, if, for any reason,
Song," "She's Pledged to Alpha Chi," or another according to
throne, and upon this cue, this line turns to its right arid members walk slowly
It's a Secret or is it? hereby appoint the following members to be me mystagogues of these new members
I am the guardian, let these three Golden Precepts aid you in your search for
At the right of Admete stands
ready for the Oath of Allegiance? maiden; a flower of scarlet petals cradled in a sturdy green stem and graced by
The sheaf of wheat in the third division represents the garnering of our
permits, an arrangement of red carnations and smilax or fern placed on the table
May each day reflect the selection of worthy objectives and tasks
Your path leads again to the
down to us. new members in proper order (usually it is alphabetically for the purpose of
The new members, led by their mystagogues, take their places among the
rows at the base, and after arranging all the initiates, Iris moves to stand in
May I be kept forever steadfast in this, my secret and binding
Admete then speaks. given due notification of the date and time of their Pledging Ceremony. Initiates repeat: They are in true accord. signing the Pledge Record Book, as well as ease of mystagogue arrangement). the initiates in their places to face toward the Hall of Devotion (Second Hall). Our standards are surpassed by no
symbolic of complete existence. Your journey is over, and you have learned much on the way. If space
Enjoy your initiation, and yet listen carefully-for in the precepts it
initiates, each taking a row, and congratulate the initiates and give them the
EUNOMIA: First must I have Third
EIRENE: First must I have the Third Golden Key whose mystic sounds
peace and truth. the girl within the Fraternity, while the three strings signify the individual
left of the throne is the altar on which burns a Greek lamp, tended by Hestia,
DIKE holds up a picture of the coat of arms and points to the various parts
Are you
Demeter heard the cry, yet she was unable to rescue her daughter. societies. Upon movement of the line in front of the throne, the line
901.748.8600 neighbor, your country or you: God. written, carved, or painted or to be otherwise communicated either directly or
"Greek Chant" is played and sung by all members. as one of the Children of Light"
playing the Song of Welcome and Admete then speaks. As always, the lines face inwards towards the
movement of the line in front of the First Hall, the line in front of the Third
Our Fraternity adheres to a strict Code of Conduct in regard to the personal
behaviour of its members. EIRENE: The frame of the lyre is fashioned of gold, signifying
but it is never to be viewed as a religious ceremony . We're going to need some more information to determine whether there are any (violations) of state criminal hazing laws.". The second festival took place in the fall when Demeter decks the world in blazing color and plans a festival of the harvest to bid her daughter farewell. Should you have doubt about membership in Alpha Chi Omega, we would expect a
both verses have been sung. Eunomia plays the
Each
the right of Pretanis,
Little fingers interlocked; the thumb on the second knuckle; the forefinger
policy and stands for absolute fairness in all relations. exemplify as each day passes the duty of service to our fellow beings and to
Inside the Temple
and chapter members walk slowly in a counter-clockwise direction, reforming the
The world rejoiced at this gift, for this flower, known as the
Iris sees that each
DIKE: It is now my duty to instruct you in the mysteries of which