Beacon Parade

Each Year in September the Knights of Malta hold their Beacon Parade, an ancient tradition which marks the command of Henry VIII to place the Bible in every church in his Kingdoms. The event also marks the landing of John Knox in Scotland and how in these two events we saw the light of the truth of Scripture lit in these British isles.

The struggle to translate the word of God into the mother tongue of the common man was at the heart of the Reformation. William Tyndale spent and eventually gave his life to realise that vision where the plough boy would be as able to read and understand God’s Word as the priest or prelate.

His dying prayer as he mounted the martyr’s pyre was that God would open the King of England’s eyes. In two short years his prayer was answered as Henry VIII once the persecutor of Protestants relented and ordered that each church in his Kingdom should purchase a Bible and install it to be read publically in worship.

The light of the gospel was lit in the British isles, as Henry moved quickly to end Papal supremacy over the Chruch and to open the door to the Reformation.

In Scotland, a separate state the Reformation was not yet secured and the progress which had been hard won by the blood of martyrs like George Wishard and Patrick Hamilton could have been reversed by the government there.

It took the return of John Knox in 1559 who with the support of Sir James Sandilands Lord St John the head of the Knights of St John or the Knights of Malta to ensure the success of the Reformation.

M’Crie referring to him in his “Life of John Knox,” states that–

“After his return to the south of the Forth he (Knox) resided at Calder House, in West Lothian, the seat of Sir James Sandilands, commonly called Lord St. John, because he was the chief in Scotland of the religious order of Military Knights, who went by the name of Hospitallers or Knights of St. John. This gentleman who was now venerable, for his grey hairs as well as for his valour, sagacity, and correct morals, had long been a sincere friend to the reformed cause, and had contributed to its preservation in that part of the country.

Today we hold an annual act of remembrance for those Reformers and Martyrs who secured the Protestant Reformation and relit the Gospel light in Europe. Their lives and legacy are remembered as we ceremonially light a beacon and give thanks for the freedoms to read God’d Word in our mother tongue and to worship him in truth.

The parade was held between Killycoogan and McNeillstown Independent Ornage Halls outside Portglenone. The parade was lead by Killycoogan Independent Accordian Band who were sounding well after a long and successful parading season.

Sir Knights gathered with members representing all Encampments and despite many still on holidays or absent due to work commitments the event was a great way to get back on the road again property after the pandemic.

After the parade members, the band and members of the public were treated to a sit down dinner in the hall and after dessert the Commemorative Ceremony commenced. The Officers led devotional exercises and Sir Knight Tom Ferguson gave an informative talk about the origins of the ceremony and the great debt we owe those early Reformers.

As darkness fell a guard of honour was formed by Sir Knights and a copy of God’s Word was carried to the beacon which symbolises the light of the Gospel which was lit in these islands in the 1500s. Prayer and thanksgiving proceeded the lighting of the beacon as all present enjoyed a fine evening of fellowship.

The formal part of the evening was concluded with prayer and the National Anthem.