Figure 1.--The Riaumont are supported by a Catholic monastic order, the Holy Cross of Riaumont. The boy in this picture is taking the Scout oath. Notice the white gloves--a formal touch for the event. Click on the image to see a new Scout receiving his Scout shirt. These images were taken in 1999.

The Riaumont Scouts are a traditional group. As such they take the rityuals and pagentry of Scouting very seriously. Their religious foundation is probably another factor in this emphasis on ritual. There desire to return to some of the pre-Vatican II Church rituals is the primary reason they broke away from the main stream French Scout movement. Some American church based groupsm also with traditional religious beliefs, have withdrawn from the Boy Scouts. They are by law not allowed to refer to themselves as Scouts and instead chose the name of Royal Rangers. The most important ritual for the French Scouts is when a new boy moving up from the Cubs takes the Scout oath or promise.

The Ritual

The image here is of the Paris Riamount Scouts with a new Scout taking his oath or as the French refer to it as their promise. While I do not have details at this time. This appears to include a Cub receiving his cout shirt as he is unduct as a full-fleged Scout.

Potencée Cross

While HBU does not have details on the Riaumont rituals. Some information is available on the cross shown here. The cross on the banner is the cross "potencée". Father SEVIN of the Company of Jesus (Jesuits) who founded Catholic scouting in France choose the potencée cross as symbol for its first experiment Scout troop at the Franco-Belgian border during the World War I (1914-18). The German Army which occupied the area, prohibited scouting. HBU was aware that the Germans banned Scouting in Belgium during World War II, but was not aware that they had also done this during World War I. The boys of Father Sevin during World War I had a potencée cross embroidered in red on a piece of green fabric as a sign of recognition. After World War I in 1920, the potencée cross was selected as a badge by the Catholic Scouts in France. Why did Father Sevin had chosen this cross? He wanted a link between the Souting and the chilvaric orders of French knighthood. The potencée cross was the sign of ancient order of Holy Sepulchre for the knights of Malta. The "potencée" cross is now a fondamental badge for Catholics scouts in France with variation for the Scouts d'Europe which have choosed the actuel cross of Malta with eight acute points.