During the annual international meeting of the College of Public Preceptors at Adhisthana, Ratnadharini ritually concluded her term as College Chair and Mahamati took up the responsibility. Many people participated in the evening: current and retired members of the College (including all the previous Chairs), the Adhisthana communities, the seven Mitras from the current young men’s Dharma Life Course and local Order members.
In the context of a Threefold Puja, the previous Chair places the ‘initiation vase’ that Bhante himself used for public ordinations onto the shrine. The new Chair then stands up, approaches the shrine, and picks up the vase. This represents taking up the responsibility as new College Chair.
Whilst holding the vase, Mahamati recited a variation on the 'four lines of acceptance', which form a part of our Public Ordination, and then reflected on accepting the responsibility of College Chair in this spirit. You can hear his full talk here, which is excerpted in this video of the Chair's Handover.