The continental and international Counsellors are appointed by the Universal House of Justice, the supreme institution of the religion. Continental Counsellors appoint Auxiliary Boards, who in turn appoint assistants. When including the Hands of the Cause, the whole structure is sometimes called the 'appointed branch' of the religion, or the 'Institution of the Learned', to contrast it with the elected Spiritual Assemblies.[6] All members of the institution, from the International Teaching Centre to Auxiliary Board members serve 5-year terms that begins on the Day of the Covenant, which falls on either November 25 or 26, except for local Assistants, whose duration of service is "left to each Continental Board to decide for itself".[7]