First Masonic Temple in Romania

[Kev in Deva]

First Masonic temple in Romania opened its doors.

by

Denisa Maruntoiu

The first Masonic temple of the York Rite in Romania was inaugurated on Friday evening at Peris, a locality near Bucharest, in the presence of high-ranking Romanian and foreign masons, especially from France and Italy.

The participants, dressed in black suits decorated with the Masonic symbols, gathered in the yard of the York Rite's head in Romania, Stefan Masu, and opened the ceremony with a prayer, followed by speeches held by the International Master of the Cryptic Masons, Maurice Himes, and the Great International Priest Larry Gray.

"The temple is the instrument in which we work, get to know each other and promote values (...) It is something sacred, it represents the sanctification of the good, beauty, accomplishment," said the High Priest of the Royal Arch in Romania, Constantin Roman Tamaduianu.

After the keynote speeches, the participants cut the ribbon and officially declared the temple open.

The temple is comprised of several rooms - each designated to groups of masons at different stages of initiation - and decorated with lots of symbolic objects.

"No initiated mason who keeps his vow speaks about the Masonic activities and symbols," said Tamaduianu.

The temple's ground floor includes two rooms, one called the "Royal art" and the other destined to the Cryptic masons.

The first floor hosts three rooms which are to be used by the knight masons, including the Templar Knights. The room is dominated by a round table on which there are 12 swords.

According to the Great Commander of the Templar Knights in Washington, William Volpentest, all the members of the Templar order must be Christians.

According to Tamaduianu, the Masonry is not a secret movement, but an organization which keeps certain secrets. These relate to the procedure of masonry meetings as well as its system of study and training. This tradition is hundreds of years old and originates from the functioning of the ancient trade guilds.

Kevin in Deva

[Humber]

10th aniversary of the Scottish Rite in Romania:

http://www.srmason-sj.org/web/journal-file...g03/romania.htm

Edited June 29, 2006 by Humber