In the world there are more than a dozen secret organizations that trace their history back to the Middle Ages. They have a lot of rituals hidden from the eyes of strangers, and not all dedicated members of the community know about all the goals of the organization. The most closed and mysterious organization is the Masonic lodge. For several centuries this society has been of great interest to adventure seekers and those who want to know the true meaning of their existence. However, no one has managed to get to the Masons just like that, because the secret organization is very careful in choosing their new brothers. Few people know that Masonic lodges also exist in Russia. They do not advertise their activities too much and deliberately defiantly avoid sharp political issues, but modern society is increasingly interested in their activities. Therefore, we decided to devote our article to the consecration of the theme of Freemasonry in Russia and the history of the formation of this secret community.
A few words about the Freemasons
It is difficult to find a country in which at least one Masonic lodge would not operate now. This secret society managed to stretch its threads to almost every state, and it’s practically impossible to find out whether a particular politician is a member of the Freemasonry community, unless he himself wants to reveal this fact. None of the members of the organization will ever announce the names of their brothers, this is one of the most important laws for everyone who joined the Freemasons.
Often, Masons are accused of a worldwide conspiracy, the management of the main world leaders in their interests and a lot of terrible things, which, however, no one can confirm. The members of society themselves claim that they are far from the political arena and are only focused on actions for the good of their country. However, many journalists are wasting efforts to uncover the secret motives of Freemasons and reveal them to the world community.
Where did such suspicions come from? And what is a Masonic lodge really? It is quite difficult to explain, even after studying all the available information about this society. Indeed, more than ninety percent of the rituals and rules of this fraternity remain outside the prying eyes of the uninitiated. Therefore, we have a very rough idea of the activities and main goals of the Masons.
If you make a literal translation from English, then the Masonic lodge is a workshop or a shelter where members of the society gather to conduct their rituals and works. The brothers meet regularly and by a general majority of votes resolve all issues important to the lodge.
History of Freemasonry
A secret organization has existed in the world for more than three hundred years. The official date of its foundation is considered the twenty-fourth of June 1717. It was then in London that ordinary artisans involved in the construction of temples united into a single Great Masonic Lodge. It is worth noting that it consisted of four different lodges that had previously been gathered in various taverns and abandoned houses. It was from this time that the procession of a secret brotherhood around the world began, affecting almost every major state on the planet.
Initially, Masons, who, as craftsmen, spent many years building cathedrals, learned to subordinate themselves to common goals and ideals. They elevated mutual help to the rank of piety, and even acquired their own philosophy. Therefore, when there was no need for craft associations, there were freemasons dreaming of building a free, humane and fair society. No wonder they have been called "free masons" since ancient times.
Gradually, representatives of the intelligentsia, aristocrats, merchants and financiers began to join the secret organization. They all wanted to find answers to their questions about the meaning of being and self-realization. Over time, society has grown to an incredible size. For example, today in the United States there are about two million Freemasons, and in the UK - three hundred thousand members of a secret society. Russia, of course, cannot be compared with European countries in the number of Masons, but already now we have more than one thousand people. Masonic lodges of Russia are actively developing and increasing the number of its members. However, skeptics claim that in reality there are much more Masons in our country than official statistics say. Simply, many prominent politicians and oligarchs carefully hide their belonging to a secret society. Is this true, no one knows.
Classification of Lodges
It is interesting that among the Masons there is a certain classification of lodges, which is not officially fixed. However, it is she who affects all members of the fraternity. For example, there are closed lodges focused on scientific research. They do important work and never accept new members. Such an event can be a very rare exception to the rule. Some lodges consist of brothers living and working in the same village. And others can share common interests or one profession.
Also, all lodges are divided into three categories:
These associations represent the Masonic hierarchy, however, all members of a secret society are considered equal and free.
Interesting facts about Freemasons
Throughout the history of its existence, not a single woman has been accepted into the Masonic lodge. The charter of society does not contain any information about the ban on the admission of women to the fraternity, however, this unwritten rule has been observed for almost three hundred years.
Each meeting of the lodge ends with dinner, during which the first toast is pronounced for his country, the second for the head of state and the third for the chairman of the lodge and all its members.
Masons have many secret signs that the initiates exchange with each other. Thanks to them, members of the fraternity will not go unnoticed in a foreign country. There is also a special phrase that informs that there is a stranger among the members of the box.
Initiation into the members of the box
You just can't get into the Masons. A person from the side has absolutely no chance to touch the ancient secret society. After all, at least two members of the fraternity must vouch for him.
If you have such guarantors, then there is a chance to become an equal member of the Masonic lodge. The brothers get together once a month, at which time the initiation process for beginners takes place.
It looks very unusual and mysterious. The applicant is blindfolded and taken to a secret place where they ask a lot of questions. Membership in the Masons will depend on the answers to them. Typically, questions relate to the purpose of joining the box and the benefits that a beginner can bring to his country and brothers.
Each member of the fraternity votes "for" or "against" the adoption of the applicant in a secret society. Voting takes place through black and white balloons. Interestingly, if a person collects three black balls, then he loses all chances to ever be accepted as a freemason. Moreover, this applies not only to the box where the vote took place, but also to all associations on the planet.
If the candidacy is approved by the brothers, then the ritual of initiation directly follows. Its details are still a secret.
Masons in Russia: historical facts
Masonic lodges in Russia were very common. Many aristocrats were their members, which gave rise to a large number of rumors and gossip about conspiracies of a secret society against the current government. In fact, these conversations had some basis, it was given to the very manner of the monarchs to conduct Russian politics, solving all issues behind the scenes. A similar habit was formed during the time of the Byzantine Empire and smoothly passed into the palaces of the Russian monarchs. It was on this fertile ground that rumors arose that the Masonic lodges of Russia are practically the creators and ideological inspirers of the country's domestic and foreign policy.
The Masonic lodges in Moscow and other cities reached their heyday in the first half of the nineteenth century with the blessing of Alexander I. The emperor himself was also a member of the fraternity, besides him, Peter I, Paul I, and even the great poet Alexander Pushkin were ordained. Members of the Masonic lodge began to actively intervene in the country's politics, and in 1822, Alexander I issued a decree banning the activities of a secret society in Russia.
During this period, many Masons left the country and continued their activities beyond its borders. Especially often, meetings were held in France, where all current members of the community came.
Revival of Freemasonry in Russia
The Great Masonic Lodge of Russia was created in the ninety-fifth year of the last century. She has a connection with more than a hundred other boxes of the world, including English. Without this, the bed does not have the right to conduct its work, because recognition is a kind of patent that makes it possible to touch the ancient secrets of society and be its full members.
Initially, four Masonic lodges were created in our country: two in Moscow and one each in St. Petersburg and Voronezh. However, their number increased rapidly - a year after the founding of the Masonic lodge of Russia in the northern capital there were already two shelters of free masons, and in Moscow - three.
The chairman of the Masonic lodge of Russia was elected Georgy Dergachev, who remained in this rank until 2007.
Masonic lodges today
According to the latest data, there are more than sixteen Masonic lodges in Moscow; in addition, they exist in more than thirteen cities in Russia. These include St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Kazan and Krasnodar. All members of the fraternity are subordinate to the chief master and pay dues annually.
It is interesting that being a freemason is far from an expensive pleasure. After all, monthly contributions, for example, in Russia are about three hundred dollars. Voluntary donations must be added to this figure, and a rather round amount will be obtained, which is available only to very wealthy people. In each country in the world, the amount of contributions may be different, this is determined by the internal charter of the fraternity. For example, in the USA, Masons pay no more than a hundred dollars a month.
Chairman of the Masonic Lodge of Russia
Since 2007, the same person, Andrei Bogdanov, has been elected the master of Russian Masons. According to the regulations, the chairman is elected for a term of five years, in the future he has the right to re-election. The next election will take place in the Masonic Lodge in 2020.
Conclusion
Many journalists like to write articles about how, thanks to the conspiracy of the Masons, the world will soon plunge into chaos, and only the elite who are members of the fraternity will survive in it. Interestingly, no evidence or refutation of this theory has yet been found. We can only wait for the Masons to reveal to the world their most important secret - the goal of their three hundred year existence.