Rosicrucianism is a spiritual and cultural movement that arose in early modern Europe in the early 17th century after the publication of several texts announcing to the world a new esoteric order. Rosicrucianism is symbolized by the Rose Cross or Rosy Cross. There have been several Rosicrucian organizations since the initial movement was founded, including the Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross (1750s–1790s), the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (1865–present), and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (1887–1903).
The Order of the Solar Temple, or simply the Solar Temple, was a new religious movement and secret society, often described as a cult, notorious for the mass deaths of many of its members in several mass murders and suicides throughout the 1990s. The OTS was a neo-Templar order, claiming to be a continuation of the Knights Templar, and incorporated an eclectic range of beliefs with aspects of Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, and New Age ideas. It was led by Joseph Di Mambro, with Luc Jouret as a spokesman and second in command. It was founded in 1984, in Geneva, Switzerland.
FUDOSI or FUDOESI was a federation of autonomous esoteric or mystical orders and societies, founded on August 14, 1934, in Brussels, Belgium, and disbanded in 1951. It was opposed by the similarly named Fédération Universelle des Ordres, Fraternités et Sociétés Initiatiques (FUDOFSI).
Ralph Maxwell Lewis, was an American mystic and the second Imperator of the Rosicrucian organisation AMORC from 1939 to 1987. He is the author of a number of books regarding mysticism. His father, Harvey Spencer Lewis, was the first Imperator of AMORC.
Harvey Spencer Lewis, a Rosicrucian author, mystic and the founder of AMORC. He led AMORC as its first leader (imperator) from its creation in 1915 until his death.
FUDOFSI, headed by Constant Chevillon (1880–1944), was a federation of independent esoteric orders similar to FUDOSI, but strongly opposed to the other group.
Ralph Lewis may refer to:
Christian Bernard is a former Imperator of AMORC, a Rosicrucian order. He became imperator in 1990, succeeding Gary L. Stewart. He was succeeded as imperator by Claudio Mazzucco in 2019.
Reuben Swinburne Clymer was an American occultist and modern Rosicrucian Supreme Grand Master of the FRC, perhaps the oldest continuing Rosicrucian organization in the Americas. He practiced alternative medicine, and wrote and published works on it as well as the teachings of Paschal Beverly Randolph (1825-1875), alchemy, nutrition, religion, sex magic and spiritualism. This led to a number of conflicts with Harvey Spencer Lewis (1883-1939) and the AMORC, FUDOSI, Aleister Crowley, and even the American Medical Association.
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum (REM) is devoted to ancient Egypt, located at Rosicrucian Park in the Rose Garden neighborhood of San Jose, California, United States.
The Rose Cross is a symbol largely associated with the legendary Christian Rosenkreuz, a Christian Kabbalist and alchemist said to have been the founder of the Rosicrucian Order. The Rose Cross is a cross with a rose at its centre, which is usually red, golden, or white. It symbolizes the teachings of a Western esoteric tradition with Christian tenets.
Rosicrucian Park is the headquarters of the English Grand Lodge for the Americas of the Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, located in San Jose, California.
Émile Dantinne was a Belgian philosopher and esotericist.
The Order of the Temple of the Rosy Cross (OTRC) was an early 20th century theosophical group. It was founded in 1912 by leaders of the Theosophical Society, including Annie Besant, Marie Russak and James Ingall Wedgwood.
Neo-Templarism is a term describing groups or people who claim to have revived, to be inspired by, or to be descendants of the Knights Templar. Following the dissolution of the Templars by Pope Clement V at the start of the 14th century, several organizations have claimed to be secret continuations of the original Templars. This idea has been criticized by scholars of Templar history and is widely regarded as dubious. These orders are very diverse, but typically draw from western esotericism, with other groups incorporating New Age beliefs, or freemasonry. Many neo-Templar groups are highly secret and necessitate initiation. Other groups are only ceremonial, and attempt to replicate what they view as the chivalric ideals of the original Order without any esoteric elements.
Jacques Breyer was a French esotericist, alchemist and writer. He published and wrote various books on esoteric elements, including ones with apocalyptic teachings. He launched the "Arginy Renaissance", a rebirth of an independent wing of neo-Templar groups – groups that claimed to be revivals of the Knights Templar — in France in the 1950s. He was influential on the development of many of these organizations, including the Order of the Solar Temple.
Julien Origas was a French Rosicrucian. In his 20s, he was sentenced to prison by the French government for collaborating with the Nazi occupation, for which he received several years in prison, though he was amnestied after serving two. Following his release from prison, he became interested in esotericism, and joined AMORC, a large Rosicrucian organization.
The Renewed Order of the Temple, abbreviated as ORT, sometimes called the Renovated Order of the Temple, was a neo-Templar revivalist order. The ORT was established in 1970 by Raymond Bernard at the suggestion of Julien Origas, both members of the Rosicrucian organization Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, which it initially had a relation to. It was also part of the Arginy movement of neo-Templar organizations, influenced by Jacques Breyer.
Raymond Bernard was a French esotericist and freemason. He was the Grand Master of French AMORC, a large Rosicrucian order, in Francophone countries. As part of AMORC, he founded the Renewed Order of the Temple. Following his resigning from AMORC, he founded several other esoteric orders, including CIRCES and OSTI. As part of CIRCES, he was a personal advisor to the president of Cameroon, Paul Biya.
The Sovereign Order of the Solar Temple, abbreviated as OSTS, was a neo-Templar revivalist order and secret society. It claimed to be a direct continuation of the Knights Templar. It was founded by French esotericist Jacques Breyer and Maxime de Roquemaure in 1952, and was formally established in 1966 in Monaco. Its Grand Master was Jean-Louis Marsan. The order was dissolved in 1994.
