Early Anglo appearances of the Brethren of the Rosy Cross

In the English we find a ‘divertisement’ published in Poor Robin’s Intelligence of 10th October 1676 that mentions both ‘the Ancient Brother-hood of the Rosy-Cross’ and the ‘Company of accepted Masons’ as dining together.  

These are to give notice, that the Modern Green-ribbon’d Caball, together with the Ancient Brother-hood of the Rosy-Cross; the Hermetick Adepti, and the Compnay of accepted Masons, intend all to Dine together on 31 of November next, at the Flying Bull in Wind-Mill-Crown- Street; having already given order for great store of Black-Swan Pies, Poach’d Phoenixes Eggs, Haunches of Unicorn, & c. To be provided on that occasion; All idle people that can spare so much time from the Coffee-House, may repair thither to be spectators of the Solemnity: But are advised to provided themselves Spectacles of Malleable Glass: For otherwise ‘tis though the said Societies will (as hitherto) make their Appearance Invisible .

The True Rosy Cross

The Order of the True Rosy Cross was founded and established in the Year of Grace, 1313 by CRC according to Germanic tradition.

In the year 1694, a Rosicrucian Monastery was established on the banks of the Wissakickon, near Germantown, Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania in the United States by one Johann Kelpius. In the year 1925, the Office of Prince Chief Adept of the True Rosy Cross was vested in His Excellency Count H. Victor Cherep-Spiridovitch in direct continuity from Johann Kelpius. In the year 1932, the headquarters were moved to England and the office of Chief Adept was passed to Frater Frederick Charles Aloysius Harrington, who by virtue of his Episcopal Office on the 1st of September 1935, constituted it as an autocephalous religious Order under the title of "Ecclesiae Rosicrucianae Catholicae". On the date of his passing on the 17th of January 1940, the Office of Prince Chief Adept was passed on to his lawful successor Bishop Jacobus. On the 17th day of January 1945, this office was relinquished by Bishop Jacobus to His Beatitude Mar Georgius, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Glastonbury, Primate of the British Isles and Catholicate of the West to exercise full authority and jurisdiction over the Ecclesiae Rosicrucianae Catholicae and as Prince Chief Adept of the True Rosy Cross from that date forward. Mar Georgius decreed that as of January 21st, 1945, the original title of the Order of the True Rosy Cross would replace the title of Ecclesiae Rosicrucianae Catholicae. The authority for the same was summarily passed on to H.S.H. Richard, Duc de Palatine who through his office passed the authority on to Count +George Boyer. As the last remaining member in the Council of Three, Bishop Boyer conferred the office and powers upon Tau Marcus Episcopus, the Most Rev. +Michael Norman Buckley on May 21, 2003.

Order of the Rose and Cross

The Order of the Rose and Cross in England, has recently chartered and ceremonially consecrated Conclaves of the Rose and Cross in France, Belgium, Africa and Mexico. This deeply spiritual body is said to be founded upon the substance of numerous currents and lineages of the Christian Orders of the Rose & Cross, but is self chartered in declaration, in the tradition following the announcements of the Fama. The ORC is open to both men and women of the Christian faith, who are in search of the Truth. The ORC is lead by the Supreme Magus, Michael N. Buckley.

R+C Christian Mysteries Within the Church

The manifestos of the Rosicrucian movement, published between 1614 and 1616, epitomise the essential content of the Western Mystery Tradition. Apart from their theological polemic they contain two classic symbolic quests (the life and journeys of Christian Rosencreutz and the Seven Days of the Chemical Wedding); a dazzling fusion of alchemical symbolism and mystical theology; and the concept of a dedicated esoteric fraternity. They also provided much of the inspiration for the Speculative Freemasonry that grew up in England throughout the 17^th century, to be formalised in 1717. Freemasonry then became the archetypal initiatic system, teaching a complex system of symbolism to its initiates and feeding ritual practice back into the revived Rosicrucianism of the 18^th century which resulted in one of the most ornate collections of combined theological, alchemical and Rosicrucian symbolism ever produced.

The symbolism of The Great Mystery, the Golden and Rosy Cross. Geheime Figuren des Rosenkreuzers (1784) is clearly and essentially Christian and its Pietist content acted as the inspiration for the symbolic drawings produced within the Shaker communities in mid-19^th century America - the Shakers being unquestionably children of Pietism, which had itself built upon the works of Jacob Boehme and represented the apex of Protestant Mysticism. The Pietist movement was also set over against the dry formalism of 18^th century religion and represented a true current of the Mystery Tradition within the exoteric Church.