The French Rite & The Knights of the Rosicruz in Brazil

Translated from Racó de la Llum: Les·ilusionades passes d'un Francmaçó del Ritu Modern o Francès

O Soberano Grande Capítulo dos Cavaleiros Rosacruzes. Grande Capítulo Geral do Rito Francês de Portugal ~ The Sovereign Grand Chapter of the Rosicrucian Knights. Grand General Chapter of the French Rite of Portugal

This entry is a brief historical exposition about a significant Masonic Power in the practice of the Orders of Wisdom at the world level, and in which I have the immense pleasure of being an Honorary Member: Soberano Grande Capítulo de Cavaleiros Rosa-Cruz / Grande Capítulo Geral do Rito Francês de Portugal.

The constitution of Masonic Lodges in Portugal seems to date back to 1727 , and it was the result of English and Scottish military and merchants as well as French ones also dedicated to trade in these countries. Hipólito Costa played an important role in the development of Portuguese masonry at the beginning of the 19th century is fundamental because of the intense persecution by the well-known Inquisition throughout the peninsula. The adventures and journeys of this historical personage as well as other details of the historical context that we will not discuss in this article, although we assume that he was responsible for the French Rite, whose rituals were published and printed in 1801, becoming the official rite of the first Gran Oriente Lusitano.

The foundation of the Gran Oriente Lusitano dates from 1802. Two years later, on April 25, 1804 , a Treaty of Friendship was signed with the Grand Orient of France (where the grade of Caballero Rosa-Cruz appeared among the Portuguese masons who signed it, showing its pre-existence on that date, probably since 1802).

Through this Treaty between the GOL and the GODF, the existence and functioning of the Orders of Wisdom of the French Rite in Portugal has been accredited, at least since 1804, the year in which an official patent will be issued. On the other hand, the Constitución del Gran Oriente Lusitano de 1806 refers explicitly to the different orders and chapters of the French Rite, in its chapter III and article XIII , which presupposes the existence of a "Sovereign Grand Chapter of Caballeros Rosa Cruz" , among other chapters.

While in France for other reasons, the Orders of Wisdom ceased to be practiced for about 170 years (approximately from 1830 to 1999) in Portugal , fortunately the work of the Sovereign Grand Chapter of Caballeros Rosa-Cruz , continued during this long period, despite the numerous persecutions and prohibitions of those who were the target of Freemasonry. It was worked uninterruptedly from 1804 to 1939 , that is, around 140 years . After Salazar banned Freemasonry in 1935, in a totally underground manner, the last survivors of the "Sovereign Grand Chapter of Caballeros Rosa-Cruz" were incorporated into the Supreme Council of Grand Inspectors Generals of the 33rd Degree of the Ancient Scottish Rite and Accepted for Portugal. its jurisdiction, through the Agreement of 1939 and, as of this date, the French Rite or Moderno is no longer practiced in Portugal.

Only in 1991, after the Claves Revolution of April 25, 1974, with the foundation of the "Delta" Symbolic Lodge, the French Rite was reintroduced in the Grande Oriente Lusitano, which was practiced for 10 years exclusively by this Lodge. Since 2001, an important group of freemasons from the Lusitano Grand Oriente, belonging to the Respectable Lodge "Delta" and the Spanish brothers of the Iberian Grande Oriente (GOI) were raised in France, under the auspices of the Latin American Grand Oriente (GOLA) in a gradual manner and successively in the different Orders of Wisdom of the French Rite, with the support of the Brothers of the Grand General Chapter of the Great East of France .

This initial spark finally resulted in the creation of the "Grand General Chapter of the French Rite of Portugal" with a patent granted by the GOLA who in turn had received it from the Godf on December 20, 2000.

The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , depositary since the Agreement of 1939, of the Patent and of all the powers of the jurisdiction and the administration of the French Rite for Portugal, reactivated in 2003, the Sovereign Grand Chapter of Caballeros Rosa - Cruz , with raised masons in France, as well as with others, especially MM II II HH Fernando Valle and Emídio Guerreiro, initiated in the French Rite 80 years ago , the last survivors from 1939 at the age of 103 and 104 respectively in 2003 , transferring to This Sovereign Grand Chapter the Patent and all its prerogatives, thus allowing the restoration of the Chain of Union of the French Rite in Portugal, in all its fullness, without interruption, and that its reactivation in 2003, with the presence of the Venerable Brothers Fernando Valle and Emídio Guerreiro, aged 103 and 104, implied that the Chain of Initiatic Union of the French Rite and its Orders of Wisdom since 1804 until 2003 has been practiced for at least 200 years. These masons, convened by brother Fernando Valle on August 27, 2003 , decided by unanimity in the Assembly on September 5, 2003, in the Masonic Palace of Lisbon, the integration of these two organisms into a unique Masonic Power, Free and Sovereign, with the aim of preserving the historical legacy and tradition of the French Rite in Portugal, thus constituting the Sovereign Grand Chapter of Caballeros Rosa-Cruz - Grand General Chapter of the French Rite of Portugal.

Joaquim Villalta, Vª Orden, Gr.·. 9, 33º

Director of the  International Academy of the Vª Order - UMURM

Grand Orator of the  Sublime Council of the Modern Rite for Ecuador

Honorary Member of the Sovereign Grande Chapter of Cavaleiros Rosa-Cruz de Portugal 

Honorary member of the R. L.·. Estrela do Norte nº 553 of the Grand Oriente Lusitano

Grand Chancellor for Europe of the Grand Oriente Nacional Colombiano

Honorary Member of the Grand Oriente Tradicional de Bolivia

Honorary Member of the  Supreme Council of the 33º and Ultimo Grado del RSAA per l'Italia e sue Dipendenze

President of the International Confederation of Supreme Councils of the 33º Degree of R.·. E.·. A. A.

Muy Poderoso Soberano Gran Comendador del  Supremo Consejo del Grado 33º para España del Rito Antiguo y Aceptado (Rite de Cerneau / Thompson-Folger Supreme Council for The United States of America, their Territories and Dependencies)