Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia

Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia
	The logo of the Societas Rosicruciana, featuring a pentagram inside a red cross.
Formation	1865
Type	Freemasonry; Rosicrucianism
Headquarters	Harlthorpe Hall,; Yorkshire,; England
Location	England ; Wales ; The Netherlands ; France ; Germany ; Hungary ; India ; Australia ; New Zealand; Canada;
Supreme Magus	First:; Robert Wentworth Little (1869–1878); Current:; Anthony W. Llewellyn; (2019–present)
Website	sria.uk.com

Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (Rosicrucian Society of England) or SRIA is a Rosicrucian esoteric Christian order formed by Robert Wentworth Little in 1865,[1][2] although some sources acknowledge the date to be 1866-67.[3][4] Aspirants (people seeking membership) are confirmed from the ranks of subscribing Master Masons[1] of a Grand Lodge in amity with United Grand Lodge of England.

The structure and grade of this order, as A. E. Waite suggests, were derived from the 18th-century German Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross. It later became the same grade system used for the Golden Dawn.[5]

The Fratres (singular. Frater) of the Society meet in Colleges, which are presided over by an annually elected Celebrant who also oversees all First Order ceremonial. Chief Adepts are responsible for all Colleges within their Province, they personally oversee all Second Order ceremonial activities and are appointed by The Supreme Magus who governs the Society worldwide via his High Council and oversees Third Order ceremonial.

SRIA Colleges can be found in England, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Wales, France, Germany, The Netherlands,Hungary, and India.

The society has a rare collection of 400 year old Rosicrucian books, letters and manuscripts, which are on loan to the Library and Museum of Freemasonry in Freemasons Hall, home of the United Grand Lodge of England.

History

The society claims to be inspired by the original Rosicrucian Brotherhood but does not allege a provable link thereto. It bases its teachings on those found in the Fama and Confessio Fraternitas published in the early 17th century in Germany along with other similar publications from the same time.

The society was founded in 1867, derived from a pre-existing Rosicrucian order in Scotland (which bore no relation to the similarly named Societas Rosicruciana in Scotia, which was a later creation), following the admission of William James Hughan and Robert Wentworth Little. Little was a clerk and cashier of the General Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, William Henry White. These Fratres were advanced quickly in Scotland and granted a warrant to form a Society in England. The formation meeting took place on 1 June 1867 in Aldermanbury, London with Frater Little elected Master Magus, the title of "Supreme Magus" not being invented until some years later.

They produced a journal, called The Rosicrucian, which was co-edited by William Robert Woodman.

First page of the Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis (1614)

Membership requirements

SRIA among the Masonic appendant bodies in England and Wales

Frater Christian Rosenkreuz – Christian Rose Cross

The society requires all aspirants for membership from the ranks of subscribing Master Masons[1] of a Grand Lodge in amity with United Grand Lodge of England[6] to declare a belief in the fundamental principles of the Trinitarian Christian faith and offers assistance to all its members in working out the great problems of nature and science.

Structure and governance

The Order is subdivided into three Orders:

1st Order

Members of the 1st Order(Fratres) meet in a College. A College is empowered to confer the first four degrees of the society which are known as Grades. A minimum of six months must elapse between the receipt of grades. However, the emphasis in the work of the society is learning, therefore every member is encouraged to deliver a paper of their own work on some topic of interest in open college.

First Order Grades
Grade	Grade Name
Grade I	Zelator
Grade II	Theoricus
Grade III	Practicus
Grade IV	Philosophus

2nd Order

The Second Order is managed at a provincial level, headed by a Chief Adept and his deputy (Suffragan) who have jurisdiction over all first order Colleges within a Province. The Chief Adept is empowered to personally confer three further Grades at this level to deserving Fratres of Grade IV who have been a member of the Society for a minimum of four years.

Second Order Grades
Grade	Grade Name
Grade V	Adeptus Minor
Grade VI	Adeptus Major
Grade VII	Adeptus Exemptus

A minimum of one year must elapse between the receipt of grades at this level. A member can only serve as the Celebrant (Master) of a College of the First Order after receiving the Grade of Adeptus Exemptus.

3rd Order

The Third Order is headed by the Supreme Magus, Senior Substitute Magus, and Junior Substitute Magus. Members of the second order who have given service to the Society and have been selected by the Supreme Magus for such advancement may be awarded these two further Grades.

Acting recipients receive Grade VIII or Grade IX, however, the Supreme Magus can also grant the grades honorifically (8° & 9°). All recipients receive the full ceremony, which is personally overseen by the Supreme Magus and his team.

Third Order Grades
Grade	Honorific	Grade Name
Grade VIII	8°	Magister
Grade IX	9°	Magus

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