History of the York Rite in Romania
January 1999 marks the beginnings of the Romanian York Rite, because at that time, in Greece, a group of Master Masons were initiated to the degree of the Royal Arch Masons, and also the first Chapters were set up:
- Chapter no. 1 “Veritas” with E.C. Manole IOSIPER – High Priest,
- Chapter no. 2 “Fraternitas” with E.C. Radu IONESCU – High Priest,
- Chapter no. 3 “Lux” with E.C. Stefan MASU – High PriestStill in 1999, the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Romania was set up, and the supreme office, that of Grand Priest, was entrusted to the late Most Excellent Companion Radu IONESCU.
In March 2002, a group of 10 Master Masons were initiated to the degrees of Masons of the Royal Arch, to the degrees of Cryptic Masons and were invested as Knights Templar in US, Fort Meyers, Florida. At the Convent of July 2002 the Most Excellent Companion Ştefan MASU was elected to the office of Grand High Priest . - At the Annual Meeting of October 2006, the Most Excellent Companion Constantin Roman Tamaduianu was elected to the office of Grand High Priest. - At the Annual Meeting of October 2007, the Most Excellent Companion Stefan Mantea was elected to the office of Grand High Priest. - At the Annual Meeting of October 2010 the Most Excellent Companion Gheorghe Vilceanu was elected to the office of Grand High Priest. - At the Annual Meeting of November 2012, the Most Excellent Companion Gabriel Gherasim was elected to the office of Grand High Priest of the Supreme Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons of Romania.
Currently, the Order of the Royal Arch Masons of Romania operates in 30 Chapters, which include over 700 of Masons of the Royal Arch.In 2002, another group of Masons of the Royal Arch of Romania were initiated to the degrees of Cryptic Masons and invested as Knights Templar in Germany, becoming Members of the Cryptic Council of Manheim and of the Knights Templar Commandery of Heidelberg .
The late Most Excellent Companion Gheorghe COMANESCU, Grand Master of the National Grand Lodge of Romania between 1997 and 2003, is a founding member of the Romanian York Rite completing all phases of initiation until the highest degree, inclusively that of Knight Templar.
In July 2003 the Patent was obtained and the Supreme Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Romania was set up, while the Most Excellent Companion Stafan MASU was elected Illustrious Grand Master of the Supreme Grand Council. Currently, the Supreme Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Romania has in its subordination 23 Councils in which about 500 Cryptic Masons carry out their activity.
In August 2003, at the Triennial Conclave of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the US, was granted the Charter and the Commandery no.1 “King Ferdinand” of Romanian Knights Templar was set up, whereas Sir Knight Stefan MASU was appointed Eminent Commander.
In May 2003 and March 2004 in Toulouse - France a group of Romanian Companions were invested as Knights of the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Appendant Orders .
On June 19, 2004, in Bucharest, a prestigious delegation of the Grand Imperial Conclave of France, headed by by the Most Puissant Sovereign Dominique DOYEN, proceeded to the ritual consecration of the first conclave of Romania as part of the Imperial Grand Conclave Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Appendant Orders .
On June 18-20, 2004, in Bucharest was held the Anniversary Convent consecrated to the celebration of 5 years as from the setting up of the first formations of the York Rite in Romania. The Convent enjoyed the presence of more than 20 highly important figures of the Masonic communities of Europe, America and Canada, as well as other high officers of the international organizations of which Romanian York Rite is full member .
The Most Worshipful Brother Eugen Ovidiu Chirovici, Grand Master of the National Grand Lodge of Romania, between 2003-2010, participated in the ceremony, as a testimony of the fact that the Romanian York Rite is a natural emanation of the unique and sovereign body of the National Grand Lodge of Romania.At the Annual Meeting of October 2006, the Most Excellent Companion Constantin Roman TAMADUIANU was elected to the office of Grand High Priest of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Romania.
At the same Annual Meeting, the Most Excellent Companion Marius SECELEANU was elected to the office of Illustrious Grand Master of the Supreme Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Romania.
At the Annual Meeting of October 2007, the Most Excellent Companion Stefan MANTEA was elected to the office of Grand High Priest of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Romania.
At the same Annual Meeting, the Most Excellent Companion Gabriel GHERASIM was elected to the office of Illustrious Grand Master of the Supreme Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Romania.
On August 15-19, 2009, in Roanoke, Virginia, USA, took place the 64th Triennial of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar.
A delegation of 36 Romanian Sir Knights Templar headed by the Sir Knight Stefan MASU attended this event .On August 18, 2009, ten other commanderies of Romanian Knights Templar received the Charter, namely: Commandery no.2 “Mircea Cel Bătrân” , Commandery no.3 “Mihai Viteazu” , Commandery no.4 “ Ovidius”, Commandery no. 5 “Dimitrie Cantemir”, Commandery no. 6 “ Vlad Tepeş”, Commandery no. 7 “ Iancu de Hunedoara”, Commandery no. 8 “Arhanghelul Mihail” , Commandery no. 9 “Bogdan Voda”, Commandery no.10 “ Costache Negri”, Commandery no. 11 “Nicolae Bălcescu”.
On August 18, 2009, took place the Ceremony for the Award of the Credential of Installation of the Grand Commandery ”King Ferdinand I” of Romanian Knights Templar, composed of the 11 Knights Templar Commanderies .
On September 24, 2010, Sir Knight Gabriel GHERASIM was installed as Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery “King Ferdinand I" of Knights Templar of Romania. The following officers were installed:
At the Conclave of April 2013, Sir Knight Ilie Ionel Ciuclea was elected as Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Romania.
Currently, there are 257 Knights Templar members of the Grand Commandery “King Ferdinand I” of Knights Templar of Romania.
For the time interval 2010 – 2012, the Most Excellent Companion Dan Grumaz was elected as Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council. For the time interval 2012 – 2015, the Most Excellent Companion Gheorghe Vilceanu was elected as Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council.
On February 9-14, 2011, a group of Companions and Knights Templar of the Romanian York Rite participated at the Masonic Week organised in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.. On 26 August – 1 September 2011, a group of Companions of the York Rite Romania attended the Triennial Session of the General Grand Chapter Royal Ach Masons International and the Triennial Session of the General Grand Council Cryptic Masons International, held in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. On February 2012, a group of Companions of the York Rite Romania attended the Masonic Week in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. On February 2013, a group of Companions of the York Rite Romania attended the Masonic Week in Reston, Virginia, USA. On 21 – 24 November 2013, a group of Companions of the York Rite Romania attended the Conference of the York Rite in Latin America, held in Guatemala City, Guatemala. On February 2014, a group of Companions of the York Rite Romania attended the Masonic Week in Reston, Virginia, USA.
The Order of the Rose operates in Romania since 2005. This Order of composed of about 30 ladies, wives, sisters, mothers and daughters of the companions of the Romanian York Rite.
Mrs. Corina GHERASIM is the President of the Order of the Rose in Romania.
The York Rite bodies offer a unique initiatic experience to their candidates; an experience revealed once they go through each step of knowledge, corresponding to a specific degree, Masonic step, and prior training is required for a proper understanding. Therefore, within the York Rite the main interest is not the numerical increase in membership, but the qualitative perfection, reason for which this rite is often perceived as very selective and under certain aspects, restrictive.
Giving to the member masons of the National Grand Lodge of Romania the premises and opportunity to complete superior stages of spiritual ascension, the Romanian York Rite distinguishes itself before the Romanian, European and International Masonic community, as a body of selection, perfection and promotion of masons in the spirit of high civic MORALS, of lasting love towards PEOPLE and COUNTRY and of strong belief in GOD, the Grand Architect of the Universe.