Fra:.Uraniel Aldebaran
33°, 90°, 97°, 98° SIIEM, 99° Hon WAEO, K:.O:.A:.
Order of Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis and Misraim
When we turn to the study of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim, we are presented with a remarkable picture—not an ancient Egyptian tradition, as many legends claim, but a brilliant creation of the 19th century that united numerous European esoteric currents under a common Egyptian symbolism. This system, numbering from 90 to 100 degrees, represents a unique syncretic monument created by specific people at documented times, and each of its degrees has its own individual history of origin.
The Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim was created in Naples in September 1881 through the merger of two separate Masonic systems: the Rite of Misraim, established in Venice at the end of the 18th century and brought to France in 1814 by the Bédarride brothers, and the Rite of Memphis, founded by Jacques-Étienne Marconis de Nègre in 1838. The rite is commonly known as “Egyptian Masonry” due to its extensive use of Hermetic philosophy and ancient Egyptian symbolism in its system of degrees and rituals. Initially headed by Giuseppe Garibaldi, the military leader of Italian unification, as the first Grand Hierophant, the rite developed an international presence under subsequent leaders, including John Yarker from 1902-1913 and Theodor Reuss from 1913-1923.
Today, the Ancient and Primitive Order of Memphis and Misraim of the Bertier lineage is a Masonic order of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis and Misraim that has preserved direct continuity of work from its founders, particularly from John Yarker and Gérard Encausse, better known by his pseudonym Papus. The Order traces its origins to Egyptian Masonry, whose constitution was presented by Count Alessandro Cagliostro in 1777. Cagliostro claimed to have received initiation into this rite in his youth from a mysterious hermit named Althotas. The first organized work under the Egyptian Rite took place in 1779 in Mitau, now Jelgava in Latvia, which had been the capital of the Duchy of Courland until 1775 and later became part of the Russian Empire. In 1785, the first Mother Lodge of the order, known as “Triumphant Wisdom,” opened in Lyon.
Authentic Sources of the System and Their Documented History
The real history of degree creation begins with clearly documented sources. The first three degrees were taken from the Grand Lodge of England through Cagliostro, who had properly received the first three degrees of English Masonry. Cagliostro transmitted to a group of Socinians in Venice in 1788 the first three degrees of English Masonry and higher degrees of German Templar Masonry, strongly influenced by the Templar tradition. However, since the members of this group did not wish to practice the magico-kabbalistic rituals of Cagliostro, they chose to work with the first degrees of the Templar ritual.
The higher degrees were taken from German Templar Masonry. These degrees derived from the Strict Templar Observance, founded by Baron von Hund in 1755, and the Rectified Scottish Rite, which represented Willermoz’s reform of 1778. Degrees from the fourth to the eighteenth included elements from Templar chivalric degrees, Scottish degrees of the Strict Observance, and Rosicrucian elements.
To these two rituals were added initiatic degrees originating from 18th-century esoteric obediences: the Primitive Rite, the Rite of the Philalethes, and others. The Primitive Rite of the Philalethes was established by Viscount de Chefdebien d’Aigrefeuille in 1759, who brought the ritual from Prague in Bohemia. The Mother Lodge of the Philalethes in Narbonne was founded in 1779.
The African Architects represented an 18th-century Masonic order founded in Prussia in 1767 by Brother von Koppen and C.F. Koeffen under the patronage of Frederick II. In France around 1770-1778, the ritual structure expanded to eleven degrees, including Apprentice of Egyptian Secrets, Initiate of Egyptian Secrets, Cosmopolitan, Christian Philosopher, and Alethophilos—Lover of Truth.
Creator of the Arcana Arcanorum and the Neapolitan Tradition
A special place in the history of the system’s creation is occupied by the Arcana Arcanorum—the four highest degrees from the eighty-seventh to the ninetieth. The man who formulated the Arcana Arcanorum, though not in final form, was Raimondo di Sangro, Prince of San Severo. Other predecessors also played roles and had influence in creating the Arcana Arcanorum, such as the Jesuit Athanasius Kircher, the father of Egyptology.
Raimondo di Sangro, the seventh Prince of Sansevero, was born in Torremaggiore on January 30, 1710, and died in Naples on March 22, 1771. He was an Italian nobleman, inventor, soldier, writer, scientist, alchemist, and Freemason, best known for his reconstruction of the Sansevero Chapel in Naples. His father was Antonio, Duke of Torremaggiore, and his mother was Cecilia Gaetani of Aragon. His mother died shortly after his birth. He spent his early years in Naples, and in 1720 was sent to the Jesuit Clementine College in Rome for education. In 1726 he inherited the title of Prince of Sansevero from his grandfather. In 1730, at the age of twenty, he returned to Naples.
It was precisely Raimondo di Sangro’s alchemical research that made Naples a modern esoteric center, organizing the collection of various esoteric knowledge within a Masonic system reuniting with Egypt. Later, in 1782, through commercial relations between Neapolitan brothers and other brothers in the Venetian Republic, it first reached the Ionian Islands in the early 18th century. Particularly on Zakynthos, in a lodge that practiced Egyptian degrees, the same lodge as Ugo Foscolo. Then from this island in 1782, the Rite, or its predecessor, came to Venice.
Cagliostro received the kabbalistic Arcana Arcanorum or Scale of Naples between 1767 and 1775 from his friend Knight Luigi d’Aquino, whom he met in Malta. In 1768 he was initiated into the “Perfect Union” lodge and into a Rosicrucian order of twelve adepts, headed by Raimondo di Sangro, known as Rosa d’Ordine Magno (“Rose of the Great Order”), whose name is an anagram of the name of Prince Sansevero himself.
Development of the Rite of Misraim: Venetian and Italian Phases
The specific history of degree creation begins with the Rite of Misraim, which consisted of ninety degrees. In the Venetian phase from 1788 to 1801, in 1788 in Venice a group of Socinian Freemasons requested a founding patent from Cagliostro during his stay in that city. However, since the members of this group did not wish to practice Cagliostro’s magico-kabbalistic rituals, they chose to work with the first degrees of the Templar ritual.
In the Italian development from 1801 to 1813, several key figures participated. First, Brother Tassoni, an Italian who maintained a small Rite of Misraim in Venice, founded in 1750 and structured in ten or twenty degrees. Tassoni was known by the initiatic name Philalethes Abraham, which concealed, possibly, the historical personality of Baron Tassoni of Modena. The meaning “Abraham Lover of Truth” clearly indicates a connection with the Philalethes, Freemasons of the Primitive Rite of Narbonne, who were known for their extensive esoteric archives, and a reference to the original unity of religions under the Great Architect of the Universe.
Then Brother Leschanger, a Frenchman living in Italy, friend of Tassoni, creator of the Rite of Misraim in seventy degrees, inspired among other things by degrees of “Scottish style.” Leschanger was given the responsibility to collect all elements, classify and coordinate them. Then de Lassalle, a Frenchman, Grand Master of Misraim for the Kingdom of Naples, who brought to the ritual some Neapolitan degrees, including the Arcana Arcanorum from the eighty-seventh to the ninetieth degree. It is probable that Pierre de Lassalle, a convinced esotericist, was the one who introduced the Arcana Arcanorum. Then Cerbes, a Frenchman, Grand Master of Misraim for Milan, then capital of the Cisalpine State, who received his powers from Brother Leschanger.
French Adaptation and the Bédarride Brothers
French adaptation began in 1814. The first documented French lodge of Misraim was founded in Paris in 1814-1815 by the Bédarride brothers—Marc, Michel, and Joseph, who were middle-ranking officers in Napoleon’s Italian army. Bringing the ritual from Naples, they founded what became a significant presence in French Masonry. Between 1815 and 1820, they composed rituals for the three symbolic degrees of Misraim, which were essentially borrowed from the “Guide of Scottish Masons”—the earliest known form of the symbolic degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, probably published around 1814.
Marc Bédarride was the main organizer and propagandist. He created the “Egyptian Rite of Misraim” in 1813 in Naples, and together with his brothers created the first Egyptian Rite of Paris on May 19, 1815. He became the author of the book “On the Masonic Order of Misraim” in 1845. From 1810 to 1813, the Bédarride brothers developed the ritual successfully, almost under the protection of the Scottish Rite. Michel and Joseph Bédarride were co-authors of the French version and expanded the number of degrees from seventy-seven to ninety in just two years—from 1811 to 1813.
François Joly, a merchant and supplier to the gendarmerie, who was the orator of the Marie Louise lodge, also played an important role. In 1813-1814, he received documents in Naples with the four highest degrees—the Arcana Arcanorum from de Lassalle and Leschanger. He received “Cahiers of various degrees, whose works are most in use,” but challenged the authority of the Bédarrides with his rituals.
A legitimate question arises about actual plagiarism: when the founders of Misraim returned to France and founded the “Rainbow” lodge in Paris, which became the Mother Lodge of the ritual, they composed rituals for the three symbolic degrees of Misraim that were essentially plagiarized from the “Guide of Scottish Masons.” A legitimate question arises: why did they need to copy these rituals if they truly had an authentic tradition from the supposed lodge founded in Venice in 1788?
Creation of the Rite of Memphis and Jacques-Étienne Marconis de Nègre
In 1805 in Milan, the Bédarride brothers, based on the Egyptian constitution and scattered magical and kabbalistic rituals, created the Rite of Misraim, initially having seventy-seven, and from 1811—ninety degrees. The name “Misraim” in Hebrew translation means “Egypt” (more precisely—the Egypts: Lower and Upper, on both sides of the Nile River). In 1815 in the town of Montauban, scholarly Freemasons Gabriel-Mathieu Marconis de Nègre and Samuel Honis founded the ninety-two degree Rite of Memphis. Later it was expanded to ninety-five, and then to ninety-seven degrees. The Rite of Memphis included symbolic Masonry of the first three degrees—apprentice, fellowcraft, master—and numerous rituals of higher degrees known in France and Great Britain. Both new rites proclaimed an ancient initiatic succession from the priests and builders of the pyramids of Ancient Egypt, whose knowledge supposedly was preserved in secret societies since antiquity.
The Rite of Memphis numbered ninety-five degrees and had a single author. Jean Étienne Marconis de Nègre was born on January 3, 1795, in Montauban; his parents were Gabriel-Mathieu Marconis and Martha Nègre. In 1833 he was initiated into the Rite of Misraim. According to some sources, in 1838 he revived the Lodges of the Rite of Memphis that his father had established. But it is known for certain that the Rite of Memphis first appeared in France in 1839, deriving largely from the Scottish and Misraimite Rites.
Jacques-Étienne’s Masonic career is full of contradictions that refute the official legends. If the “Disciples of Memphis” truly existed in 1815, why wasn’t Jacques-Étienne, who was then twenty years old, initiated there? Why did he wait until 1833 to be initiated into Masonry through Misraim? Why did the first ritual for symbolic lodges of Memphis, published by him in 1839, plagiarize the ritual of Misraim from 1815-1820, if he had complete archives of the “Disciples of Memphis”?
The actual creation of the Rite of Memphis occurred in 1838. Jean Étienne Marconis de Nègre founded the Rite of Memphis shortly before 1838 after being excluded from the Rite of Misraim. The only verifiable fact from this story is the creation, not revival, of the Rite of Memphis in 1838. As Grand Master and Grand Hierophant of his new order, Marconis developed a system that, while never exceeding five or six lodges in 19th-century France, successfully expanded to the United States, Romania, and Egypt.
The sources of his system are well documented. Marconis de Nègre received all degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and degrees of the ancient rite of perfection in the “Workshop” lodge, of which he was a member and which belonged to the primitive rite of Chefdebien from 1759. Marconis’s main works included “The Sanctuary of Memphis, or Hermes”—the main work with rituals, and “The Golden Branch of Eleusis”—a historical catalog of rituals. The first ritual of 1839 borrowed from the ritual of Misraim of 1815-1820.
The system of ninety-five degrees included degrees from the first to the thirty-third as an adaptation of the Scottish Rite, degrees from the thirty-fourth to the ninety-fifth as a compilation from various esoteric sources. Degrees thirty-fourth through sixtieth represented philosophical degrees, whose source was various French esoteric rituals, including compilation from the Hermetic Rite of Avignon, the Primitive Rite of Narbonne, and the Rite of African Architects of Bordeaux. Degrees sixty-first through ninety-fifth were Egyptian degrees, whose source was Marconis’s own inventions based on Egyptomania, including degrees of Egyptian mythology, Hermeticism, and Gnostic elements.
Merger into Memphis-Misraim and Garibaldi’s Role
The merger into Memphis-Misraim occurred in 1881. On the initiative of John Yarker, Grand Master of Memphis in England, and his representative in Italy, Giambattista Pessina, the American, English, Italian, Spanish, and Romanian branches of Memphis united, offering Garibaldi the title of Grand Hierophant. In 1881, the Italian general and politician Giuseppe Garibaldi, who combined the posts of Grand Master of the Rite of Misraim and Grand Hierophant of the Rite of Memphis, united them into a single Rite of Memphis and Misraim. However, some lodges continued independent work within their former rites.
Pessina’s role was key: where did the idea come from that Misraim and Memphis were united under Garibaldi? It came from Giambattista Pessina, who apparently took upon himself the responsibility of adding Misraim to the story, issuing a charter to Romania for the Rites of Memphis and Misraim. The idea took hold and found followers. Even today there are lodges that practice only the Rite of Misraim in ninety degrees, and others—only the Rite of Memphis.
Development under Yarker and International Expansion
Development under Yarker was significant. Yarker formed the Ancient and Primitive Rite of thirty-three degrees, excluding duplicate degrees from the Rite of Memphis-Misraim. Yarker’s ritual claimed a history going back to Napoleon Bonaparte’s armies in Egypt and traced the development of the ritual to modern times. His rituals covered all Masonry and were based on rituals of universal craft; they explained its symbols, developed its mystical philosophy, illustrated its morality, and investigated its legends. Until Yarker’s death in 1913, the ritual never had more than three hundred members in total. The Rite of Memphis assigned a set of degrees numbered from the fourth to the thirty-second degree.
Yarker’s main publications included the “Handbook of the Degrees of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Masonry” of 1881 and “Lectures of the Chapter, Senate and Council” of 1882. The lectures were translated from the published works of Jacques Étienne Marconis. Yarker’s archaeological work included finding forgotten rituals and their histories in archives.
After Garibaldi, the post of Grand Hierophant of the united rite was occupied by English Freemason John Yarker, German industrialist and one of the founders of O.T.O.—the Order of Oriental Templars—Theodor Reuss, and finally, the outstanding French physician, writer, and esotericist Gérard Encausse, better known by his pseudonym Papus. After Yarker’s death in 1913, the title passed to the rather controversial Theodor Reuss, also founder of the Ordo Templi Orientis (Order of Oriental Templars), an occult initiatic order that strongly influenced Aleister Crowley, who held a high position in it.
French Reorganization of the 20th Century and Papus’s Role
The French reorganization of the 20th century began with significant transformation of the ritual under the leadership of outstanding figures of European occultism. Gérard Encausse received charters from Yarker in 1908. In 1909, the Egyptian rituals, now united, were restored in France when Theodor Reuss, who followed in the footsteps and inheritance of John Yarker, issued a patent to Gérard Encausse to create the Supreme General Council of the Ancient and Primitive Rite. After unsuccessful attempts to join both the Grand Lodge of Misraimites and the Grand Lodge of France, he received a patent from Yarker to create a Swedenborgian lodge. His influence increased significantly in 1906 when Yarker authorized him to create a Grand Lodge, and in 1908 Theodor Reuss allowed him to create the “Humanidad” lodge, which became the Ancient and Primitive Oriental Rite of Memphis-Misraim in France.
The succession of French leaders included Charles Détré, known as Téder, who served as Grand Master from 1916 to 1918, after the death of the Grand Master for France, Dr. Gérard Encausse, on October 25, 1916, due to illness contracted in the army. Grand Master-Adjutant Charles Détré succeeded him. Téder died on September 25, 1918. Then Jean Bricaud from 1918 to 1934. In 1919, a group of Freemasons belonging either to the French Rite of the Grand Orient or to the Scottish Rite of the Grand Lodge and Supreme Council and also possessing higher degrees of the Memphis-Misraim Rite, wishing to remain faithful to their Obedience but work in Masonry from a purely initiatic point of view, decided to restore the Memphis-Misraim Rite in France.
Constant Chevillon then took leadership until his tragic murder by the French militia in 1944. Henri-Charles Dupont then headed the order from 1945 to 1960. During the war, the Rite was dormant in England, France, Germany, Romania, and Egypt.
Robert Ambelain’s Role and the Syncretic Approach
Robert Ambelain took leadership in 1960 and undertook a comprehensive reform of the rituals, renaming his obedience the “French Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim.” His era was marked by a period of substantial development and systematization of the ritual’s practices. In 1985, Ambelain passed his legacy to Gérard Kloppel, initiating a new phase in the ritual’s history.
Ambelain, who always sought opportunities to expand the Order, introduced elements that had nothing in common with the original sources: neo-Gnosticism, Kabbalah, and other traditions among others. This happened because he did not have enough material to actually perform all the degrees, and he found in other traditions a good solution to fill the gaps. This was quite easy for him since he was the leader of several initiatic organizations that were closely connected to each other: the Martinist Order, the Memphis-Misraim Rite, Elus-Cohen (Order of Knight-Masons Elected Cohens of the Universe), the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose and Cross, Ecclesia Gnostica Apostolica (Gnostic Apostolic Church), and the Gnostic Catholic Apostolic Church.
The problem of authenticity of Ambelain’s line is that it is not without its opponents, since Ambelain himself often took a revisionist approach to the Egyptian Rite, often taking upon himself the correction of rituals, publishing corrected versions of the Rite. There is also the problem that Ambelain issued orders and charters only to later revoke them, which contributed to the spread of Orders claiming authenticity as a direct line to Ambelain himself.
After World War II, in February 1945, Henri-Charles Dupont became director of the Order until shortly before his death in 1960, when he passed it to Robert Ambelain, marking the fifth period in the ritual’s history. Ambelain, who became Sovereign Grand General Master, restored the Memphis-Misraim ritual in June 1963, writing new rituals and presiding over the organization with greater or lesser success until the end of his life in 1997.
The Haitian Line and the Jean-Maine Family
The Haitian mystic living in France, Hector Jean-Maine, received initiation from Papus. Subsequently, the Jean-Maine family played an important role in the history and development of the Memphis-Misraim Order. Lucien-François Jean-Maine was born on January 11, 1869, in the city of Léogâne, Haiti. On August 15, 1899, in Paris, he was initiated into the “Gnostic and Kabbalistic Church of Memphis-Misraim” by Spanish Bishop Paul-Pierre de Marraga, known as Orpheus VI. Marraga, in turn, received initiation on February 2, 1860, from Manuel Lopez de Brion, known as Orpheus V, who from 1875 bore the title of Bishop of the Gnostic Church of the Albigensians.
In 1910, the famous occultist Papus appointed Jean-Maine as National Hierophant of Haiti and French India. From 1919, Jean-Maine lived in Spain, where in 1921 he became hierophant of all Latin-speaking countries. Under his leadership worked separate “Gnostic and Esoteric Order of Misraim” and “Gnostic and Esoteric Order of Memphis,” maintaining certain autonomy within the Memphis-Misraim organization.
Lucien-François Jean-Maine was a notable figure in the Haitian mystical tradition. He founded the Order of Oriental Templars O.T.O.A. in Haiti in 1921, which combined ancient initiatory traditions of the West with Haitian metaphysics. Jean-Maine actively introduced elements of Gnostic Vodou into his ceremonies, which included such practices as speaking in tongues and invoking angels. Additionally, Jean-Maine headed the Neo-Pythagorean Gnostic Church. His activities had significant influence on the development of mystical practices and Vodou within the O.T.O.A. order he founded and in the broader context of Haitian metaphysical tradition and Western esotericism. Lucien-François Jean-Maine died on April 30, 1960, in Boston, leaving behind a notable trace in the history of esoteric and mystical currents of the 20th century.
His son Hector-François Jean-Maine was born on January 18, 1925. After his father’s death in 1960 and a brief three-year period of leadership by Martin de Sanchez and Marraga, Hector-François assumed the title of Grand Hierophant in 1963 under the mystical name “Ogdoad-Orpheus III.” On January 18, 1966, in Chicago, Hector-François initiated American Michael-Paul Bertiaux into the Memphis-Misraim rite, and in 1975 officially appointed him Grand Hierophant-Keeper of the Rite. Bertiaux developed active work of the Memphis-Misraim rite, and in 1978 received the official post of Grand Hierophant of A.P.R.M.M.—Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis and Misraim.
Michael-Paul Bertiaux and American Development
Michael-Paul Bertiaux, born on January 18, 1935, is known as an American occultist who had significant influence on the field of occultism, including through his famous work—the “Voudon Gnostic Workbook” of 1988. This six-hundred-fifteen-page compendium covers various subfields of occultism such as Vodou, neo-Pythagoreanism, Thelema, and Gnosticism, and is considered a classic of modern occult literature.
Bertiaux first became known in the occult community through his deep immersion in Vodou practices, which he studied during his stay in Haiti. On August 15, 1963, during a visit to Jean-Maine in Port-au-Prince, he was deeply inspired and was later ordained into the Gnostic church by Jean-Maine on November 2, 1963. His teachings and practices combine esoteric Gnosticism with Vodou, creating a unique spiritual path that he continued to develop upon returning to the United States.
Throughout his career, Bertiaux participated in the work of several esoteric orders and contributed to the occult community through his teachings and writings. His approach combines rigorous spiritual practices with academic interest in the foundational philosophies of magic and spirituality. Michael-Paul Bertiaux, author of many books such as “Gnostic Voudon,” “Ontological Graffiti,” and others, received another important line of initiation. On December 26, 1967, he was initiated by Marc Lully, known as Marc Lullianus, who in turn was initiated by William Crow—one of the successors of the famous English magician Aleister Crowley. Michael Bertiaux held the post of Grand Hierophant from 1978.
Alexander Rybalka and the Israeli Branch
In 2019, Michael-Paul Bertiaux transferred to Alexander Rybalka the right to represent the Memphis and Misraim Rite worldwide. Alexander Rybalka, who lived from 1966 to 2022, was a diversely gifted personality—physicist, astronomer, journalist, humorist, publisher, researcher of Kabbalah and Masonry. He was born on September 11, 1966, in Leningrad but grew up in Odessa. In 1983, he entered the astronomy department of the physics faculty of Odessa State University. During his studies, he was on KVN teams; in 1987-1988, he headed the humor club “Hamiltonian,” later “Club of Odessa Gentlemen.” After graduating from university in 1988, he worked for two years as a research engineer at the Institute of Physics at OSU, publishing in local and central press.
From 1990-1993, he was editor-in-chief of the newspapers “Odessa Poster” and his own “Odessa-Mama,” which he characterized as an “international tabloid newspaper.” In 1993, he immigrated to Israel and settled in the city of Kiryat Malakhi. He continued Masonic and kabbalistic research begun in Odessa. He published a translation from Hebrew of the book “Sepher Yetzirah” in 1996, wrote for the newspapers “Sensation” and “Time.” In 2022, being already Grand Hierophant of the Memphis-Misraim Order, Alexander Rybalka suddenly died on May 5 and was buried in Kiryat Malakhi. According to his will, the post of Grand Hierophant was inherited by his closest associate and “right hand,” Fra Uraniel Aldebaran—Fra Uraniel Aldebaran, his magical motto.
Fra Uraniel Aldebaran was preliminarily initiated by Rybalka into the 97°—degree of Grand Hierophant—and was National Hierophant of the Holy Land of Israel. In 2022, Michael Bertiaux, the previous Grand Hierophant, officially confirmed Fra Uraniel Aldebaran’s authority to represent the Rite worldwide.
Breakdown of the French System and Modern Fragmentation
The breakdown of the French system began in 1995. The dissolution of the French Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim began to form in 1995. Several fundamental issues contributed to this fragmentation, including debates about gender integration of lodges, independence of workshops of the first three degrees from workshops of higher degrees, lifetime appointments of leadership, and the distinction between ritual and obedience. These tensions culminated in a significant crisis after the creation of a mixed Egyptian “path” in 1997.
The final break occurred on January 24, 1998, when the obedience split into two branches. One faction formed the Symbolic Grand Lodge of France under the leadership of Georges Claude Vieilledent, while the other remained loyal to Gérard Kloppel under the name French Male Grand Lodge of Memphis Misraim. After this split, Kloppel created the Traditional Grand Lodge of Memphis-Misraim by patent of March 15, 1998, then on May 5, 1998, transferred his post of World Grand Master to Cheikna Sylla. He remained in the Traditional Grand Lodge of Memphis-Misraim as a simple member until 2007. The original French Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim was ultimately dissolved by the Créteil tribunal.
As of 2012, approximately one hundred seventy-five lodges in France worked with the Memphis-Misraim Rite, of which forty operated within the Grand Orient of France. The rite maintains a unique characteristic in Masonic practice: its filiation can be transmitted through one person, male or female, after reaching certain degrees—90° for Misraim or 95° for Memphis-Misraim. This feature has led to both flexibility in creating new branches and problems in verifying legitimacy.
World Association of Egyptian Obediences
The Ancient and Primitive Order of Memphis and Misraim of the Bertiaux lineage is part of the World Association of Egyptian Obediences—W.A.E.O. This association unites most Masonic organizations working under various Egyptian rites, including the original Cagliostro Rite, the Misraim and Memphis rites, and Memphis-Misraim proper. Thus, today the Bertiaux lineage is the keeper of the entire complex of Egyptian initiations and traditions of Freemasonry, while maintaining continuity of the chain of succession from the great masters of past centuries.
Modern System of Degrees: Detailed Analysis
The modern system of one hundred degrees represents the result of all these historical influences and reforms. Each degree carries deep symbolism and specific initiatic tasks.
Symbolic Masonry (1°-3°)
1°. Entered Apprentice symbolizes the beginning of a new cycle, transition to a new level, initiation, opening of light, and the beginning of a new path. In the center of the lodge on a black and white floor is a small triangular altar representing a fragment of an obelisk, on which are arranged the square and compass according to the degree being worked, with a ruler placed over them. Three columns symbolize strength, wisdom, and beauty. Jacob’s ladder leads to the Blazing Star—symbol of the Divine principle in man or Sirius. The base of the triangular altar faces east, the point faces west, emphasizing movement from darkness to light.
2°. Fellow Craft represents a sharp turn from darkness to light, preparation for transition to a new quality. The central element is a spiral staircase leading to the Temple. The curvature of the staircase shows the difficulty of the path to Light. At this degree, the meaning of the letter G is revealed. The ritual of this degree uses cartouches to maintain the Egyptian theme, relating to the Alexandrian gnosis of Greek Egypt.
3°. Master Mason symbolizes symbolic death, struggle with fears and victory over them, search for the “lost word.” The Mason learns the art of dying correctly. The central element is the coffin of Master Hiram, killed by three fellowcrafts. Acacia symbolizes eternal life and return to new life after death. A unique feature of the Egyptian version is that the ritual of the third degree is based on the myth of Osiris rather than the myth of Hiram, which seems quite logical. Seven masters participate in the ceremony with a sprig of acacia, compass, and square.
Scottish Rite (4°-33°)
4°. Secret Master provides opportunities for unlimited self-improvement. One of seven masters chosen by King Solomon. The key opens the holy of holies. The pyramid connects the Scottish Rite with the Egyptian and recalls Harpocrates.
5°. Perfect Master symbolizes unity and fraternal love despite all difficulties related to Hiram’s death. Golden urn with Master Hiram’s ashes, cubic stone with the letter J denoting Jachin. Three circles hint at squaring the circle and geometry as an important part of the science of Freemasons.
6°. Intimate Secretary symbolizes the quest for knowledge of truth. The royal crown recalls the glory of King Solomon and Hiram. The nine-pointed star indicates the sacred number 9. The rolled scroll is a reminder of the order’s secrets.
7°. Provost and Judge symbolizes equality from the triad “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.” The golden key must open the vault containing the Temple plan and Hiram’s heart—symbol of striving for knowledge of secret wisdom.
8°. Intendant of the Building symbolizes the necessity of mastering new knowledge for career advancement. The tableau depicts decorations of the secret chamber of five intendants appointed by Solomon for perfection in the building art.
9°. Master Elect of Nine recalls nine masters who set out to find Hiram’s murderers. The hand with bloody sword speaks of inevitable retribution for evil and the necessity of placing truth above prejudice.
10°. Master Elect of Fifteen symbolizes satisfaction from just retribution, the law of karma. Red and white tears of joy replace red tears of mourning. Walls of Jerusalem with heads of Hiram’s murderers on pillars.
11°. Sublime Prince Elect represents transition from destruction to creation, establishment of justice. Election speaks of leadership of one of the tribes of Israel. The sword of justice symbolizes righteousness.
12°. Grand Master Architect symbolizes reaching the peak of the career ladder on the material plane. Five columns of different architectural styles, building instruments, and hint at the secret word meaning “Lord.”
13°. Knight Of The Royal Arch represents transition from material to spiritual level. Connection between Judaism and the most ancient tradition. Journey through nine vaults of Enoch, each corresponding to one of the sephiroth of Kabbalah.
14°. Knight of the Sacred Vault symbolizes finding lost wisdom after great labors. Underground vault with the Master’s secret word carved in golden letters. The unpronounceable word—Tetragrammaton.
15°. Knight of the East represents intense work in the face of enemy opposition. After 70 years of Babylonian captivity, Jews built the Temple holding sword in one hand, trowel in the other. “Mystical” cement of flour, milk, oil, and wine was used.
16°. Prince Of Jerusalem symbolizes victory in court. Jews appealed to King Darius for help against Samaritans who hindered Temple restoration. Scales symbolize justice and righteousness.
17°. Knight of the East and West represents search for like-minded people, good partners. Union of Tradition keepers (Knights of the East) with crusaders (Knights of the West). White lamb in heptagon on book with seven seals.
18°. The Knight of the Rose Croix symbolizes renewal through symbolic death. Degree borrowed from Rosicrucians. Golden cross symbolizes body, red rose—soul. Pelican—symbol of Divine mercy. INRI has several meanings.
19°. Knight Grand Pontiff of Jerusalem represents opportunity to effectively use abilities. Based on history of Heavenly Jerusalem. Grand pontiff seeks boundary between visible and invisible. Alpha and Omega symbolize Jesus.
20°. Knight Of The Temple symbolizes necessity to gather maximum information for synthesis. Story of Zerubbabel and Temple building. Christian Masons spread across earth to ensure universality of construction.
21°. Patriarch Noachite represents appeal to past for help. Degree about building Tower of Babel. In 1553 ruins found in Prussia with Tower of Babel history. Idea of universal religion.
22°. Knight Of The Royal Axe portends hard work. First Temple built from Lebanese cedar. Axe reminds of this. Importance of labor and dedication of inner life to Temple construction.
23°. Knight Of The Tabernacle symbolizes spiritual purification. Degree about Bezalel who created Tabernacle vessels. Ritual depicts initiation of Aaron’s sons for priestly work.
24°. Prince Of The Tabernacle represents selfless service to Common Work. Continuation of story about building portable Temple. Initiate becomes independent architect, represents Levite.
25°. Knight Of The Brazen Serpent symbolizes encouragement on path, confidence in overcoming difficulties. Legend of Moses’ brazen serpent that healed the bitten. Purification of soul from material world and restoration of faith.
26°. Knight Of The Holy City represents friendship, solidarity, deliverance from danger with friends’ help. Christian degree about Christian Masons in catacombs during Domitian’s time. Triangle symbolizes union with patriarchs.
27°. Grand Commander Of The Temple symbolizes liberation from yoke. Christian degree recalling secret rituals of Teutonic order. Blazing star—planet of Messiah’s birth.
28°. Knight of the Sun represents obtaining true knowledge through rejection of delusions. Fundamentals of Kabbalah, knowledge of seven metals, planets and their angels. Cross symbolizes Jesus, double-headed eagle—Holy Spirit.
29°. Knight of St. Andrew portends distant journey with good fruits. Mason-builders with crusaders were expelled from Middle East and settled in Scotland, bringing mystical knowledge.
30°. Grand Elect Knight Kadosh represents work on correcting one’s own shortcomings. “Kadosh” means “holy”—separated from material world. Story of Templars’ destruction by society’s vicious passions.
31°. Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander symbolizes devoted service, help to those on Path. Administrative degree. Duties: watch, care for brothers’ fulfillment of obligations, prevent abuses.
32°. Sublime Prince Of The Royal Secret represents synthesis of information for transition to new level. Summary of information from key degrees of Scottish Rite. Sign—camps of 12 tribes of Israel around Tabernacle.
33°. Sovereign Grand Inspector General symbolizes unexpected but deserved reward. Completion of Scottish Masonry ladder. Double-headed eagle symbolizes Mason’s task—manifest Almighty’s will in material world.
Egyptian Masonry (34°-100°)
34°. Knight of Scandinavia marks sharp transition to fundamentally new level. Transition from Scottish to Egyptian Masonry. Yggdrasil—world tree, runic alphabet, three levels of Universe.
35°. Knight of the Temple (Knight of Sirius) establishes connection with higher hierarchy. Study of connections between earthly phenomena and Sirius, astronomy, purification of metals. Isis as embodiment of Sirius, Osiris in celestial boat.
36°. Sublime Negociant represents strong friendship and cooperation. Geometry and astronomy, purification of four elements. Acquaintance with connection between world religions—Abraham and Brahma, Sarah and Saraswati.
37°. Knight of Shota (Sage Of Truth) emphasizes necessity to value lessons of past. Return to symbolic Masonry. Letter M—first letter of master degree password. Testing knowledge of passed steps.
38°. Sublime Elect of Truth (the Red Eagle) marks beginning of path of discovering secrets. Mysteries of Ancient Egypt. Study of similarities between mysteries of different nations. Red eagle—first stages of rubedo in alchemy.
39°. Grand Elect of the Aeons symbolizes deliverance from illusions. Work on Avatars and Messiahs. Texts from Zoroastrian work on 72 righteous ones. Study of secrets of Zoroastrian magi.
40°. Sage Savaiste (Perfect Sage) gives obtaining powers for truth seeking. Study of fundamental laws of nature. Alpha and Omega—beginning and end of nature’s secrets. Seven stars—seven liberal sciences.
41°. Knight of the Arch of Seven Colours demonstrates existence of Higher power. Rainbow symbolism as model of first arch. Sign of covenant between Almighty and Noah. Seven colors from white light.
42°. Prince Of Light requires destruction of egoism to bring light to world. Masonic order as oldest social network. Grandiose work of changing world. Pyramid arrangement as Orion’s belt.
43°. Sublime Hermetic Sage (Hermetic Philosopher) gives hope for change for better. Two columns—birth and death. Temple on seven steps of ladder. Golden ladder recalls Helios.
44°. Prince Of The Zodiac warns of losses on path. Acquaintance with Book of Universe, secrets of stars and planets. Connection of Hercules’ labors with zodiac signs. Order of Divine light’s descent.
45°. Sublime Sage of the Mysteries accomplishes spiritual purification through understanding Blazing Delta. Second life after ritual purification. Triangle over Horus’ eye symbolizes Blazing Delta.
46°. Sublime Pastor of the Huts begins new stage of great work. Fundamentals of morality. Two columns—life and death, green lion—beginning of alchemical process. Seven huts—symbol of confidence in Divine mercy.
47°. Knight of the Seven Stars brings unexpected luck. Seven stars of Great Bear—most ancient symbol. Pleiades and their origin. Menorah of Jerusalem Temple.
48°. Sublime Guardian of the Sacred Mount portends learning something new and important. Study of nature’s mysteries. Spiritually purified sage studies mystical book. Mind as “all-seeing eye.”
49°. Sublime Sage of the Pyramids allows avoiding danger through Providence. Key degree recalling Cagliostro’s initiation in pyramids. Golden branch—symbol of initiation power. Moses’ brazen serpent.
50°. Sublime Philosopher of Samothrace accomplishes purification through trials. Samothracian mysteries of Cabiri. Legend of god’s murder—parallel with Hiram. Consecration by water and blood, struggle with illusions.
51°. Sublime Titan of the Caucasus symbolizes retribution for deeds, karma. Legend of Prometheus who stole fire for humanity. Allegory about futility of ignorance and fanaticism. Seven gates of truth.
52°. Sage of the Labyrinth requires caution. Journey through labyrinth of symbols—rose, plant of Moli, palm, Ugolino’s tower. Important degree for Hermetic Mason.
53°. Knight or Sage of the Phoenix symbolizes life renewal or closed circle. Phoenix surrounded by Ouroboros. Fire—principle of all things, serpent—eternal renewal. Phoenix symbolizes Sirius.
54°. Sublime Scalde aimed at truth seeking. Continuation of 34° degree. Bards—Scandinavian singers possessing rune secrets. Study of Pythagorean music of spheres and runic alphabet.
55°. Sublime Orphic Doctor expresses attraction to beautiful, spirit elevation. Greek theurgy, Eleusinian mysteries. Orphic cult. Key to nature’s mysteries and magic wand.
56°. Pontiff, or Sage of Cadmia begins new great work. Restoration of man in Divine pristine state. Study of seven musical tones, colors, vowel letters. Cadmus—dragon slayer.
57°. Sublime Magus receives Higher powers’ favor. Knowledge of genuine secret of God’s presence in everything. Key to all allegories, secrets of herbs and minerals.
58°. Sage, or Prince Brahmine symbolizes awakening and obtaining multiple opportunities. Concepts of Brahma’s days and nights, lunar and solar race. SWAUM—Brahma’s breath transforming ether into material world.
59°. Sublime Sage, or Grand Pontiff of Ogygia passes complex trials before final Transmutation. Journey for Golden Fleece begins with awareness of opening Pandora’s box—allegory of fall.
60°. Sublime Guardian of the Three Fires accomplishes union with forces. Three altars with fires—human body, soul, and spirit. Union on golden altar of Jerusalem Temple.
61°. Sublime Unknown Philosopher receives healing from physical and mental ailments. Connection with Martinism teaching. Secrets of occult medicine, correspondences between plants and body parts.
62°. Sublime Sage of Eleusis reveals hidden, secret becomes manifest. Eleusinian mysteries about occult forces behind material world. Cave with seven vaults, sage in ouroboros.
63°. Sublime Kawi symbolizes spiritual awakening, feeling of universal harmony. “Kawi”—bard, poet. Krishna as Buddha’s predecessor. Universal soul as love and mercy.
64°. Sage of Mythras discovers interconnections between things. Initiations in Mithra’s caves. Masonic cipher, correspondences between planets and metals. Septenary structure of initiation.
65°. Guard Of Sanctuary – Grand Installator receives suddenly opened opportunities. Ptah as progenitor of Masons and building. Faith, hope, love, human reason—basic values.
66°. Grand Architect Of The Mystical City – Grand Consecrator receives important mission. Key degree, only its possessor can found sanctuaries. Connection of Tetragrammaton and AUM. Sacred breath.
67°. Grand Eulogist – Guardian of the Incommunicable Name encounters sphinx riddles requiring solution. Story of Ham. Letter G in winged egg recalls Egyptian origin of Gnosis.
68°. Patriarch of Truth leads to serious reflections about future. Palm of Kab valley—symbol of truth. Three circles speak of God, mind, and future. Transitional degree.
69°. Knight or Sage of the Golden Branch of Eleusis realizes duality and unified nature of consciousness. Most important degree about initiation symbol. Letter Υ—two paths of virtue and vice from one root.
70°. Prince of Light or Patriarch of the Planispheres gives sudden comprehension of meanings. Knowledge about movement of planets and stars, their souls and properties. Planisphere—movable star map.
71°. Patriarch Of The Sacred Vedas reveals knowledge of achieving spiritual power through element unity. Symbols of fire (Agni), water (Varuna), earth (Maruts) composing sacred AUM.
72°. Sublime Master of Wisdom realizes place in earthly and heavenly hierarchy. Secrets of greater and lesser mysteries, David’s shield, Solomon’s seal, Pythagorean images.
73°. Patriarch, or Doctor, of the Sacred Fire burns delusions for enlightenment. Occult fire of Heliopolis. Heavenly fire—symbol of Divine magnetism giving prophetic power.
74°. Sublime Master of the Stoka achieves harmonic equilibrium with nature. “Stoka”—verse meter. Occult properties of numbers and rhythm, power over principles of micro- and macrocosm.
75°. Knight Commander Of The Libyan Chain crowns labors with deserved reward. Golden chain of triangles. Completion of VI class of degrees. Triangles symbolize direct and return light.
76°. Interpreter of Hieroglyphics, or Patriarch of Isis understands that things may not be what they seem. Science, wisdom, virtue. True secret of hieroglyph interpretation. Isis maintaining ritual purity.
77°. Prince of Memphis, or Grand Adminstrator meets wise friend. Study of religious myths to investigate truth behind them. Ancients’ ideas about God, nature, and regeneration.
78°. Grand Pontiff of the Thebiad appeals to ancient traditions, unites. Thebes—most ancient part of Egypt. Seven Egyptian planetary deities and 12 zodiac signs. King Menes—first pharaoh.
79°. Knight, or Sage, of the Redoubtable Sada shows firmness, constancy in goal achievement. “Sada” means “constancy.” Obediences for deepening in nature and science secrets.
80°. Sublime Elect of the Sanctuary of Mazias represents serious, honest person ready to help. Myths of Ancient East, Vedic dogmas, reincarnation secrets. Purifying and restoring fire.
81°. Intendent Regulator, or Patriarch of Memphis receives very important news. Horus as mediator between gods and men. Falcon—divine aspect, high priest—human aspect of Horus.
82°. Grand Elect of the Temple of Midgard encounters limitations. Return to 34° degree. Eternal Temple in heavens. Midgard—”enclosed space,” land of men.
83°. Sublime Elect of the Valley of Oddy undergoes hard work necessary for initiation. Memory test. Palm with 12 branches and 365 leaves. Isis’ sycamore under which first initiations passed.
84°. Patriarch or Doctor of the Yezidis (Izeds) understands place in Hierarchy. Secrets of Persian Yezidi religion worshipping Angel-Peacock. Hierarchy from Ahura Mazda to spirits and angels.
85°. Sublime Sage, or Knight of the Kneph accomplishes reunification, merger. Winged egg—symbol of two energies creating world: Chesed and Geburah. Law of evolution and involution, spiritual immortality.
86°. Sublime Philosopher of the Valley of Kab encounters hidden events, necessity to keep secret. Isis as queen of roses. Rose has same meaning as acacia. Lotus reproduces under water.
Arcana Arcanorum (87°-90°)
87°. Sublime Prince of Masonry experiences unexpected awakening. Beginning of Arcana Arcanorum from Cagliostro. Secret of Libyan chain, palms of Oddy valley, mystical cross of Yezidees. Corresponds to alchemical work in black (nigredo). Ritual symbolizes unity with cosmos through three consecutive temples representing evolution from chaos to order, using seventy-two candles forming two groups of thirty-six lights for two squares—body and soul.
88°. Grand Elect of the Sacred Curtain understands necessity to continue begun path. Sacred curtain separates esoteric knowledge from exoteric. 88°—half the path. Corresponds to work in white (albedo). Degree emphasizes participation in cosmic life wave and touches stages of soul’s passage after death.
89°. Patriarch of the Mystic City experiences changeable situation where good comes from evil. Figures of Set and Thoth. Set—”serpent-tempter” and initiation catalyst. Thoth—keeper of secret knowledge. Corresponds to work in red (rubedo). In Sanskrit “sadah” means “always, constantly,” and this degree emphasizes constancy, touching mediation between visible and invisible.
90°. Sublime Master of the Great Work experiences descent of Divine light through Great Work. Key degree. Demiurge with compass and hammer, Isis as generator of being. Completion of Arcana Arcanorum. Corresponds to work in gold (aureum). This is the key degree of entire system, Great Alchemical Work of all Masonry, completing full Memphis Rite. Ninetieth degree—sovereign degree synthesizing all Masonry. Tracing board extremely rich in symbolism: Demiurge with compass and hammer in hands, Isis as generator of all being. Secret transmission occurs orally, including cosmic wisdom and social consciousness.
Administrative Degrees (91°-97°)
91°. Grand Defender protects secret and justice. Analog of Grand Lodge Tyler. Nine Grand Defenders constitute Grand Tribunal. Themis with blindfold, Midgard as sanctuary symbol.
92°. Grand Catechist puts affairs in order. Keeper of rite rituals, analog of Grand Archivist. Seven catechists constitute Grand Liturgical College. Astraea as Isis’ aspect.
93°. General Regulator understands that long self-work will lead to enlightenment. Secretarial work of National Sanctuary. Nine regulators constitute Grand Consistory. Sage illuminated by Divine light.
94°. Prince of Memphis or Grand Administrator overcomes obstacles for mission fulfillment. Possessor must be strong and wise like Sphinx. Four-pointed star of Tetragrammaton with central point.
95°. Grand Conservator gathers and preserves knowledge. Password: “Shall create light and illuminate Forefathers.” Degree sign—double circle with four-pointed star on triangle. Center—sign of Golden Fleece recalling Gideon’s dew.
96°. National Hierophant, Grand and Mighty Sovereign of the Order establishes priority order. Hierophant of national sanctuary. Totality of possessors constitutes “Grand Areopagus of celestial empire of supreme magi.” Isis as Masonry patroness.
97°. Deputy Grand Hierophant for Language Group Work unites earthly and heavenly power. Degree from chivalric orders—deputies by language groups. Ankh—Egyptian cross symbolizing merger of masculine and feminine principles, soul and body.
Supreme Degrees (98°-100°)
98°. International Grand Master, Supreme Unknown INITIATOR of Egyptian Masonry (SI98) realizes connection of above and below. Purely Martinist degree. Martinist pantacle with six-pointed star. Addition of letter ש to Tetragrammaton. “Green Lion” in alchemy. Corresponds to letter shin (fire).
99°. Grand Hierophant successfully begins affairs, thought became manifest flesh. Appearance of god Ptah—world progenitor. Eight stars—eight minor gods of Ptah. Ptah—patron of sciences, arts, and crafts. “Red Lion” in alchemy. Corresponds to letter mem (water).
100°. Sovereign Architect of the World, Grand General Hierophant represents highest degree of system corresponding to letter aleph from three mother letters of “Book of Creation.” This degree completes full system of Egyptian Masonry, uniting all previous initiations and representing perfect adept who achieved unity with cosmic principles.
Ritual Features and Initiation Techniques
Each degree of the Memphis-Misraim Rite has unique ritual features. During initiation ceremonies, specific instruments and symbols corresponding to concrete degrees are used. For example, traditional Masonic tools are employed in symbolic degrees—square, compass, ruler, plus special elements of Egyptian symbolism.
In higher degrees, rituals become more complex and include elements of alchemical symbolism, astrological correspondences, and kabbalistic formulas. A feature of Arcana Arcanorum is use of special candle compositions—seventy-two candles forming two squares of thirty-six lights each, symbolizing body and soul.
Conducting initiations in various degrees requires lodge officers to have deep knowledge of symbolism and ability to transmit esoteric knowledge through ritual actions. Each degree has specific passwords, signs, and grips transmitted only through initiation process.
Documentary Sources and Archival Materials
Study of Memphis-Misraim Rite degree creation history relies on extensive documentary base. Main sources are works of system creators themselves: “Guide of Scottish Masons” used by Bédarride brothers; “Sanctuary of Memphis, or Hermes” and “Golden Branch of Eleusis” by Jacques-Étienne Marconis de Nègre; “Handbook of Degrees of Ancient and Primitive Rite of Masonry” and “Lectures of Chapter, Senate and Council” by John Yarker.
Archival documents of Neapolitan lodges, Venetian Masonic materials of 18th century, plus French esoteric texts from system creation period provide valuable information about various degree formation process. Special significance belongs to alchemical treatises of Prince Sansevero and documents of Rosicrucian order “Rosa d’Ordine Magno.”
Modern research also relies on materials of World Association of Egyptian Obediences (W.A.E.O.), which conducts document management and archiving of materials from various Egyptian Masonic organizations.
Current State and Development Prospects
Today Memphis-Misraim Rite continues development under leadership of various independent branches. Bertiaux lineage headed by Fra Uraniel Aldebaran maintains tradition continuity leading from founders through Yarker, Papus, Jean-Maine family, Michael-Paul Bertiaux, and Alexander Rybalka.
System’s unique feature remains possibility of authority transmission through one person after reaching 90° for Misraim or 95° for Memphis-Misraim. This characteristic provides flexibility in creating new branches while simultaneously creating challenges in legitimacy and succession questions.
Modern Rite lodges work in various countries worldwide, adapting ancient symbols to contemporary conditions while preserving deep content of initiatic teachings. System continues attracting truth seekers, offering them structured path of spiritual development based on synthesis of Western esoteric traditions.
Memphis-Misraim Rite degree creation history represents unique example of 19th-century esoteric synthesis. Contrary to romantic legends about ancient Egyptian origins, this system was created by specific people at documented times, each contributing to formation of this grandiose symbolic edifice.
From English symbolic degrees through German Templar Masonry to French esoteric currents of 18th century, from Neapolitan alchemical traditions of Prince Sansevero to Jacques-Étienne Marconis de Nègre’s creativity—each system element has clearly traceable origin. Merger under Garibaldi’s leadership and subsequent development through Yarker, Papus, Jean-Maine family, Michael-Paul Bertiaux, and modern hierophants shows living tradition capable of development and adaptation.
Modern system of one hundred degrees represents not merely historical relic but functioning initiatic system preserving continuity from its creators. Ancient and Primitive Order of Memphis and Misraim of Bertiaux lineage remains keeper of this unique heritage, uniting numerous Western esoteric traditions under Egyptian symbolism into coherent system of spiritual development.
Each degree, from simple 1°. Apprentice to 100°. Sovereign Architect of the World, represents step on knowledge path where symbols and rituals serve as keys to understanding profound truths of human existence and cosmic laws. This system continues attracting truth seekers, offering them structured path of initiatic development based on centuries-old traditions of Western esotericism synthesized into unified whole under cover of ancient Egyptian wisdom.
