The Order of the Lily the Eagle

1915 L'ORDRE DU LYS ET DE L'AIGLE ORDER OF THE LILY AND THE EAGLE

M.D.S.M.D.L.U.A.F.D.L.T.

“Mandate of the Sublime Master of the Universe to the Sons of the Earth”

INTRODUCTION A young Greek from Egypt named Démétrius Platon Sémélas (1883–1924), who’d developed a sincere interest into the occult at a young age, received a vision on one certain night in 1902. A ‘mysterious voice’ ordered the young man to go to the monastery of the prophet Elijah in Levadia at Mount Athos (1). Sémélas, at the time nineteen years of age and a medical student at the university of Athens, obeyed and undertook his long journey to the monastery. The ‘astral identities’ showed the young student i.a. the graves of rosicrucians. Furthermore, Sémélas found “in the bottom of a basin, in one of the crypts of the Monastery, three stones. He picked them up, by divine order. One day, by accident, he let them fall: they broke; inside them, he found three tubes containing, in all, eight parchments. After much study, he discovered the key of these parchments, and deciphered them: this is how the explanation of the World was revealed to him.” (2) Démétrius (‘Dimitris’) Sémélas claimed that he had received the ancient heritage of the ‘Rose-Croix d'Oriënt’ at the monastery. Apparently, the documents Sémélas had discovered date back to the era of the Order of the Temple. Somehow the material seem to be “connected with St.John” and contains practical applications. Furthermore, it includes the prophecy that the finder of these documents will be the reincarnation of Hugues de Payens, the first Grand Master of the Knights Templar (ca 1181-1226). A Serbian member of the current Order stated to me that this material was also in the possession of the late Prince de San Severo, Raymondo di Sangro (1710-1771). The Prince de San Severo was a famous (or notorious, to some sources) Neapolitan alchemist, scientist, Mason and the supposed founder of the Italian Ordine Osirideo Egizio, the Egyptian Osirian Order. Cagliostro is said to have been a disciple of the Prince. Returning to the subject, according to Sémélas the ‘R+C d'Oriënt’ was founded in 1054 A.D. by a certain Photius, the Patriarch of Constantinopel, and further developed by Alexis Comenius, who’s also mentioned as one of the original founders of ‘L’Ordre du Lys et de L’Aigle’. Sémélas allegedly received the millenary tradition of the (eastern) R+C from “the last Master R+C of the Attican school, called Elie-Marius” (3) At the time D.P. Sémélas is said to have studied the occult sciences under the direction of a master whose name history did not keep (note: Elie-Marius). The tradition of the Eastern R+C tells us that these R+C Masters found refugee in the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Most (or all) of these R+C Masters were Clerks in one of the orthodox churches, such as the Orthodox Church of Greece or Byzantium. Apparently, these parchments and documents were buried by surviving Templars that were hiding in the monasteries at the time. It is also claimed that these Eastern R+C Masters had connections with certain Sufi Masters that resided in Turkey and Lebanon. The traditional history of the 'Frères d'Orient' continues …… The current Greek branch of the Order of the Lily and the Eagle [lead by Andreas Prokopiou, see final chapter] claims that “the Order of the Lily and the Eagle is the work of two Rosicrucian Masters, Maria Routchin Dupré and Demetrius Semelas. These two Rosicrucian

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Masters were initiated by the Brothers of the Orient (“Brothers of Truth”) in Attica, in 1913. Consequently, the Order comprises and preserves intact the Rosicrucian Tradition of the Brothers of the Orient, which it conveys to its members in a new form, in keeping with the particular Teachings of its founders.” [from the Archives of the Order of the Lily and the Eagle] French author and historian Serge Caillet explains that D.P. Sémélas [Déon, Sélaït-Ha] was the “Imperator of the “Frères d’Orient en Asie mineur [Brethren of the Orient in Asia Minor] and of the Frères de la Vérité en Attique [Brethren of Truth in Attica], and co-founder and maître commandeur of the l’Ordre du Lys et de l’Aigle”. He was born in 1884 in Silivria, Thrace [Turkey] and died in 1924 in Paris, France. According to Caillet, Sémélas is received in the “Ordre des Frères de la Vérité” in 1909 in Attica, which was allied to the Rose-Croix d’Orient, by the last Imperator of the school of Attica. “Shortly hereafter, he presents himself as head of this Order “ and in this capacity he granted membership to Eugène en Maria Dupré in 1910 in Cairo, Egypt. LE TEMPLE d’ÉSSENIE No.III After his journey to the monastery at Mount Athos, Sémélas returned to Cairo, Egypt. In 1909 he met Eugène Dupré and his wife Mrs. Marie Routchine Dupré. Dupré was a French civil servant in the service of the Egyptian Government and a Martinist. According to Belgian historian Marcel Roggemans Sémélas came in contact with the Martinist current in Egypt in 1911 through a certain Edouard Troula. “Shortly thereafter he corresponded with Papus to be admitted as a member of the Martinist Order. Papus directed him to Demesthenos Verzato, the delegate of the Order in Egypt.” (4). A bit further on in the text Marcel states that in 1914 it was Eugène Dupré who was the official national delegate for the Martinist Order in Egypt. Other sources state that Sémélas apparently frequented several various heads of ‘oriental philosophical schools’ after his return from Greece. These leaders were also visited by the Duprés and this is how they met D.P. Sémélas. In 1911 Dupré and Sémélas founded the Martinist Lodge ‘Le Temple d'Essénie’ in Cairo, Egypt. According to French historian Christian Rebisse, this Lodge had a certain independence and was free to establish Lodges acting under its authority (5). To me, if this information is correct, this ‘proves’ that by 1911 both Duprés as well as Sémélas (who’s Martinist name was Selait-Ha) were already dignitaries of Papus’ French Martinist Order. In October of that same year, 1911, Sémélas allegedly initiated the Martinist Georges Lagrèze (1882-1946) into the ‘aspirant R.C’ degree of the ‘Freres d'Orient’(see “R+C d’Orient”) (6). Sémélas is said to have included Lagrèze from the beginning in the development of the ‘Rose-Croix d’Orient’. Lagrèze is said to have transmitted the oriental R+C initiation to Papus in 1914, on request of Sémélas. In 1912 he composed a ‘rituel de réception’ for various degrees of the Order that were accepted by Papus. Sémélas was also responsible for the written rituals (at least, parts of those rituals) of the 2nd and 3rd Degree (see “ History of the Martinist Order” , p.47) that were allegedly accepted by Papus in May, 1912. Next to the regular Martinist rituals he apparently also created the so-called “Martinist Rite of the Lily and the Eagle”, a rite which seems to be heavily influenced by the doctrines of the Brethren of the Orient as well as the Order of the Lily and the Eagle. How, when and why this rite was worked or practised is absolutely unknown to me, unfortunately. When the First World War broke out in 1914, Eugène Dupré was mobilized and repatriated to France to serve in the ‘compagnie 20/28 du régiment du 1er Génie’ (Engineers) at Versailles. D.P. Sémélas also left for France and settled with his family in Paris where he i.a. closely associated himself with Papus. 1915 L'ORDRE DU LYS ET DE L'AIGLE But just before Dupré and Sémélas left for France, at the outbreak of Worldwar I, “both men visited the pyramid of Khephren at Giza where they met a certain Sheik S. This meeting resulted in the birth of the Order Of The Lily And Eagle (‘L’Ordre du Lys et de L’Aigle’)”, thus Marcel Roggemans. Unfortunately, no further information is given …. What is known for certain is that the Order Of The Lily And Eagle (O.L.A.) was officially founded in January 1915 by D.P. Sémélas and Marie Routchine Dupré (1884-1918) “for the rebirth of the Orphean spirit." As mentioned before, Sémélas had met the Duprés in 1909. It is stated that he revealed to them “the key of the Mystery” (7) which Sémélas had deciphered

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from the discoveries he’d made back in 1902 at Mount Athos; “the explanation of the World” (8). Sémélas had allegedly explained to the Duprés that he represented ‘Déon’, “the temple of Wisdom” (9) and that Marie Routchine was Déa, “the temple of Love” (10). This needs some further explanation. The following account is taken from “Parmi les sectes et les rites: Les Petites Eglises de Paris" (Editions Emile-Paul Freres, 1937), a piece of text which explains the doctrine regarding the evolution of the universe in the teachings of the Order (11). “Before everything, Eon, or Being, or Sprit, existed in itself and in the absence of time and space. But the Being in power possesses two virtues: Tropos and Pathos. Tropos is the virtue of activity, demonstrated by penetrating movement. It is male. It is Wisdom. Pathos is the virtue of emotionalism, demonstrated by enveloping movement. It is female. It is Love. Tropos, by its virtue of penetration, created space; and Pathos, reacting to the effect of Tropos by its enveloping movement, created time. Space and Time produce Shape. From whence came Substance.But there were other attributes in power Eon: Noûs (Thought), Voulos (Will), Logos (Speech), etc. But, so that these unconscious and detached attributes might become conscious and alive, it was necessary to have Generators situated within Eon. These Generators were of two groups: one related to Tropos, the other to Pathos; one was penetrating, male and wise, the other was enveloping, female and tender. There were several groups of Generators. But those that interest those living on this earth: 1st Déon and Déa; 2nd Réon and Réa; 3rd Féon and Féa. Déon and Déa ruled those of the white race; Réon and Réa those of the yellow race; Féon and Féa those of the black race. They sometimes incarnate in this world; Déon was, notably, the prophet Elijah, then John the Baptist; Réon appeared as Confucius and then Lao-Tsu. And, very fortunately for humans, these Generating Aeons give consciousness and life to the unconscious Aeonian attributes: Noûs, Voulos, Romos, Noïmon, Logos, Mimitis and Thymos, that are thus the sons of the Generators, with the quality of Giants.” (“Parmi les sectes et les rites: Les Petites Eglises de Paris" (1937) pp 194-209 ) The Duprés and Sémélas lived together at 31, Avenue de la Republique, in Paris. Pierre Geyraud claims, as stated before, that it was Sémélas (Déon) and Marie Routchine Dupré (Déa) who founded this (mixed) initiatic order in 1915. The Order Of The Lily And Eagle was directed by a Supreme Council. The hierarchy consisted of 1) Adherents, 2) Knights/ Ladies, 3) Commanders/ Mistresses, 4) Grand Commander/ Grand Mistress. Rituals were included and the date of foundation activated a new cycle of the Order, its third cycle to be more precisely, which was known as ‘the era of Déa’. The Order claimed that its history dated back to early Christianity. A former Greek member of the Order claims that the Order was reactivated “between the 8-12 century A.D where it helped to the founding of some 34 chivalric orders of the period, many of them well known for their historical activities.” (12) In a following essay, on the history of the ‘Rose-Croix d’Orient’, we’ll take a deeper look at the events that occurred during this ‘second cycle’, a period during which i.a. the mysterious ‘Brethren of the Orient’ was ‘founded’. As we know by now, ‘L’Ordre du Lys et de L’Aigle’ and the ‘Rose-Croix d’Orient’ have a common source in Démétrius Platon Sémélas. These rites are intimately connected with Sémélas (under Sémélas the RC d’ Orient was implemented within ‘L’ Ordre du Lys et de L’ Aigle’). When Sémélas arrived in France his main focus seemed to be the Martinist Order. As soon as Sémélas arrived at Paris he started a close working relationship with the Grandmaster of the Martinist Order, Gérard Anaclet Encausse (1865-1916), who’s better known as ‘Papus’. For instance, in 1915 both men created the idea to replace ‘l’Ordre Kabbalistique de la Rose-Croix’, which was the inner order of ‘L’Ordre Martiniste’, with the ‘Rose-Croix d’Orient’. Another project he was involved with was the possible implementation of the masonic 'Rite Ecossais Rectifié' within the framework of Papus’ organization (13). The death of Papus in 1916 prevented the completion of these ideas. D.P. Sémélas was one of the closest associates of Papus towards the end of Papus' life. 1918 D.P. SÉMÉLAS AND THE ‘GROUPE INDÉPANDANT d’ÉTUDES MARTINISTES’ When the Great War ended in 1918 most of the French Martinists who’d lived in Egypt up to then, decided to return to France. Many of these Martinists associated themselves with the ‘Groupe Indépandant d’Etudes Marinistes’ (GIEM), a Martinist group co-founded around that time by Sémélas and his secretary, Dupré. He also re-opens the Martinist Chapter INRI,

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which he strips of its (previous) Masonic character. G.I.E.M. is said to have united with the Martinist Victor Blanchard (1878-1953). After the death of Papus in 1916 the Martinist Order experienced some difficulties concerning the succession of the past Grandmaster (see the history of the M.O.). Part of the original Parisian Martinists recognized Blanchard as the new Grandmaster of the Order. Then, on January 30, 1918 a tragedy hits the Order Of The Lily And Eagle. Marie Routchine Dupré (Déa), co-founder and ‘Grande Maîtresse’ of the Order and wife of Eugène Dupré, suddenly dies. A young devotee of Sémélas, one Mme. Anna Humbert- Courtout [1893-1975], was promoted to ‘Grand Mistress – Co-Resident’ [UnderSovereign Grand Mistress]. Sémélas had met her during a bomb-raid and later she and her husband came to live with the Greek adept. Her husband, F.Courtout, was also initiated by Sémélas and received the rank of ‘Grand Commander’. In 1919 a charter of alliance (14) was drawn up between ‘L’Ordre du Lys et de L’Aigle’ and Blanchard’s Martinist group (in 1934 this group associated itself with the F.U.D.O.S.I. 15 under the name of ‘L’Ordre Martiniste et Synarchique’). Christian Rebisse states that, due to Blanchard’s instable personality, D. P. Sémélas and Eugène Dupré decided to concentrate on other projects. In 1920 they founded the Martinist group ‘l’association Les Amis de Claude de Saint-Martin’. Out of this group developed the group ‘Athanor’, which was led by another old friend of Papus, Victor Émile Michelet. It is stated that it was this group that officially founded ‘L’Ordre Martiniste Traditionnel’ in 1931 (again, see the two essays on the history of the M.O.). LE SUPREME CONSEIL DE L’ORDRE DU LYS ET DE L’AIGLE 34, RUE DE LA FONTAINE-AU-ROI The story goes that Mme. Courtout, the Grandmistress Co-Resident, composed “a work” which deeply impressed Sémélas. As a matter of fact, in her Sémélas recognized Réa, “the one who presides over the destiny of the yellow race.” After the war the Order moved to 34, rue de la Fontaine-au-Roi in Paris. During this time the Order published a periodical entitled ‘Eon’ (Revue Spiritualiste Mystique) which was the official organ of the Order from May 1923 to February 1925 (other sources state that ‘Eon’ was published from 1920 up to 1923). Sémélas also published another magazine, ‘Mediteranee Orientale’, which was published in Paris from 1917 onwards. In 1918 O.L.A. published the periodical called “La Force de la Vérité”. The Order established a ritual hall at the new address, colored blue and decorated with lilies and eagles. The walls were decorated with oil paintings of the spiritual leaders of the Order. The ‘Journal Mediteranee Orientale’ of June 1918 reports that the Order “recemtly established two Grand Commanderies in the East: one in Egypt, under the direction of Mr Nikolaos Kontaros, Grand Commander of the Order, and the other in Greece, under the direction of Mr Antonios Hatziapostolou, also Grand Commander of the Order. At the time the Order was led by D.P. Sémélas, ‘Souverain Grand Commandeur’ of the O.L.A., and Mme. Courtout, ‘Grande Maîtresse’ and Co-Resident of the O.L.A. The official by-laws of the group were submitted by Sémélas to the Prefecture in 1921 (September 30) and were recorded as No.79.501 –59. The jurisdiction of the Order was divided into several ‘Grand Commanderies’; Geyraud, author of "Parmi les sectes et les rites: Les Petites Eglises de Paris", mentions i.a. - Grand Commandery of the North, led by Eugène Dupré. His obedience spread across France, England and Scandinavia. - Grand Commandery of the East, led by Robert Weill. Familiar with Egypt via his business journeys his obedience spread across this land. Mr. Weill was Féon, the ‘Generator’ who presides over the destiny of the black race. His wife, at first, was considered to be Féa until Mme. Courtout “saw” that Mme Weill was not a ‘Generator’, “but a simple ‘Giant’. More on the supposed occult abilities of the adepts of this Order later. Pierre Geyraud also mentions the names of many of the dignitaries of the Order; René Demoineret, secretary of Charles Détré (Téder), Grandmaster of the Martinist Order from 1916 until 1918. M. Demoineret was also seen as a ‘Giant’ named Voulos. Furthermore, there were M. J.Dupont, “a patriarch with a long flowing beard, and his wife, Mrs. Z. G- D”. This couple was listed as “Grand Initiators’of the O.L.A. Their son Pierre Dupont, as well as his wife, were also initiates of the Order. The list continues with several

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name abbreviations of members (the sisters P., Emilienne and Léonie, Mr. M., “who was none other than the singer R… D…”. Also mentioned is the name of the writer and well-known expert on the Orient, Jean Marquès – Rivière. During the Second Worldwar J. Marquès – Rivière was a prominent member of the ‘Service des Sociétés Secrètes’. The S.S.S. was a pro-fascist organ, a secret service, which gathered information on the French initiatic orders and societies, and more in particular, on Freemasonry. He was also the screenwriter for the 1943 anti-masonic French movie “Forces occultes” (15). According to Geyraud J. Marquès – Rivière “was received into the Order of the Lily and Eagle with the rank of Knight.” D.P. Sémélas’ young daughter, Blanche, received the title of “Grand Mistress Mary II - Our Venerable Mother. The Grand Mistress Co - Resident, Réa, was her tutor.”(16). Blanche’s mother was Marie Routchine/ Déa, which made her automatically a major character of the O.L.A. Démétrius Platon Sémélas (Déon) died at the age of 41 on August 6, 1924. The following account is (again) taken from Pierre Geyraud’s 1937 edition on the sects and rites of Paris: Déon died on August 6, 1924. He now rests in the cemetery 'de Pantin', beside the Co Founder of the Order. “I went there to see, the third square on the right-hand side, from the main entry, the emotionally moving white mausoleum that stops astonished passersby. The letters M.D.S.M.D.L.U.A.F.D.L.T. (17) and the emblematic symbols of the Order are discreetly sculpted there. Under a large two-headed eagle stretching its wings and surmounted by three lilies, this simple inscription:” “To Our Venerable Masters, Déon and Déa".

EUGÈNE DUPRÉ AND THE RESTORATION OF THE O.L.A. After Sémélas’ death in 1924 the Order rapidly declined to a mere shadow of itself. The death of Déon led to the dispersion of the group. Mme. Courtout (Réa) is said to have lived “amidst the profound memories” of her Master. The story goes that she was visited in her dreams by Déon on a frequent basis. Not much is written about the occult activities and/or esoteric activities of the Order. Nevertheless, it seems that the leadership of the Order involved itself with a range of Occult disciplines such as astral traveling, skrying and paranormal dreaming. The source for this statement is, once again, the much quoted work of Pierre Geyraud. Geyraud, who’s direct sources were Order members such as Eugène Dupré, i.a. speaks about the abilitie of Déon and Déa (Sémélas and Marie R. Dupré) to make so-called “Interstellar Journeys”. There’s a most curious description in Geyraud’s book of a journey where Geyraud describes some of the beings that inhabited a certain region of the ‘created universe’ that the leaders would meet during these interstellar journeys. Geyraud states that the leaders would move in a region that the Order called “the First Region of the Cosmic Cycle”. The ‘Cosmic Cycle’ stands for the created Universe. The Universe, the domain of Matter, is composed of three Regions in the doctrine of the O.L.A. Geyraud states “The Third falls prey to an infernal heath; but, nevertheless, some inferior beings live there; The Second is the one where we live; The First, separated from us by the Milky Way, is composed of subtle matter. The beings that live there inhabited this earth at an earlier age, in the Second Region, and remember it. They are highly conscious. They communicate amongst themselves by means of wireless macrophones of ten centimeters in length, containing a macrometer and a magnetic needle that allows them to calculate orientation and

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their interlocutor's distance. They also have optical disks and thought cameras, fixed upon the forehead or the nape of the neck. Them tranportent themselves, in their Region, from world to world. Déon and Déa often make these interstellar journeys. I have the narrative of the journeys made by them, which is authentic: it is Mr. Dupré who gave it to me. -What! I said the other day to Mr. Dupré. Your wife, with whom you walk, with whom you eat, again I say 'What!' … She with whom you live, who became, one fine day, Déa, presides over the destiny of the white race, accomplishes interstellar journeys, are you not … struck, are not you seized with dizziness before her? - I can note the reality of it all, indeed better than anyone, since I was her husband.” (18) - “Parmi les sectes et les rites: Les Petites Eglises de Paris" (1937) Returning to the subject of Sémélas’ succession after his death in 1924, it would have been obvious that Déa’s first-born child, Blanche Dupré, succeeded Sémélas as the new leader of the Order. After all, after Déa’s death it was Blanche who’d received the title of “Grande Maîtresse Marie II - Notre Mère Venerable”. She was placed under the wings of Mme. Courtout (Réa) at the time and the future belonged to Blanche. But Blanche had lost her interest in the Order. Her younger sister Jeanette, on the other hand, did not loose her interest and later continued her activities as a Grand Mistress of the O.L.A., directing one of the Initiatic Colleges of the Order. Nevertheless, It seemed as if the Order D.P. Sémélas had founded in 1914 went down with him into his grave. It is quite clear that If it wasn’t for Eugène Dupré, the O.L.A. possibly would not have survived. After Dupré had remarried he personally restored the Order. "It is Déon Our Master who designated me, amongst those of us remaining, as his successor at the head of the Order", thus Dupré in conversation with Pierre Geyraud. “He placed in my hand a gold ring with a two-headed eagle that Déon, who had himself received it from a Master, bequeathed to him. He hated it that I stubbornly refused initiation: but, he abridged for me the stages of accession to the higher degrees”(19). The Order was installed in his home in Le Pré-Saint-Gervais (Paris). A Ritual Chamber was established in one of the rooms which was painted blue with a double-headed eagle and Lilies decorating the walls. But the Order changed its direction. Dupré gave it a social activity that it didn’t have under the direction of Sémélas. Dupré’s Order published a journal called ‘Justice Et Vérité’ (Justice & Truth). The newly refounded Order i.a. attracted the attention of two important French Martinists, Georges (Bogé de) Lagrèze (1882-1946) and Augustin Chaboseau (1868-1946). Chaboseau was the Grandmaster of the French ‘L’Ordre Martiniste Traditionnel’, officially founded in 1931. Lagrèze (20) is already mentioned on page two as one of the initiates who’d received the ‘aspirant R.C’ degree of the ‘Freres d'Orient’ from D.P. Sémélas back in 1911. Chaboseau allegedly implanted the degree of ‘Commandeur’ into his Martinist Organization. It is stated that each S:::I::: (3rd degree of Martinism) of the French O.M.T. received automatically the third degree of ‘L’Ordre du Lys et de L’Aigle’. This explains why the F.U.D.O.S.I. approached the Order to join the organization. The F.U.D.O.S.I. was a federation of initiatic orders and societies that was established in Brussels, Belgium in 1934. Chaboseau became one of the three members of the Supreme Council of this federation after the expulsion in 1938 of the earlier-mentioned Victor Blanchard. Unfortunately for both Lagrèze and Chaboseau, Dupré was not interested in a collaboration with the F.U.D.O.S.I. As stated in my essay on this federation (21), Eugène Dupré died in a bombing-raid on June 12, 1944. After the War, in 1946, ‘L’Ordre du Lys et de L’Aigle’ was invited to present the successor of Dupré at the fifth convention of the F.U.D.O.S.I., held in Brussels, Belgium. Allegedly, the invitation was turned down or so it seems, since no official delegate of the Eonian Order was sent to the Convention. Eugène Dupré posthumously received the title / mystical nomen “Sar Lilium” [Lily] at the F.U.D.O.S.I. Convention of 1946 (June 22, 1946). THE ORDER OF THE LILY AND EAGLE AFTER 1945 What happened to the Order after Eugène Dupré’s death in 1944? There’s not much information on this period. I’m not even sure if the original Order officially continued its activities at all. Although it is alleged that the French branch was headed, or more precisely, co-headed by Mme Weill of Paris. It is further known that OLA had correspondent members in Athens, Greece, and in Cairo, Egypt, during their heydays under Sémélas Marcel Roggemans claims that after Sémélas the names of three ‘ Grand Commandeurs’ are known to us; Antonios Hatziapostolou, Nikolaos Kontaros and Georgios Agathos. All three were involved in the foundation of OLA, back in 1915. Georges (Georgios) Agathos succeeded Dupré as Grand Commander in 1945 in Greece. Today the Order has branches in, amongst others, Greece, France and the United States. In the States the Order makes itself known

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through the ‘Center for Inner Initiative’ at Littleton, Colorado. In Greece the seat of the Order is in Athens. Already since 1951 the seat of the Order has been Athens, Greece, where the Order is represented by the non-profit organization ‘The Philosophical Society of the Order of the Lily And the Eagle’. Just recently (2005) the Greek branch claimed to have received the complete archives of the French branch from the days of Dupré. Apparently, the archives had been lost after Mr. Dupré’s death in 1944, since no one back then allegedly knew where Dupré had stored the OLA archives. This claim contradicts certain information which I present in the history of the Rose+Croix d’ Orient, where it is stated that Robert Ambelain received some original documents from the earlier mentioned Mme Weill. And, as stated above, Mme Weill headed (co-resident) OLA after the War in the 1950’s and apparently possessed original Order material. Just an observation … It is generally known that in the heydays of the French O.L.A. the Order conveyed the initiation of the Rose-Croix of the Orient, ‘l’Aspirant R.C (Freres d'Orient)’. According to a high dignitary of the British Grand Lodge of the Martinist Order & Synarchy (Ordre Martiniste et Synarchique) from London (22) “the degree disappeared from the Order of the Lily and Eagle and most (current) members know nothing about it”. Personally, I assume the degree disappeared with the death of Sémélas in 1924, when Dupré took over and changed the direction of the Order. It is stated that the Order developed into some kind of philantropic organization, or so it seems. Anyway, Eugène Dupré gave the Order a social activity which it didn’t have under the direction of Sémélas. To the esoteric community the Rose-Croix of the Orient became known through the works of Robert Ambelain (1907-1997), without whom we might never have heard of this esoteric order. The story goes that in 1942 the ‘Rose-Croix d’Orient’ came under the direction of Dr. Edouard Bertholet (1883-1965), successor of Victor Blanchard as Grandmaster of ‘L’Ordre Martiniste et Synarchique’. And, as stated on page three, it was Blanchard who‘d united with Sémélas’ ’Groupe Indépandant d’Etudes Marinistes’’ in 1918. Blanchard also received membership in L’Ordre du Lys et de L’Aigle. The above-mentioned British Grand Lodge member, whom I hereafter will refer to as ‘mr.J.’, claims that some of the RC d’Orient documents are hinted about at the Martinist S:::I::: initiation (3º), especially within ‘L’Ordre Martiniste et Synarchique’. “Other levels of the OMS material also point in this direction with many not knowing what they are talking about. I have studied these lines so I can vouch for its authenticity”, thus F.J. As for the O.L.A. of today, the Order describes itself as a “A Western initiatic school continuing the living work of an ancient line uniting the Judeo-Christian tradition . . . from Egyptian initiation . . . through Moses and the Prophets . . . culminating in Jesus the Christ . . . To the Hellenic mystery schools of Orpheus, Pythagoras, and Socrates . . . And re-stated in the teachings of St. Martin, Alchemy, the Kaballah, Contemporary science and Psychology.” ( ‘Center for Inner Initiative’ U.S.A.). Some of the information on the current O.L.A. I have is derived from the “controversial” American branch. It is stated that this branch was established under the authority of Ronald V. Cappello, who is said to hold a lineage which descended from Robert Ambelain. Mr.Cappello leads various Orders in - what I refer to as - the French Martinist RC tradition (Co-Masonic Order of Memphis-Misraïm, Gnostic Church, Martinist Order), including its inner Orders. Cappello does not openly admit his involvement but he also does not deny it. Cappello comments on this subject: “I have never claimed any affiliation to any organization. And if I do or do not belong, it is only my concern and I would never speak of it. The Rose+Croix d’ Orient, the Frères Aines de la Rose+Croix and the Rose+Croix Kabbalistique are not for public consumption any way. And should never be discussed in any public forum and especially over the Internet thru e-mails.” And, “If someone has put my name somewhere in connection with these groups, I assure that it was not myself. It is therefore not my place to confirm or deny anyone's self motivate or contrived belief about me“.(23) Be that as it may be, the continual references to Cappello and the fact that he does not deny it, somehow suggests that mr. Cappello holds a lineage in this tradition. But this assumption is once more contradicted by the author’s ‘mysterious source’ from England, mr. J. : “The Rose Croix of the Orient is not active in America under Mr R. Cappello. He did get the book of Ambelain translated into English. He asked me for any material I could lend him on this Order and he personally told me he was never received into the KR+C or the R+C d’Orient. The reason I am sure of this also because G.Kloppel did not have it to give because Kloppel never received it from Ambelain and Cappello had only contact with Kloppell through Memphis Mizraim.” (email correspondence with F.J., June 2002) Of course, it is possible that mr.

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Cappello did receive the neccesery information, charters etc. from somewhere else. For instance through the Ancient Martinist Order, an order which claims to hold many of the French lineages (including the Ambelain lineage). Note: More information can be found in the chapters on the Martinist Order(s).

But what is this French RC tradition exactly? As stated before, Ambelain (who’d received his lineage directly from Lagrèze) originally implemented the RC d’Orient into the fourth degree of his Martinist Order before he had another name. “Ambelain had the seals and some papers of KR+C but i have all these and they are not very interesting. Gerosa (24) of Italy had more material.” (F.J. -O.M.&S) It seems that when Cappello was expelled by Gérard Kloppel from the Rite of Memphis-Misraïm (more of Kloppel later), he allegedly went to Ambelain and received a charter from the Rite of Misraïm. Mr.J. continues by stating that “Ambelain gave him permission to translate the book SR+C (25) but never gave him anything else”, as we already know. Other alleged lineage holders (OKRC/RC d’Orient) are the earlier mentioned Gérard Kloppel and Joël Duez. Kloppel claims he had the degree from Ambelain but, according to mr.J., it turns out “to be just a simple laying of hands and basically useless”. Joël Duez also has a lineage derived from Ambelain through André Mauer and another one through Marcel Jirousek (a former Belgian disciple of Ambelain). But these lineages represent the RC d’Orient tradition, a tradition which is the subject of our next chapter. Returning to the subject of this essay - the Order Of the Lily And The Eagle – I think we may conclude that the Order of today is a bit different to the one of the heydays of its existence (1920’s). The Order keeps a low profile and not much information is presented to the outside world. One of my sources on the current branch is a work entitled ‘Dictionnaire Des Groupes Religieux Ajourd’hui’ (26). The author, Jean Vernette, classifies the order under ‘Gnostic groups – esoteric’ with a membership between 50-500 people. The actual text of the book refers to the French branch of the Order and was published in 1996. The ‘Grand Commandeur’ resides in Paris and there were allegedly orderactivities in the capitol and in Perpignan, in the south of France. The author descibes the Order as a group that was “founded upon a cosmological myth with its origins rooted in Gnosticism…” (freely transl. from original in French c) 1996). The Order Of The Lily And The Eagle has a chivalric constitution and it i.a. teaches, next to the above-mentioned Cosmogony, a form of sacred astrology which they refer to as ‘Astrosophia’ (27), the Wisdom of the Stars. The Order’s theosophical/ philosophical doctrines finds its origin with the mythical brothers of the East, ‘‘Les Frères d'Orient’. Sometimes the Order also emphasizes the adaptation of spiritual therapeutical powers within its curriculum. A modern version of the original Order’s organ, Eon, was published in the form of a book by the American “Center For Creative Initiative" in Littleton, Colorado. Not much original material by the Order’s original leaders, Deon and Dea, is published in this book. This in contrary to material derived from teachers outside from the original Order like, for instance, G.I.Gurdjieff (1872?–1949), who’s mentioned a lot. The American branch is not recognized by the European branch. According to a Serbian member of the Greek OLA this branch is the product of a schism and “they have no rituals or complete teachings” (email-correspondence Sept. 2005). In France the order appeared on a –by some considered controversial- governmental list of so-called sects in 1996. The afore-mentioned Greek branch with its seat in Athens has already been active (after the war) since 1951. As we have read before, since that year the O.L.A. in Greece makes itself known to the outside world through the non-profit organization ‘The Philosophical Society of the Order of the Lily And the Eagle’. The Greek branch of the OLA presents the following Lines of Succession : 1915 -1918 1918 -1924 1924 -1944

Marie Routchine Dupré Dimitrios Sémélas Eugène Dupré

1945 -1955 1955 -1984 1984 -1992 1992 -1995 1995 - ,,,,,,,

GEORGIOS AGATHOS VASSILIOS GOULETAS KONSTANTINOS CHALIOTIS KONSTANTINOS PAPATHANASSIOU ANDREAS PROKOPIOU

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It appears as if the Order has the same degree structure as the original Order with sideorders in the higher levels of the O.L.A. In the first degree the Order teaches theoretical- and theosophical material, including classical biblical cosmogony (Genesis) as well as material on the concepts of Agartha and/or Shambalah. In the higher levels we find several side-orders, such as “the R+C Order”, a Martinist Chapter, a College of Kabbalah, a College of Alchemy and of Astrosophy, each with its own degrees. Just recently the Greek branch claimed to have received the complete archives of the original French branch. It includes “Templar and Rosicucian” (RCO) material, along with specific teachings on Psychurchy which seems to be part of EASIA-EASIE (Eques A Santi Ioannes Evangelistae - Santi Ioannes Apostolica, see also the essay on the RC d’ Orient). In 1997 Triantafyllos Kotzamanis became involved in writing and developing [new] material for the Order, the continuation of Sémélas’ original teachings as authorized by the Grand Commander for Greece, Andreas Prokopiou. Kotzamanis is the successor of Armand Toussaint (1895-1994), founder of L’Ordre Martiniste des Chevaliers du Christ -OMCC- and a former honorary Grandmaster of Roger Caro’s Frères Aines de la Rose+Croix -FAR+C-. Besides being a Grandmaster of the OMCC, Kotzamanis also heads a Pythagorean Order and the Masonic L’Oriënt Universel des Rites Traditionnel [M:.M:.] and is the Patriarch of Toussaint’s Rosicrucian and Apostolic church, L’Eglise Rosicrucienne Apostolique [et Gnostique]. He was also one of the members of the famous Groupe de Thèbes, a meeting group organized by the French Order leader Remi Boyer which included several European Grandmasters of various initiatic currents [see my essay “FUDOSI 1934-1951”]. After a long stay elsehere in Europe, Kotzamanis returned to Greece at the end of the 1980’s. In a private correspondence, dated April 21, 2006, a foreign Mason [who wishes to remain anonymous] claims that he returned to Greece holding various lineages from the occidental tradition; “the Fraternity of Myriam, the Gnostic Rosicrucian Apostolic Church, the FAR+C, a Pythagorean order, many French lines “Fraternite du Dragon Lunaire”, “le Circle d’ Atoum”, the IFAM, the Templar order called “Ordre Souverain du Temple Initiatique”, the Elus Cohen, the Martinist Order of the Poor Soldiers of Christ, the Grand Orient des Rites Traditionelles) and others that I do not remember the names) and finally the Misraim and Memphis Rite [G.S.A.]”. “Some of the orders I have referred he tried to develop but most of them with their rituals and their ordinations are somewhere in his… drawers” [anonymous, e-mail dated April 21, 2006]. Allegedly, the Grand Commander for Greece, Andreas Prokopiou, held Kotzamanis in very high esteem, some even say he considered him to be a special reincarnation [ Generator or Giant?, see p.3] Two foreign Masons, who wish to remain anonymous, confirmed this claim recently in a private correspondence to me: “Some five years ago T.K. [Kotzamanis] was accepted as a great incarnation by the heads and council of the Lily and the Eagle Order. Together with his wife they were considered as a divine couple.” The O.L.A. accepts members by invitation only. There are no fees for membership, the Order propagates philantropy and works of charity for which it accepts gifts. Under the leadership of Andreas Prokopiou the Order seems to have developed a more international orientation. The O.L.A. is today represented, next to Greece and France, in countries like Spain, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Brazil. In Brazil there even exist two branches of the O.L.A. One is recognized by Athens and is lead by Tadeu Rodrigues Jordan (Sâr Michael) who’s also the Grandmaster of L’Ordre Martiniste et Synarchique in Brasil (Sâr Gulion lineage) and the delegate of Rémi Boyer for Brazil.The other branch has been established by “former A.M.O. members in Brazil, as for example the director of the Sufi Martinist Order”. Three names. A few sources claim that the latter branch is a schism from Tadeu Rodrigues’ branch. It could be possible since three of its original dignitaries, Ruy Bisognin [Tau Petrus, formerGM AMO Brazil, etc.], Lúcio Paneque [Sâr Mejnour - who was murdered, former-GM Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis, AMO, etc.] and Mário Alves da Silva Filho [Ahmad - Sâr Hamza, director of the Sufi Martinist Order, former-Vice-GM Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis, AMO, etc.] were connected to Tadeu in the past through the Martinist Order - OMCC and/or Elus-Cohen. But this is contradicted by a statement made in an email by Ahmad, dated November 11, 2004 [freely transl.] “We didn’t know about the existence of Tadeu’s “Ordem da Lis e da Águia”. We have a lineage of this Order, but we didn’t know that Tadeu also had one”. Lúcio Paneque refers to himself as Imperator of the “Antient and Primitive Order of the Lily and the Eagle” [ Antiga e Primitiva Ordem do Lírio e da Águia ], as can be seen on a

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charter granted to Tau Camael in Spain for the Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis. Lúcio Paneque created the Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis, S.S.G., as an ante-chamber to the Inner Orders [it is –amongst others- based on the lineages received from the American Ancient Martinist Order, A.M.O.]. Lúcio and Ahmad were close friends. Brazilian sources think that it is Ahmad who’s the head of the “Antiga e Primitiva Ordem do Lírio e da Águia“. It seems that Ruy Bisognin never spoke about the O.L.E. to my Brazilian sources. Lúcio Paneque died a couple of years ago, as a matter of fact, he was murdered. Paneque’s death is surrounded in mystery. Some say he was a victim of Black Magic, others claim he was involved in a drug deal of some kind…. Returning to Europe, what is of special interest to us is that one of my sources, a SouthAmerican Martinist, mentioned a recent schism in the Greek branch of the Order. In an emailcorrespondence he wrote that during the turn of the year 2005/2006 the current Grand Commander, mr. Andreas Prokopiou, was removed from his office by the members of the Supreme Council of the Greek O.L.A. Prokopiou is said to have agreed. As a matter of fact, In December 2005 Prokopiou wrote two letters in which he declared his resignation as head of the Order. Allegedly, the members of the council thereupon decided not to install a new Grand Commander. It is said that Prokopiou did resign in order to force the Supreme Council to reform and accept his views. This included the return to the Constitution of 1919, drawn up under the original leadership of D.P. Sémélas. Suddenly, in January 2006, Prokopiou wrote a third letter in which he declared his return to his original post of Imperator. That’s when the troubles began. It is not quite clear why Prokopiou decided to officially declare his reinstatement of his original post of Imperator, rumour has it that he was persuaded by other members. Another theory is that he already planned to do this at forehand. “I think that with the first two letters he tried to change things and with the 3rd and final one he did what he would have done anyway regardless of anything.”, thus an anonymous source. According to Grand Commander Prokopiou, the root of all problems was that mr. Kotzamanis “was trying to dominate in the Order for economic reasons”, as my foreign source puts it [e-mail send by two foreign masons, Summer 2006 -this information was later added to the original text]. “We know that thing because we had large discussions with one of the heads of the order who has been a member of the as well.” According to this source, Prokopiou simply expelled Kotzamanis “and his wife” from the O.L.A., after which the latter “created a schism and took many people with him”. At the time of writing, February 2006, some say the controversy is still going on but it looks as if both parties, the Supreme council and the removed Grand Commander, continue each with their own branch. It is also said that Andreas Prokopiou will continue his [official] branch under the Constitution of 1919, which means that everything will be erased that was added since then. The -let’s-call-it- schismatic branch is said to reside in the premises of the Kyveli Publishing House in Athens. Kyveli is the publication company of Triantafyllos Kotzamanis. Whatever the truth, the situation at the moment is still not clear and it seems that we have to wait when all the dust has settled to get the complete picture. Kotzamanis’ branch continues the Order without its original Grand Commander, Andreas Prokopiou. It seems that the members of the O.L.A. were informed of the problems and were given the choice to leave or continue under the circumstances. A large number of people apparently have chosen to continue under the leadership of the Supreme Council and as far as they concern the schism never occurred. Well, it seems that Andreas Prokopiou begs to differ. At the moment his group “is in mourning”, as one of my sources puts it. The whole affair “created a lot of pain and strain to the legitimate heirs of the order as the above mentioned head has revealed to us. This person had a light stroke due to the stress he suffered from the situation.” [e-mail send by two foreign masons, Summer 2006] But it is Prokopiou who carries the lineage of the Order of the Lily and the Eagle. And it is Prokopiou who announced his reinstatement as Grand Commander/Imperator of the Order in February 2006. The schism allegedly created a lot of turmoil in the Greek esoteric community, and the issue is very sensitive. All sources emphasize the fact that they want to remain anonymous. Triantafyllos Kotzamanis is propably the most well-known esotericist and Order leader of Greece, and probably of the complete region, who has a lot of influence in Greece and some of its neighboring countries. One of his Greek critics stated that Kotzamanis “was - and for some people still is - a gifted occultist and surely a charming personality”. But despite his great knowledge and many talents, Kotzamanis has been proven unreliable, often “motivated by financial and egoistic incentives”

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[anonymous, April 21, 2006]. It is also claimed that institutions like the Grand Lodge of Greece, Grand Orient of Greece, “Le Droit Humain”, as well as the Theosophical Society are not very positive in their judgements on Triantafyllos Kotzamanis. I want to emphasize that the claims and statements you have just read are telling just one side of the story. I’m still trying to obtain some information, views, claims etc. from the other side of the camp. To be continued ….

Magnum Opus The Magnum Opus of an initiate consists in: “Attaining the knowledge of oneself, of where I come from and where I go, of what I can do, as well as of what I want; Acquiring an integral understanding of the nature of Man, the Universe, and God; Working against ignorance under all its guises; Instructing and enlightening human beings; Healing the mind, soul, and body of his fellow creatures; Using initiatic sciences for the above purposes, and for them only; Uniting with the spiritual plane by the daily practise of meditation and prayer; and; The synthesis of all of the above, which is the practise of integral charity.”

Introductory Booklet to the Order of the Lily and the Eagle Center for Inner Initiative Attn: WS 5594 S. Prince Street Littleton, Colorado 80120

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c)

Milko Bogaard December 6, 2006

version 1.5.

L'ORDRE DU LYS ET DE L'AIGLE Notes 1 “In physical terms Mount Athos is a peninsula, 56 kilometres long and not more than 8 kilometres in spiritual terms Athos is not of this world at all: it is, at least for those who live there, a station in sacred space, a foretaste of paradise. “ taken from : ‘Mount Athos – The Holy Mountain’ 2000-2004 Macedonian Heritage 2 Pierre Geyraud, "Parmi les sectes et les rites: Les Petites Eglises de Paris", Editions Emile-Paul Freres, 1937; pp 194-209 (English translation: Phillip A. Garver ) 3 Email posted by ‘Br. Nicholas’ on the Martinist E-group at Yahoogroups.com. ‘Br.Nicholas’ is a Martinist S.’.I.’. from Greece and a (former) longtime member of the current ‘Order of the Lily & Eagle’. More on the Frères/ R+C d’Orient in the next chapter. 4 Marcel Roggemans - “Geschiedenis van de Occulte en Mystieke Broederschappen” 5 Christian Rebisse “Le Histoire du Rosicrucianisme” (A.M.O.R.C. – O.M.T.) Rebisse furthermore claims that H.S. Lewis, who contacted Dupré around 1913, was promised a charter and the necessary documents to establish a (Martinist) Lodge in the United States. The correspondence (a letter dated July 23, 1913) was allegedly discovered in 1996 at the former mansion of H.S. Lewis’ son and successor, Ralph M. Lewis (19041987). Unfortunately, the War of 1914-1918 prevented the establishment of an American Lodge, thus Rebisse. See also “1915 - Antiquus Mysticusque Ordo Rosae Crucis (A.M.O.R.C.)“ 6 Other sources claim that Lagrèze received this initiation shortly before he returned to France in 1914 7 Pierre Geyraud, "Parmi les sectes et les rites: Les Petites Eglises de Paris", English translation: Phillip A. Garver 8 Ibid, pp 194-209 (transl. P.A. Garver) 9 Ibid 10 ibid 11 ibid, trandlated in English by Phillip A. Garver 12 Br. Nicholas, Greek Martinist (S.’..I.’..) and (former) member of the Order of the Lily & Eagle (2004) 13 See also ‘F.U.D.O.S.I. Orders & Societies –History of the M.O. – “1891 SUPRÊME CONSEIL DE L'ORDRE MARTINISTE“ page 21 14 Victor Blanchard allegedly received also the Degree of Commander of the O.L.E. at (or after) the occasion. 15 ‘Federation Universelle Des Ordres Et Societes Iniciatiques’, International Federation Of Initiatic Orders And Societies’ founded in 1934 at Brussels by i.a. H.S. Lewis, Victor Blanchard, and Émile Dantinne. 16 J. Marquès – Rivière was condemned to death after the war in 1945. All his assets were confined, all his (civil) rights were taken. Luckily for him, he’d decided to flea from France just before the War had ended. 17 Pierre Geyraud, "Parmi les sectes et les rites: Les Petites Eglises de Paris", English translation: Phillip A. Garver 18 M.D.S.M.D.L.U.A.F.D.L.T. is the abbreviation of, in English, “Mandate of the Sublime Master of the Universe to the Sons of the Earth” 18 The doctrine of the O.L.E. on the ‘unseen worlds’ is quite bizarre and rather ‘unique’ in its descriptions, to say the least. Of course, there are the usual concepts that we also find in other esoteric doctrines. For instance, the concept of the different root races is a concept which we also find in Blavatsky’s writings (Theosophic Society) th and other 19 century occultists such as, for instance, Saint Yves d’Alveydre (1842-1909) and Antoine Fabre d'Olivet (1768-1825). Nevertheless, the decriptions of ‘the beings of the First Region’ (the higher world) are quite unique, bizarre and even, in some way, ‘futuristic’ as it were… 19 Pierre Geyraud, "Parmi les sectes et les rites: Les Petites Eglises de Paris", English translation: Phillip A. Garver. 20 Georges (Bogé de) Lagrèze was one of the most prominent French esoterists of his time and a member and high dignitary of various masonic as well as non-masonic initiatic organizations (more information can be found (i.a.) in the series on the Martinist Order, Memphis-Misraïm and on the F.U.D.O.S.I.) 21 “F.U.D.O.S.I. 1934 – 1951” (version 1.2., November 2000) by Milko Bogaard. 22 Email-correspondence between the writer and the O.M.&S. dated June 12 and June 13, 2002. Out of respect for his privacy, the name of the British Grand Lodge dignitary is not published. 23 Email posted by Mr. Cappello on the Martinist E-group at Yahoogroups.com.in 2002 24 Ambrogio Gerosa was the Grandmaster of Dantinne’s Pythagorean Order (O::H::T::M:: ) in Italy during the fifties (see history on the F.U.D.O.S.I. 1934-1951 25 “The book SR+C” = The Sacramentary of the Rose+Croix, the so-called “secret formulay of the Rose+Croix d'Orient”, as Ambelain claims. 26 “Dictionnaire Des Groupes Religieux Ajourd’hui” – Jean Vernette; Presses Universitaires de France 1996. 27 “La Magie” - Massimo. Introvigne, Paris, Droguet-Ardant 1993, p. 108-110. On a special note, it is claimed that the Order’s founder, Sémélas, was the first who discovered the planet Pluto around 1915 (before the ‘official’ discovery in 1930). Allegedly Sémélas had named this planet Dora. The discovery is written in a text of his, under the title of ‘Astrosophia”, in which he furthermore claims that Dora (Pluto) was known to the Orpheans and Pythagoreans.

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