The Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis Misraim
The Rite of Memphis Misraim, also called the Egyptian Rite, holds a specific place in the development and working of French (and worldwide) Masonic rituals.
In the first half of the 18th century in Europe traces of the so called “pharaonic rites” can be found. In 1777, in Paris, there was an active Chapter of the “Order of African Architects.” It was a short fifteen years later when the alchemist Etteilla, based in Lyon, founded the Rite of the “Perfect Initiated of Egypt,” and then a geographic diffusion of this stream of freemasonry made its way through Toulouse, to Auch, and Montauban. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, within many cities of southern France, there appeared the ritual working of the “Friends of the Desert,” but, all of these efforts were halting, many were still born, and only two survived: Misraim and later Memphis. These last two through time deepened their social, philosophical and fraternal relations and finally merged as a single Rite.
It is a Rite that issues from the traditional stream of Ecossism. Ecossism is a French wording representing the ferment that created all of the higher degrees during the 18th Century. The Rite came to hold the first 33 degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite to which, in due course, it added 66 others. The work has a very strong sense of the esoteric. Several occultists as time went on became practitioners of the Rite such as Gerard Encausse (Papus) and Robert Ambelain.
Blue Lodges
- Entered Apprentice
- Fellow Craft
- Master Mason
Lodges of Perfection
- Master Secret
- Perfect Master
- Intimate Secretary
- Provost and Judge
- Intendant of the Building
- Elu of the Nine
- Elu of Fifteen
- Elu of the Twelve
- Master Architect
- Royal Arch of Solomon
- Perfect Elu
Chapters
- Knight of the East, of the Sword, or of the Eagle
- Prince of Jerusalem
- Knight of the East and West
- Knight Rose+Croix
Councils of Kadosh
- Grand Pontiff
- Master of the Symbolic Lodge
- Noachite, or Prussian Knight
- Knight Royal Axe, Prince of Libanus
- Chief of the Tabernacle
- Prince of the Tabernacle
- Knight of the Brazen Serpent
- Prince of Mercy
- Knight Commander of the Temple
- Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept
- Scottish Knight of Saint Andrew
- Knight of Kadosh, or Knight of the White and Black Eagle
Scottish Administrative Degrees
- Grand Inspector Inquisitor
- Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
- Sovereign Grand Inspector General
Esoteric Degrees
- Knight of Scandinavia
- Knight of the Temple
- Sublime Negociant
- Knight of Shota (Sage of Truth)
- Sublime Elect of Truth (The Red Eagle)
- Grand Elect of the Aeons
- Sage Savaistre (Perfect Sage)
- Knight of the Arch of Seven Colours
- Prince of Light
- Sublime Hermetic Sage (Hermetic Philosopher)
- Prince of the Zodiac
- Sublime Sage of the Mysteries
- Sublime Pastor of the Huts
- Knight of the Seven Stars
- Sublime Guardian of the Sacred Mount
- Sublime Sage of the Pyramids
- Sublime Philosopher of Samothrace
- Sublime Titan of the Caucasus
- Sage of the Labyrinth
- Knight or Sage of the Phoenix
- Sublime Scalde
- Sublime Orphic Doctor
- Pontiff, of Sage of Cadmia
- Sublime Magus
- Sage, or Prince Brahmine
- Sublime Sage, or Grand Pontiff of Ogygia
- Sublime Guardian of the Three Fires
- Sublime Unknown Philosopher
- Sublime Sage of Eulisis
- Sublime Kawi
- Sage of Mythras
- Guardian of Sanctuary – Grand Installator
- Grand Architect of the Mysterious City – Grand Consecrator
- Guardian of the Incommunicable Name – Grand Eulogist
- Patriarch of Truth
- Knight or Sage of the Golden Branch of Eleusis
- Prince of Light, or Patriarch of the Planispheres
- Patriarch of the Sacred Vedas
- Sublime Master of Wisdom
- Patriarch, or Doctor of the Sacred Fire
- Sublime Master of the Stoka
- Knight Commandel of the Lybic Chain
- Interpreter of Hieroglyphics, of Patriarch of Isis
- Sublime Knight or Sage Theosopher
- Grand Pontiff of the Thebiad
- Knight, or Sage of the Redoubtable Sada
- Sublime Elect of the Sanctuary of Mazias
- Intendent Regulator, or Patriarch of Memphis
- Grand Elect of the Temple of Midgard
- Sublime Elect of the Valley of Oddy
- Patriarch or Doctor of the Izeds
- Sublime Sage, or Knight of Kneph
- Sublime Philosopher of the Valley of Kab
- Sublime Prince of Masonry
- Grand Elect of the Sacred Curtain
- Patriarch of the Mystic City
- Sublime Master of the Great Work
- Grand Defender
- Grand Catechist
- Regulator General
- Prince of Memphis, or Grand Administrator
Administrative Degrees
- Grand Conservator
- Grand and Puissant Sovereign of the Order
- Deputy International Grand Master
- International Grand Master
- Grand Hierophant
This rite is mainly in use at the Grand Orient of France which is the biggest French Grand Lodge using this Rite. There is around the GOF a constellation of small masonic bodies which are all bogus or clandestine, with real or supposed filiation. We advise you to really be careful with them…