Patent of the Orders of Wisdom

 

June 27th, 2008

The Grand Orient of the United States of America and its Grand Chapter General were given legal Masonic authority in the United States for the Orders of Wisdom, such as was codified in 1784 by the Grand Chapitre Général du Grand Orient de France.

The Patent of the Orders thus complemented the Patent of the Modern Symbolic Degrees of the Rite granted by the Grand Orient de France.

On June 27, 2008, John Slifko, Grand Master of the Grand Orient of the United States of America received the Patent of the Orders of Wisdom from Jacques-Georges Plumet, Grand Vénérable of the Grand Chapitre Général du Grand Orient de France and a treaty of amity was signed.

In their address, Jacques-Georges Plumet and John Slifko saluted the historic significance of the event, reminding everyone that French and American Masons had been involved side by side for the causes of emancipation and liberty.

They underlined the resonance between their respective views on what 21rst century Free-Masonry should be, and they asserted their common commitment to promote the spirit and values of Traditional Cosmopolitan Free-Masonry, among which are absolute freedom of conscience, equality, and service to humanity.

The ceremony was held at the Grand Orient de France in Paris. It was attended by the members of the Administrative Chamber (executive board) of the Grand Chapitre Général du Grand Orient de France, and by dignitaries of many Masonic entities, in particular the Grand Chapitre Général Féminin de France.