Confessio Fraternitatis
Encyclopedia
The Confessio Fraternitatis (Confessio oder Bekenntnis der Societät und Bruderschaft Rosenkreuz), or simply The Confessio, printed in Kassel
(Germany
) in 1615, is the second anonymous manifestos, of a trio of Rosicrucian
pamphlets, declaring the existence of a secret brotherhood of alchemists and sages who were interpreted, by the society of those times, to be preparing to transform the political and intellectual landscape of Europe:
Signs related to the beginning of the "age" which brings the "Reformation of Mankind", first Manifesto
, are described at this second Manifesto as following:
The Confessio is a breviary about "the true Philosophy", it completes the earlier manifesto (Fama Fraternitatis
, 1614) and in some way it comes to justify it, defending it from the voices and accusations already launched to the mysterious Brothers of the "Fraternity of the Rose Cross".
According to the Confessio a fundamental requisite to achieve this knowledge is "that we be earnest to attain to the understanding and knowledge of philosophy" and the Rosicrucian Brothers describe themselves as Christian
("What think you, loving people, and how seem you affected, seeing that you now understand and know, that we acknowledge ourselves truly and sincerely to profess Christ") but not in the exoteric
, popular Christianity
sense ("condemn the Pope,") but as an esoteric Christianity: "addict ourselves to the true Philosophy, lead a Christian life".
It was immensely popular being reprinted several times and translated into several languages. Its author remains anonymous. Many historical figures have been attributed its authorship, including Francis Bacon
.
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) in 1615, is the second anonymous manifestos, of a trio of Rosicrucian
Rosicrucian
Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...
pamphlets, declaring the existence of a secret brotherhood of alchemists and sages who were interpreted, by the society of those times, to be preparing to transform the political and intellectual landscape of Europe:
- "We ought therefore here to observe well, and make it known unto everyone, that God hath certainly and most assuredly concluded to send and grant to the world before her end, which presently thereupon shall ensue, such a truth, light, life, and glory, as the first man Adam had, which he lost in Paradise, after which his successors were put and driven, with him, to misery. Wherefore there shall cease all servitude, falsehood, lies, and darkness, which by little and little, with the great world's revolution, was crept into all arts, works, and governments of men, and have darkened the most part of them. For form thence are proceeded an innumerable sort of all manner of false opinions and heresies, that scarce the wisest of all was able to know whose doctrine and opinion he should follow and embrace, and could not well and easily be discerned; seeing on the one part they were detained, hindered, and brought into errors through the respect of the philosophers and learned men, and on the other part through true experience. All the which, when it shall once be abolished and removed, and instead thereof a right and true rule instituted, then there will remain thanks unto them which have taken pains therein. But the work itself shall be attributed to the blessedness of our age."
Signs related to the beginning of the "age" which brings the "Reformation of Mankind", first Manifesto
Fama Fraternitatis
The Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis , or simply the Fama Fraternitatis, is an anonymous Rosicrucian manifesto published in 1614 in Kassel . It was translated into English in 1652 by Thomas Vaughan and published as an appendix of the 77th...
, are described at this second Manifesto as following:
- "But we confess, and witness openly with the Lord Jesus Christ, that it shall first happen that the stones shall arise, and offer their service, before there shall be any want of executors and accomplishers of God's counsel; yea, the Lord God hath already sent before certain messengers, which should testify his will, to wit, some new stars, which do appear and are seen in the firmament in Serpentario and Cygno, which signify and give themselves known to everyone, that they are powerful Signacula of great weighty matters. (...) Now there remains yet that which in short time, honour shall be likewise given to the tongue, and by the same; what before times hath been seen, heard, and smelt, now finally shall be spoken and uttered forth, when the World shall awake out of her heavy and drowsy sleep, and with an open heart, bare-head, and bare-foot, shall merrily and joyfully meet the new arising Sun."
The Confessio is a breviary about "the true Philosophy", it completes the earlier manifesto (Fama Fraternitatis
Fama Fraternitatis
The Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis , or simply the Fama Fraternitatis, is an anonymous Rosicrucian manifesto published in 1614 in Kassel . It was translated into English in 1652 by Thomas Vaughan and published as an appendix of the 77th...
, 1614) and in some way it comes to justify it, defending it from the voices and accusations already launched to the mysterious Brothers of the "Fraternity of the Rose Cross".
According to the Confessio a fundamental requisite to achieve this knowledge is "that we be earnest to attain to the understanding and knowledge of philosophy" and the Rosicrucian Brothers describe themselves as Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
("What think you, loving people, and how seem you affected, seeing that you now understand and know, that we acknowledge ourselves truly and sincerely to profess Christ") but not in the exoteric
Exoteric
Exoteric refers to knowledge that is outside of and independent from anyone's experience and can be ascertained by anyone. Compare Common sense. It is distinguished from internal esoteric knowledge. Exoteric relates to "external reality" as opposed to one's own thoughts or feelings. It is knowledge...
, popular Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
sense ("condemn the Pope,") but as an esoteric Christianity: "addict ourselves to the true Philosophy, lead a Christian life".
It was immensely popular being reprinted several times and translated into several languages. Its author remains anonymous. Many historical figures have been attributed its authorship, including Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
.
See also
- Christian RosenkreuzChristian RosenkreuzChristian Rosenkreuz is the legendary, perhaps allegorical, founder of the Rosicrucian Order , presented in the three Manifestos published in the early 17th century...
- Esoteric ChristianityEsoteric ChristianityEsoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion, and profess the existence and possession of certain esoteric doctrines or practices, hidden from the public but accessible only to a narrow circle of "enlightened",...
- Fama FraternitatisFama FraternitatisThe Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crucis , or simply the Fama Fraternitatis, is an anonymous Rosicrucian manifesto published in 1614 in Kassel . It was translated into English in 1652 by Thomas Vaughan and published as an appendix of the 77th...
(1614) - Chymical Wedding of Christian RosenkreutzChymical Wedding of Christian RosenkreutzThe Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz was edited in 1616 in Strasbourg , and its anonymous authorship is attributed to Johann Valentin Andreae...
(1616) - Parabola AllegoryParabola AllegoryThe Parabola Allegory is a Rosicrucian allegory, of unknown authorship, dating from the latter part of the seventeenth century. It is sometimes attributed to German Alchemist Henricus Madathanus.... - Lectorium RosicrucianumLectorium RosicrucianumThe Lectorium Rosicrucianum is a worldwide school of Esoteric Christianity founded in 1935 by Dutch mystics Jan van Rijckenborgh, his brother Zwier Willem Leene and Catharose de Petri...
- Antonin GadalAntonin GadalAntonin Gadal was a French mystic and historian who dedicated his life to study of the Cathars in the south of France, their spirituality, beliefs and ideology.-Life:...
- Catharose de PetriCatharose de PetriCatharose de Petri was a Dutch born mystic and co-founder of the Lectorium Rosicrucianum, an international esoteric school based on Gnostic ideas of Christianity....
- Jan van RijckenborghJan van RijckenborghJan van Rijckenborgh was a Dutch born mystic and founder of the Lectorium Rosicrucianum, a worldwide esoteric Rosicrucian movement.... - RosicrucianRosicrucianRosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...
- Rosicrucian ManifestosRosicrucian ManifestosThe Rosicrucian Manifestos were two documents of unknown authorship written in the early 17th century in Europe. They purported to announce the existence of a hitherto unknown esoteric order, the Brotherhood of the Rose Cross, to the world...
- Rosicrucian FellowshipRosicrucian FellowshipThe Rosicrucian Fellowship – "An International Association of Christian Mystics" – was founded in 1909 by Max Heindel as herald of the Aquarian Age and with the aim of publicly promulgating "the true Philosophy" of the Rosicrucians....
- Max HeindelMax HeindelMax Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian occultist, astrologer, and mystic. He died on January 6, 1919 at Oceanside, California, United States.- Early infancy :...
External links
- Text of the Confessio Fraternitatis at the Alchemy web site
- Text of the Rosicrucian Manifestos at the Rosicrucian Library web site
- Text of the Confessio Fraternitatis at the Internet Sacred Texts Archive (Goden Dawn Text Resource)
- Scans of the original English pamphlet on http://www.rosicrucians.org/