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General Information
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Purpose of this
page
Some called it a Fraternity others called it a Society, we don't know
for certain if they are categorized as one or the other. But what we
do know for certain is that these organizations keep records.
By searching for these records, you can find clues needed to find a
lost ancestor. These records also provide clues to what your ancestor
character, looks, and personality was while living.
Our job is to make you aware that these records are out there, give
you a little background information on the subject and share with you
some of the information that might be useful to you as well as what we have
come across.
Masonry in Puerto
Rico (Tidbits)
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Medalla de la Guardia Nacional de
Puerto Rico
Aparenta tener un error pues muestra rango de Master Sergeant (6
lineas) pero el rango escrito es de Sergeant First Class (5 lineas) a
nombre de Jose L. Orriola.
En adicion, la medalla muestra el simbolo de los Masones entre los dos
escudos utilizados por la Guardia Nacional.
Medal of the Puerto Rico National Guard
Has a sample error range as Master Sergeant (6 lines) but the range is
written to Sergeant First Class (5 lines) on behalf of Jose L.
Orriola.
In addition, the medal shows the symbol of the Freemasons between the
two shields used by the National Guard. |
Tuve acceso como historiador a la rica, aunque mal preservada,
documentación depositada en el sótano de la Gran Logia Soberana
de Libres y Aceptados de PR. Pude examinar desde actas de cámara,
cartas, fichas de los miembros del siglo pasado, comunicaciones entre logias,
hasta periódicos y enciclopedias masónicas. (Taken from
El Asesinato Politico en PR by Dra. Ivonne Acosta Lespier; El asesinato de
Jose Perez Moris y su relato by Jose Curet, page 8) |
| El primer mitin masónico se verificó en la ciudad de Ponce,
con participación de don Roman Baldorioty de
Castro. Los primeros funerales masónicos se verificaron en
1874, en la R:. L:. Adelphia de Mayagüez, en ocasión de la muerte
de don Jose Ramon Freyre Rivas. Y la primera
Tenida de Dolor tuvo lugar en la R:. L:. Prudencia de San Germán. El
25 de Octubre de 1884 quedaba fundada la Gran Logia Provincial o Soberana
de PR,. . . (Taken from Historia de PR (Tomo II), page 854) |
| Hasta donde se tiene algún conocimiento, la primera logia
masónica se estableció en San Juan, allá para el año
1805, por emigrantes franceses procedentes de Haití. En el año
1811 se instaló en Mayagüez una logia llamada "La Restauración"
bajo los auspicios del Gran Oriente Nacional de España. Otras logias
y capítulos Rosa Cruz existieron en Puerto Rico entre los años
1871 al 1873, pero . . . (Taken from Guayama Sus Hombres y Sus Instituciones,
Adolfo Porrata Doria, page 219) |
| El Cementerio Masónico de Sabana Grande es el único en
todo PR y, quizás, actualmente el único en el mundo. Este
camposanto fue establecido con el propósito de enterrar allí
a todo masón que falleciera, peusto que antiguamente se prohibió
inhumarlos en el Cementerio Municipal por las constantes censuras y persecuciones
de que eran objeto. El incidente que motivó el establecimiento de
este camposanto ocurrió en el año 1886, cuando al fallecer
el masón Jose Maria Cos se prohibió
que lo enterraran en el Cementerio Civil. (Taken from Los Municipios de
PR Su Historia y su Cultura Sabana Grande, page 50)
Webmaster note: Yauco
also has a cemetery exclusively for Masons. It is located next to the
municipal cemetery number 1. |
Degrees
Starting point for all men who wish to become masons. Lodges confers
three masonic degrees:
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Entered Apprentice (Aprendiz)
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Fellow Craft (Compañero)
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Master Mason (Maestro Masón)
A Master Mason may receive further teachings and the lodge can confer
an additional 30 degrees to the Master Mason. To see graphics of
degrees symbols, click here.
The graphics presented here are meant to be an aid in identifying old medals,
badges, ribbons, rings, etc.
Initials/Abbreviations/Lexicon
This is not a complete list but they are enough for you to be able to understand
some of their publications, diplomas and other documents. Some of the
words have no meaning if used outside of this organization and sometimes
the meaning is different.
| A\
L\G\D\G\A\D\U\ |
= A la Gloria del Gran Arquitecto del
Universo |
| Agape |
= Food or dinner that they sometimes
have at the end of their meeting. |
| Ap\ |
= Aprendiz |
Apr\ M\
or
Ap\ M\ |
= Aprendiz mazón |
| A\ Y\
R\ |
Ancient York Rite |
| Col\ |
= Columnas |
| Cp\ |
= Compañero |
| Cuadro Lógico |
= Membership list |
GR\ A\
del\ U\
or
G.A.D.U. |
= Gran Arquitecto del Universo
(Great Architect of the Universe ) |
| G\ L\ de
E\ |
= Gran Logia de España |
| G\ L\Prov. de... |
= Gran Logia Provincial de... |
| Gran Maestro |
= President elect (Position can be held
for a period of one to five years. Election
varies between lodges) |
| H\ Hosp\ |
= Hermano hospitalario |
| H\ M\ de
Cer\ |
= Hermano Maestro de Ceremonias |
| H\ Or\ |
= Hermano Orador |
| H\Sec\ |
= Hermano Secretario |
| H\ Ter\ |
= Hermano Terrible |
| H\ Tes\ |
= Hermano Tesorero |
| M\ Q\
H\ |
= Muy querido Hermano |
| M\ Q\
V\ |
= Muy querido Venerable |
| Maestro |
= Third and last degree |
| O\ |
= Oriente. (Simbolic place from where
the «Light (Luz)» comes. |
| Pl\ |
= Plancha |
| Prof\ |
= Profano |
| R\E\A\A\ |
=Rito Escocés Antiguo y Aceptado |
| R\E\R\ |
= Rito Escocés Rectificado |
| R\ L\ |
= Respetable Logia |
| T\ |
= Templo |
| Taller |
= Place where the meetings are held. |
| Tenida |
= Masonic meeting |
| Ven\ |
= Venerable |
| Ven\ M\ |
= Venerable Maestro |
| 1er Vig\ or
Pr\V\ |
= Primer Vigilante |
| 2o Vig\ or
Sg\V\ |
= Segundo Vigilante |
Lodges Addresses (Known
to us)
Source: Some of this information courtesy of Lic. Luis
Santiago, R:. L:. Loarina 17, grado 32
Diploma/Membership
List
Document courtesy of Carmen Waetje, grandaughter of
Francisco A. Candelas, a mason of this lodge and recipient of this
diploma.
When a degree is confer to a mason, a diploma similar to this is presented
to the mason as well as a membership list (Cuadro
Lógico) from the lodge.
Member Personal File
Domingo Briganti
Luis Briganti
Disclaimer:
All masonic information "secrets" provided in these pages were obtained from
books, surfing the web, available material at the public library in Virginia,
US
as well as contributions from visitors to this site. Probably
some of this material is also available at a library near you.
Have in mind that modern masonic practices might be different and practices
may vary between lodges.
I am not a Mason, and no Masons participated in the creation of any of these
pages. The information presented here are the recordings of data as I found
it. And remember, I am just the keeper around here, a history technician,
not a historian, so it will be up to you to draw your own conclusions from
the facts presented here.
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portal to Puerto Rico
Genealogy!
