Freemasons are a centuries-old secretive society that the Catholic Church has long viewed with hostility and has an estimated global membership of up to six million. Pope Francis gestures as
The Catholic Church has long denounced Freemasonry; in particular, Pope Leo XIII, in the late 19th century, insisted "Christianity and Freemasonry are essentially irreconcilable.
1884 satirical political cartoon from Puck shows Pope Leo XIII at war with Freemasonry. In 1736, the Inquisition investigated a Masonic lodge in Florence, Italy, which it condemned in June 1737.The lodge had originally been founded in 1733 by the English Freemason Charles Sackville, 2nd Duke of Dorset, [9] but accepted Italian members, such as the lodge's secretary Tommaso Crudeli.
There's an annual Masonic feast celebrated on Sept. 20, the anniversary of the breach of Rome's Porta Pia which led to the fall of the Papal States. Share Latest Stories
By Vatican News. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, in a document signed by the Prefect, Cardinal Victor Fernandéz, and approved by Pope Francis, has reaffirmed that Catholics are forbidden from joining Freemasonry. The Dicastery responded on Wednesday to a question from Bishop Julito Cortes, Bishop of Dumanguete in the Philippines.
The Catholic Church has long denounced Freemasonry; in particular, Pope Leo XIII, in the late 19th century, insisted "Christianity and Freemasonry are essentially irreconcilable. 1884 satirical political cartoon from Puck shows Pope Leo XIII at war with Freemasonry. In 1736, the Inquisition investigated a Masonic lodge in Florence, Italy, which it condemned in June 1737.The lodge had originally been founded in 1733 by the English Freemason Charles Sackville, 2nd Duke of Dorset, [9] but accepted Italian members, such as the lodge's secretary Tommaso Crudeli. There's an annual Masonic feast celebrated on Sept. 20, the anniversary of the breach of Rome's Porta Pia which led to the fall of the Papal States.
Share Latest Stories By Vatican News. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, in a document signed by the Prefect, Cardinal Victor Fernandéz, and approved by Pope Francis, has reaffirmed that Catholics are forbidden from joining Freemasonry. The Dicastery responded on Wednesday to a question from Bishop Julito Cortes, Bishop of Dumanguete in the Philippines.
"Active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is forbidden," said the letter, signed by Pope Francis and DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Fernández.
A "note for the audience with the Holy Father" — signed by Pope Francis and DDF prefect Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández during their meeting on November 13, 2023 — recalls the firm
The theory that Pope Francis was a Freemason gained traction because of a photograph taken in 2008 by Argentinian photojournalist Pablo Leguizamón. At the time, Francis was still known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio , the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and the image shows him riding the subway—dressed in black, and notably, with his right hand tucked
pope francis reaffirms priesthood is 'reserved for men,' cannot be changed to include women "An Apprentice Is Initiated Into Freemasonry," from a 19th century illustration of a Freemasonic ritual.
Vatican reaffirms 'grave sin' of Freemasonry, says Catholics cannot
"Active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is forbidden," said the letter, signed by Pope Francis and DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Fernández. A "note for the audience with the Holy Father" — signed by Pope Francis and DDF prefect Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández during their meeting on November 13, 2023 — recalls the firm The theory that Pope Francis was a Freemason gained traction because of a photograph taken in 2008 by Argentinian photojournalist Pablo Leguizamón. At the time, Francis was still known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio , the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and the image shows him riding the subway—dressed in black, and notably, with his right hand tucked pope francis reaffirms priesthood is 'reserved for men,' cannot be changed to include women "An Apprentice Is Initiated Into Freemasonry," from a 19th century illustration of a Freemasonic ritual.
To the contrary, Pope Francis has spoken out strongly against Freemasonry and its impact on the Catholic Church, including in concluding remarks during a July 2013 in-flight press conference, an address to children and young people in Turin, Italy, in 2015, and regarding the reform of the Knights of Malta in 2017 See also our related article that elaborates further on Freemasonry's
