The Hermetic Tradition in XVIIIth Century Russia and the Ukraine.

by Gleb Butuzov

According to modern sources, Western philosophy in general and the secret sciences in particular did not permeate Russian thought until the moment Czar Peter I first established a channel of communication between Western Europe and the Russian Empire. There is even a common and yet erroneous opinion that the first Russian Mason was Peter the Great himself. Despite the fact that he actually was invited into some European Lodges as an honorary member, there are neither documentary nor any other historical proofs of his permanent membership of any secret society. However it was certainly this Czar who was in the highest degree responsible for the propagation of Masonry in the Russian Empire, and that it was his openness to all and any Western influences that prepared a propitious ground for the development of Masonic ideas in Russia.

Despite the fact of available evidence to the effect that Western mysticism had crossed the Russian border earlier1, we are within our rights to consider 1731, when John Philips, the first Great Master of the Lodge and appointed by Lord Lovell, Master of the Grand Lodge of England first appeared in Russia, as the starting point of the widespread dissemination of Hermetic ideas there. A few years earlier, James Keith, brother of the well-known John Keith, had visited Russia. He soon assumed the position of General in the Russian Army and played an important role in the development of secret societies there. In 1740 he was appointed Grand Master in Philips' place. It would seem that it was he who brought the seed of Masonry to the Empire; however, although there is no documentary evidence that the Hermetic Tradition had penetrated Russia very much earlier or in any other way; this question is still open to discussion, inasmuch as there are Hermetic symbols to be found in Russian folklore of a very ancient period.

The Masonic movement in eighteenth century Russia can be divided into three main periods: the earliest, or period where the fashion of following Western-European life-styles swamped Russia; then the period of so-called moral philosophy and the increasing social role of Masonry; and, finally, a period of the predominance of a Masonry of the higher degrees and of Rosicrucianism.

The first period, covering 1730-1750, is fairly well described by Ivan Yelagin, one of the earliest Provincial Masters. In his memoirs he writes: Pure curiosity and vanity, the wish to learn the secrets and to appear on the same level with people well-known in high society with all their ranks and merits, people who are much ahead of myself in terms of education and social position, and who were revealed to me by the indiscretion of certain Brothers leads me to believe, as well as flattering hope, that I might find magnate protectors and friends, wherewith to assist my private happiness2. This is what it is: another fashionable movement in the style of shaving the beards, a means whereby to appear European, and a pathway to the very summits for those who are clever enough to seize the moment, and yet, according to some scholars a much deeper psychological impulse was also involved, in that Masonic rites were something new and refreshing for the splendor-loving Russian

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soul, satiated by the flamboyant but all too democratic and trite Pravoslavny tradition; we definitely must admit that there is some sense in this.

After Empress Elisabeth, Katherine II became Queen of Russia. She was known as the Empress-Philosopher, praised by Voltaire and Diderot; during the years of her governing Russia, Masonry there reached its full bloom. Regarding the rite, those years are chiefly characterized by the decline of the English rite supported by Yelagin3 and a rising interest in the Swedish-Berliner rite4. This tendency is typical of the second period: a growing German spiritual influence complimented by a rise in the political activity of the Lodges. One may note that we have not yet spoken a single word concerning the Hermetic tradition or spiritual background of the Masonic Brotherhood; but this is natural enough, since very few people in Russia were interested in it at all until the three final decades of the XVIIIth. century. According to memoirs of Russian Masons, in the first period of Masonry in the Russian Empire, the lodges' meetings seemed rather like nightclubs, along with champagne, billiards, card games and salon music. They were just another occasion to have a good time together.

While Russia accepted Englishmen as their first Provincial Masters, in the Ukraine the prime Masonic ideas were brought from Poland. The first known Lodge, called The Three Brothers, was established in the village of Vishnivtsy, in the region of Volyn, in 17425. Small wonder, since its first Masters were three Polish founders, brothers in blood. In contrast to Russia, Ukrainian lodges in the XVIIIth. century were deeply-provincial and Kiev was somewhat outside the Masonic movement until 1900. The chief positions in such lodges were most often held by military people or city administration clerks, even of low rank; people of important social standing and the well-educated became interested in Ukrainian Masonry much later, at the very end of the XIXth. century. There are but few exceptions.

One of these is the Rozviyany Morok (Darkness Dispelled) Lodge. This was established in 1787 in Zhitomir a small provincial city not far from Kiev. Its founder was the local medical doctor, D. Heintsch (in other sources F. Hintsch)6. The only fact known for sure is that its members were seriously interested in the Western esoteric tradition; as with so much else in Ukrainian history, not much data concerning the activity of Rozviyany Morok has survived. It is also worth mentioning that this same Dr. Heintsch/Hintsch, established a parallel and special Lodge, the Skhod Zhitomirsky (The Gathering of Zhitomir), the members of which were all women7.

Meanwhile in Russia the Masonic movement was growing bigger and bigger. According to official statistics (!), the total number of Masonic lodge-members in just the two cities St Petersburg and Moscow reached in the eighties to as many as 2,500. Actually, there was no family of high class without at least one Mason. All the chief aristocratic families were involved. For example, in the English-style lodges (mainly governed by Yelagin), members included Counts R. L. Vorontsov and S. R. Vorontsov, Dukes Andrey Viasemsky and A. Odoyevsky and Duke P. Tolstoy. In the Swedish-rite lodges one might consort with the Dukes Gagarin, Dolgoruky, Shuvalov, Repnin and Count A. I. Stroganov. Among Russian Rosicrucians were the Dukes Trubetskoy, Lopukhin and Turgenev. Finding a person of the middle-classes among Russian Masons was extremely difficult. There were actually some (less than a dozen) merchants in the Moscow Lodge called Astreia, but they were allowed only up to the level of apprentice. Another lodge, Urania, could boast of one merchant ever accepted. A few lodges even possessed a number of acting Pravoslavnaya Church officials (Pravoslavnaya was and still is the main Christian Church in Russia; at that time it played an extremely important role in social relationships) who joined the

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secret society in 1776 - 17808. People of lower social groups were never allowed to participate in Russian Masonry in the XVIIIth. century. Remarkable exceptions were registered in the Ukraine at the end of eighties - when some lodges there accepted rich Jews. This seeming loyalty to the normally non-grata national group in the Russian Empire may easily be explained if we check the donation records of the period - newcomers were giving 8-10 times larger sums of money as entrance fee than was normally admitted9.

From the mid-sixties on traces of Hermetic ideas are to be found in Russian literature. Generally, it was the custom to use foreign (mostly French) or artificial names in Russian drama, but in 1765 the dramatist Vladimir Lukin, a Mason and member of Yelagin's circle, in his play The Babbler employed the female name Sophia, which was later used by most of Russian authors such as Fonvizyn, Kapnist, Griboyedov; in all cases as an intentionally significant name, symbolising purity, wisdom and innocence10.

In the 1760s many Russian Masons began to show considerable interest in German-style rites. In 1762 the Zur Glcklischen Eintracht Lodge (Happy Agreement) was established in Russia. Three years later, the German merchant, Luder, established the Knights Capitulum which followed the rules of Observantia Stricta (Strict Observation)11 in St Petersburg. It was, in fact, the department of the Ordo Templi in Russia; templars' rite, however, did not strike root there. On March 12th., 1771, Baron von Reichel opened the Lodge of Apollo - the first lodge of so called Swedish-Berliner rite, also known as Laxe Observanz (Loose Observation) in St Petersburg. From that moment on members of Yelagin's lodges began to join Reichel, and in 1776 Yelagin understood that circumstances were critical for his career. That same year in early autumn he signed an agreement with Reichel and new joint Great Petersburg Lodge was born. It united eighteen of Yelagin's lodges and the Swedish-Berliner rite. People who were looking for something new in Reichel's lodges finally discovered that there was not much difference between Yelagin's Masonry and that of Reichel. Besides, Katherine II became really annoyed with the growing influence in Russian aristocratic circles of Swedish King, Gustav III; as a result, the Ustav Blagochinya (Statute of Piety) was issued in 1782, and persecution of Masonic orders for political reasons officially began in Russia. Two years later, on his own decision, Grand Master Yelagin completely stopped the activity of the Great Petersburg Lodge recognising the genuine danger, he realised it was the correct time to quit the stage.

Many members of the Yelagin-Reichel union were generally dissatisfied with its activity because: a) it did not promise high degrees to those looking for an administrative career; and b) it did not provide its members with Hermetic knowledge, in which many Brothers were already interested. As a result, in the eighties, Rosicrucian ideas began to conquer Russia.

The most important actors in Russian Rosicrucianism were Johann Georg Schwarz, usually named in the Russian manner Ivan Yegorovich Schwarz, and Mr Novikov Head of Russian Rosicrucians. The first was a well-educated man of German origin whose knowledge of the Russian language was remarkable; for a certain period of time he was promoted to the position of Professor of Philosophy at Moscow University. The second, Novikov, was of non-aristocratic origins. Born in the small village of Tikhvinskoye, a property of his father's, a lower-class landlord in Moscovia, he was never properly educated. His later success in the fields of editing and publishing books can be explained by his simple abilities and industry. One of his main goals in Masonic activity was the moral perfection of the Brothers 12, which, he

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believed, could not be achieved in either the Yelagin or Berliner lodges. In fact, Rosicrucianism had been known to the Russian Brotherhood before Schwarz traveled to Germany in 1781, there to establish first contact with the Rosicrucians. In fact, five years earlier, Novikov had had a meeting with Duke P. I. Repnin who told him about the long list of European lodges he had attended and the degrees attained in a search for the real Masonry - all in vain until he met a certain mysterious gentleman who initiated him into the Rosicrucian Order. From his journeys Schwarz brought back letters signed by the Duke of Braunschweig and also some documents received from the Rosicrucians themselves. The first looked none too attractive to friends of Schwarz and Novikov, in clear distinction from the second, for the Rosicrucians commissioned the Russian group far more than did Braunschweig, whose proposal gave the Russians very little independence.

Two years later, in 1783, Russian Masonry finally changed from the Berliner rite to Rosicrucianism. In the official letter dated July 30th., 1783, Duke Trubetskoy informed the Brothers about the newly established Theoreticus Degree13, in order to allow use of it to the worthy, and to aid us in this decision to avoid such rashness as would subject us to the New Testament proverb: that those who conceal talent be cursed.

This moment can considered as the starting point in the riteatic study of the Hermetic tradition by Russian intellectuals. In the next few years many fundamental Hermetic texts were translated for the first time from German and Latin into Russian, and then distributed among the Brothers in manuscript form.

In the same year the Union of the Four Lodges: Three Banners, Osiris, Latona and Sphinx was temporarily established. The main purpose of this union was to prepare and select Brothers who might earn the Theoreticus Degree. A year later, this fourfold organization was replaced by the United Provincial Lodge established with Duke Dolgoruky as the Grand Master. According to Novikov's rite the Theoreticus Degree was actually the Second Rosicrucian degree, above which were established seven higher degrees. In the Rosicrucian period of Russian Masonry there were 60 Brothers who earned the Theoreticus Degree and about 20 marked with higher degrees. Turgenev held the Fourth Degree (Philosophus); there is some indirect indications that Novikov and Trubetskoy held Fifth or even Sixth degrees.

The Rosicrucians arranged special Theoreticus meetings whose purpose was to spread Hermetic knowledge among Russian Masons. These meetings differed considerably from other Masonic assemblies in Russia; generally they were much simpler in terms of rite. The main part of such meetings was actually the reading of the Manual of Theoreticus Brothers, originally handed to Schwarz in Germany in 1781, when he was honored with the Theoreticus Degree by the German Rosicrucians. This document was a manuscript containing classical Rosicrucian texts, mostly of an alchemical character. Its ideological background may clearly be seen in the following passage: That one is the Philosopher, who tries to make his image approach that of God his Creator, and to know himself and Nature in its different manifestations. According to the instructions received from the German Brothers, this Manual was read through during nine meetings of Theoreticus Brothers. Zakhar Karneyev, member of Theoreticus Degree, made a special hand-written compendium for his colleagues, which included extracts from the various alchemical works presented in the Manual; this compendium came to be very popular among Russian Masons. It included a cosmogenesis (close to Fludd's concepton), a description of four Elements, a description of properties of Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, and a comparison of the Seven Metals14.

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Before leaving St Petersburgh, Novikov was known as publisher and editor of the magazines Scientific News of St Petersburg and Morning Light, both of an educational and spiritual character. However, Novikov was not satisfied with his activity in this field and his friendship with Reichel, and in 1779 he moved to Moscow, where he started the Moscow Publication magazine - this time in association with Schwarz. The latter was already interested in Masonry, but did not discuss it with Novikov at the start of their acquaintance, since he believed his non-conformist Masonic ideas would not be accepted by any of the orthodox Brothers15. As it was, these two people later became companions in the propagation of Russian Rosicrucianism; perhaps the main things they had in common were a non-formal attitude toward Masonry, a rejection of luxuriant rites and a devotion to spiritual enlightenment. Whereas Novikov was interested mainly in alchemical texts and the moral perfection of Brothers, Schwarz propagated the mystical ideas of Boehme, whom he adored. He published a number of ample commentaries on Boehme's works in the magazine Evening Glow in eighties.

Mention must here be made of another person, not as esteemed, but nevertheless very important, namely Alexei Kutuzov. Actually he was the Moscow Rosicrucians' permanent representative in Berlin. His main purpose was to inform the Russian Brothers as to news concerning the Hermetic sciences16. Alexei Mikhailovich Kutuzov moved to Berlin in 1787, and remained there until his death (he died between 1797 and 1803); his role as pure Hermetic researcher was rather unique in the history of Russian Masonry.

Another important Russian Rosicrucian of high degree was Semyon Gamaleya, graduate of St Petersburg Academy. He himself was the head of the Moscow Lodge of Deucalion, but his main activity was publishing Hermetic texts in Russian. He specialised in the German mystic tradition; Boehme was his main interest. His degree was a high one, the same as that of Novikov, Baron Schroeder, and Duke Trubetskoy. Besides, he was founder and Grand Master of the Masonic lodge in the large Russian merchant city of Tula. He was Novikov's closest friend, and the latter trusted him fully and had no secrets from him. After the choking of the first wave of the Rosicrucian movement in Russia, Gamaleya moved to Tikhvinskoye (the village belonging to Novikov's parents), where he led a modest if not ascetic life; his only estate was a small and cold room in which he meditated and read the Bible. All those who met him at that time characterised Gamaleya as a highly spiritual person, kind and at the same time extremely severe. He died in 1822 in deep poverty17.

In 1783 there was issued in Moscow a decree officially allowing private publishing houses. Novikov, who had first used the facilities of the Moscow University printing press, started a private business under the name of Lopukhin's Publishing House together with his friend I. V. Lopukhin, a prominent Mason. Nevertheless, most important Hermetic books were printed in small quantities without any information concerning the publisher on the frontispiece; Novikov aimed mainly at a Masonic audience, and the books were not recommended for wide distribution. This business appears to have been too expensive and time-consuming for two people, and in fall of 1784, fully financed and governed by the Rosicrucians, the Printing Company of Moscow was established. During next three years with the help of a few infatigable translators such as Gamaleya - this company published the following important Hermetic texts: Corpus Hermeticum, Der Weg zu Christo by Jacob Boehme, Opus Mago-cabalisticum et Theologicum by Welling, Kirchweger's Aurea Catena Homeri, Psalterium chymicum by pseudo-Paracelsus, Sendivogius' Novum Lumen Chymicum, Utriusque cosmi maioris scilicet et minoris metaphysica by

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Fludd, Weigel's Himmlich Manna, Azoth et Ignis, Gemma Magica ascribed to A. Franckenberg, John Pordage's Theologia Mystica and Gttliche und wahre Metaphysica, Der Sechs Tage-Wercke dieser Welt Geheime Bedeutung by Georg Retzel, and Des Erreurs et de la Vrit by Louis-Claude de Saint Martin. Besides, they published a number of works by early Christian mystics as well as books dedicated to Masonry (rites, history, organisation, etc.).

In general, we may divide Russian Rosicrucians into two main groups. Those belonging to the first, - such as Lopukhin, Krayevich, Korneyev, - were followers of Boehme, Arndt and Thomas Kempis; the second group united people interested in alchemical literature (Paracelsus, Kirchweger); among these were Novikov, A. Kutuzov, A. Petrov, I. Turgenev. Among books recommended to Brothers of highest degrees were also Twelve Keys of Basilius Valentinus and Lumen de Lumine by Thomas Vaughan. Many of the recommended books were available only in manuscript form, these manuscripts being copied and re-copied by Brothers18. Generally speaking, (with one exception to be mentioned later) there were no original texts created by Russian followers of Hermetic tradition during that period. The totality of their written legacy may be divided into three main parts: translations of classical treatises, compilations of those treatises, and lectures to be presented at the meetings of the Lodge. The best example of a Masonic lecturer in Russia was Schwarz himself.

Despite the fact of mystical ideas permeating the Masonic mind, they demanded a rational background, for during the period of the Empress-Philosophers reign Voltairian ideas had transformed Russian thought to such an extent, that without appropriate rationalisation not a single mystical idea could be accepted. Schwarz and his pupil Davidovsky consistently propagated the idea that rational thinking was a necessary tool on the way to revelation and enlightenment; they even justified Voltaire, whose works according to Schwarz was not too bad in themselves, but incorrectly understood by malicious people. For instance, Davidovsky finished his lectures with the following words: Under the shining Star of Reason, let us place in the depths of our Hearts the Holy Tables of the Commandments of God, so that the True Light might blaze upon them.

Schwarz's lectures were the main source of Hermetic ideas for Russian Masons. Here follows the opening passage from one of his speeches: Hermetic Philosophy is the Mother: it is based on the knowledge of Nature, it possesses the knowledge of the Elements, Prima Materia, perfection of metals, and many other things; so, it in itself is the Teaching of Nature, both Physics and Alchemy19. Schwarz died suddenly in February of 1784, at the peak of his social activity. His death was the first dark cloud on the horizon of Russian Rosicrucianism.

In 1786 Emperor Friederich II died. With the ascension to the throne of his heir, Friederich Wilhelm II, the Rosicrucian Order became a real political force in Prussia; many Brothers there understood that it would no longer make sense to study alchemy while real political power was coming into their hands. This change influenced Russian Rosicrucians also; the time was not really suitable for their ambassador, Alexei Kutuzov's Hermetic researches in Germany. He, himself remained optimistic, however; In a year the situation must definitely change - wrote Alexei Mikhailovich to Duke Trubetskoy. The situation did change in a year, but in an unexpected way. The Moscow group headed by Novikov was crushed; Novikov and many others were arrested. The Empress-Philosopher again began a persecution of Masons - this time of the Rosicrucians. Finally, at the turn of the century, the first wave of Rosicrucianism in Russia formally collapsed; Schwarz was dead, Novikov

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jailed, Kutuzov lived in a small apartment in Berlin with no support from the Russian Brothers and only a pfennig in his pocket.

Rebirth was to come not much later, at the start of the XIXth. century - but this time Russian Masonry would demand much more conspiracy.

In fact, Russian Masons of the late XVIIIth. century had two sources of mystical knowledge: the German Rosicrucians and the followers of the Acadmie des Vrais Maons established by Pernety in Avignon. From the administrative point of view the influence of the latter was relatively small, but due to strong contacts established between Russian aristocrats and French Masons, members of Acadmie des Sages in Montpellier, the Southern French rite was officially adopted by many Moscow Masons in the eighties and played an important role in their mystical education. Saint-Martin also came to be popular among Russian Masons, mainly as a result of his direct contacts with Duke Vorontsov, Duke Golitsin, and V. Zinoviev. A mysterious Mr. Timann, hypnotist and close friend of Duke Repnin, who spent much of his time in the South of France, played the same role for a French-oriented Masonry in Russia as that which had been played by Alexei Kutuzov as regards the Russian Rosicrucians, that of informal ambassador in the West.

In contrast to Novikov's rite, the French lodges managed to outlive the ruthless purge of nineties and continued the Hermetic tradition in XIXth. century Russia. One of the most important Lodges of the French affiliation was New Israel. Admiral Plestcheyev during his trip to France in 1788 visited certain cities in the southern part of the country, and from there brought a strong passion for the school of New Israel or God's People with whom he had become acquainted. In Russia, the Head of the New Israel Order was Count Grabianka, of Polish origin20. This Order was based in St Petersburg and one of its main principles was the so-called correspondence with the heaven, i.e. mystical information exchange between the Brothers and celestial beings, including God himself. The most influential members of the Order were Duke Repnin and admiral Plestcheyev. In my opinion, Count Grabianka is a very important and rather underestimated figure in history of the Hermetic tradition in Russia. There is some evidence that members of his Order might have been involved in practical alchemy (perhaps the only case in Russian history), and this fact gave a basis for a criticism of New Israel by the Russian Rosicrucians, who accused Grabianka of being a Black Magician21. Church officials insistently demanded action, and finally in 1807 Count Grabianka was arrested and put into jail. Very negative reaction to alchemical practice is a remarkable feature of Russian Hermeticism; it seems as if in Russia the inner aspect of alchemy was believed to be the only acceptable one long before C.G.Jung.

After the fall of the Rosicrucians, Yelagin felt that his time was coming round again. In former years his relationships with Reichel had become very warm, and Yelagin had finally become interested in the Hermetic tradition. Reichel provided him with books which Yelagin had formerly despised for their absurdity, including Welling, Fludd, Hermes Trismegistus and Elias Artista. We have evidence that Yelagin's attitude to Schwarz was somewhat morbid, he was seeking revenge even after Schwarz's death, and having read all the books lent by Reichel, started to write his own treatise named The Teaching of Ancient Wisdom and Theosophy, or the Science of the Free Masons Compiled From Various Authors of Secular, Spiritual and Mystic Traditions in Five Books - perhaps the only ever attempt to create an original Hermetic text in Russian in XVIIIth. century.

According to the author's plan, Book1 was dedicated to the history of Masonry starting from Adam, the 2nd Book to kabbalistic researches, theory of the sephirot and

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names of God, the 3rd explained the first three Masonic degrees, the 4th being intended to explain the corresponding fifth, sixth and seventh degrees, and the 5th Book to explain the Mysteries of God's existence, of Creation and the Fall. He never finished this work; he wrote Books 1-3, and prepared some drafts for the fifth book, but these manuscripts were never published22.

As already mentioned, at the beginning of the XIXth. century Rosicrucianism started to gain influence in Russia again, but adopting this time a rather Prussian scheme of development. Alchemy no longer played an important role, and political success now became the desir desir for the Brothers, forgive the pun.

In 1803 senator Golenischev-Kutuzov established the Neptune Lodge in Moscow. Its members, including Duke Mikhail Kutuzov (the very one who later overcame Napoleon in the war of 1812), were soon to play a key role in the political life of Russia. The same year a group of Frenchmen established the Euxinus Pontus Lodge in Odessa23, officially registered in 1817. It also was French-school-oriented, and very influential in the southern part of Ukraine. Among its members were the famous General Langeron and Professor Laurent who was General-Governor of Odessa, Kherson, and Novorossiysk. In total there were seventy members of this Lodge. Nine years later in Feodossia, Crimea, Langeron himself established the Lodge of Jordan. It was also based on the French rite, and its head was an Italian citizen, F. Lagorio, Vice-Consul of Both Sicilies24. Among the members of this Lodge was Duke Volkonsky, who obviously kept contacts with similarly oriented Lodges in Moscow and St Petersburg, and was in a position to exchange information with them.

During the first decade of the XIXth. century some new lodges were established, members of which still considered study of the Sciences of Solomon 25 necessary. Two of them are worth mentioning: Dying Sphinx, established by A. F. Lavazin, and Ad Caput Mortuum; among members of the latter were both Dukes Trubetskoy and Admiral I. S. Mordvinov. However, the number of Masons interested in Theory, or rather Hermetic tradition itself, were decreasing every year. Followers of Novikov still existed, but the social situation in the XIXth. century forced them to continue their activities in deep secrecy and isolation 26.

We can conclude that the Hermetic tradition in the early period of its spread in Russia and the Ukraine was mainly supported by the Masonic orders. This considerably influenced cultural and spiritual aspects of life in these countries in the XVIIIth. century, but its main impact was undoubtedly in the field of social relationships. A mystical world outlook was not typical for Russian people at that time, most Hermetic ideas and assertions demanded a Voltarian rationalisation if they were to be accepted by the audience. Mystic philosophers such as Gamaleya and practical alchemists like Count Grabianka were rather the exceptions. From the end of the XVIIIth. to the beginning of XIXth. centuries, Russian Masonry split into two trends: more politically-oriented one, and an 'underground' movement, dedicated to Hermetic research and persisting until our own times in secrecy and oblivion.

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1 In Russin cronicles of XVIIth. century there are a number of records concerning some Mr Quirin Kuhlmann, who together with his follower K. Nodermann came to Russia in 1689 to promote the ideas of Boehme. Several months later, on October 4, 1689, they were burned alive for heresy.

2 Boris Bashilov. History of Russian Masonry. Issue V-VI. "Obschina".oscow, 1993, p. 60.

3 Yelagin practiced so called English rite (with some smaller deviations), i.e. the rite accepted by Grand Lodge of England in 1717. After the so called Ancient English rite was established in England in 1759 (actually brought there from Ireland), Yelagin gradually switched to its Rite, which was finally accepted in Russia in 1770 (Parfaite Union Lodge of Ancient English rite was registered in 1771).

4 Swedish-Berliner rite (sometimes just Swedish or Berliner sysem) was developed by Dr Zinnendorf in Berlin in mid-XVIIIth. century. This rite belongs to so called Laxe Observatz (Loose Observation), which allows some simplification of the Rite, but at the same time demands strict moral discipline. Baron von Reichel brought this rite to Russia in 1771.

5 O. O. Kryzhanivska. History of Masonry in Ukraine. National Academy of Sciences. Kiev, 1997, p. 8.

6 A. N. Pypin. Chronological Index of Russian Lodges from the Masonry Implementation till Its Prohibition: 1731-1822. Published as a manuscript to be supplied and corrected. St Petersburg, 1907, pp. 26-27; Kryzhanivska, 10.

7 Kryzhanivska, 13.

8 Bashilov, Issue V-VI, 97.

9 G. V. Vernadsky. Russian Masonry in Reign of Katherine II. Printing Plant of Printers' Joint Stock Society. Petrograd, 1917, pp. 86-95.

10 Literaturnoye Obozrenie (Literary Review magazine). An Issue Dedicated to Mystics, Symbolism and Hermeticism. Moscow, 1994, No. 3., p.82-86.

11 Observantia Stricta (Strict Observation) unlike Laxe Observatz (see above) is the principle the Ordo Templi was based on. It implies submission to Rite in tiny detail.

12 Masonry in Past and Present. Vol. 1. Edited by S. P. Melgunov and N. P. Sidorov. "Zadrugi" and K. F. Nekrasov. Moscow, 1914. pp. 180-184.

13 Theoreticus Degree the degree which the members of Rosicrucian Lodges could obtain having attended Theoreticus course. Theoreticus Degree was also the name of a hanbook which was studied during the course. It contained extracts from Sendivogius, Hermes Trismegistus and Welling.

14 Vernadsky, 150-153.

15 Masonry in Past and Present. Vol. 1, 191-193.

16 Masonry in Past and Present. Vol. 2. Edited by S. P. Melgunov and N. P. Sidorov. "Zadrugi" and K. F. Nekrasov. Moscow, 1915, pp. 18-22.

17 Masonry in Past and Present. Vol. 2, 27-37.

18 Vernadsky, 118-126.

19 Masonry in Past and Present. Vol. 1, 203-209.

20 Pypin, 369, 373-380; Vernadsky, 80-83.

21 Boris Bashilov. History of Russian Masonry. Issue VII-VIII. "Nash Sovremennik".Moscow, 1995, p.86.

22 Vernadsky, 135-136.

23 Kryzhanivska, 14; Pypin, 36.

24 Kryzhanivska, 15-16.

25 Bashilov, Issue VII-VIII, 85.

26 500 Years of Gnosis in Europe. Amsterdam: In de Pelikaan, 1993, pp.28-30.