“Grotto” is the common name for the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm, which was founded in 1890 in Hamilton, New York, as a “fun” organization for Master Masons. There were 39,000 members in 1994.
Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm ‘Grotto’
“Grotto”
is the common name for the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted
Realm, which was founded in 1890 in Hamilton, New York, as a “fun”
organization for Master Masons. There were 39,000 members in 1994.
The
Fairchild Deviltry Committee, to give it its original name of 1889 or 1890,
became the “Supreme Council of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the
Enchanted Realm” on June 13, 1890. It has generally been known as the Grotto
ever since, after the name adopted for the lodges.
The
ritual is a standard Islamic-parody model, allegedly derived from a secret
manuscript discovered in a vault in Teheran, but nevertheless revised in 1940.
Like the Shriners, the Grotto is a reaction to
dry, pseudoscholastic freemasonry. It is commonly known as the Blue Lodge Shrine
because any Master Mason in good standing in his own blue lodge may join; that
is, membership is not restricted to those with higher degrees.
The
Grotto is noted for its support of cerebral palsy research and dentistry for the
handicapped.
The Daughters
of Mokanna are the female auxiliary of the Grotto. Another female auxiliary
of the Grotto is the Mysterious Order of the Witches of Salem, about which no
information is available.