B O O K O N E R I T U A LS - No.

Funeral Ritual

Issued to Martinist Initiators under conditions they maintain secrecy. All due care should be taken to prevent this
document from falling into unauthorized hands. This document remains at all times the exclusive property of the
issuing authority.

Issued under the authority

Of the

International Sovereign Grand Lodge

O.M.A. - A.M.O

Issued to: ____________________________

Date: _______________________________

Seal of the Issuing Officer

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 Funeral Ritual

This Ritual is to be celebrated for the departed members of the Order only.

No ritual attends the burial as such, as this is a time when priority should be given to the
family of the departed Brother or Sister. The Order should whenever possible be represented
discretely at the funeral unless requested otherwise by the family. The Order should also
whenever possible be represented any Sovereign Grand Lodge or Grand Lodge officers and by a
delegation from his/her Lodge, Heptad or Circle. The will be no speech or prayer on this
occasion. After the Funeral, or at the earliest opportunity, the departed members Lodge shall
meet to honor his/her memory.
(If the member is a Present or Past International Sovereign Grand Lodge or National Grand Lodge
Officer; all Lodges, Heptads and Circles are to conduct this Funeral Ritual for International Officers around
the World and all for National Grand Lodge Past or Present Grand Officers are to conduct the Funeral Ritual in
all their National Lodges, Heptads and Circles.)
This meeting is opened in the usual way. The robe, cloak, cordelier and mask of the dead
are placed on a chair facing the East, before the Altar at a spot symbolizing his/her point of
initiation. An interlude of solemn music follows and should be played for about 5-10 minutes.
The Lodge having been opened, all members are seated, with cloaks and masks removed,
the Master rises, goes and stands before the Altar facing west and says:

Brethren, we are gathered here to-day to mourn the passing of our dear Brother/Sister
____________ (Mystic name of the departed is given) known to the outside world as
________________ (mundane name and all titles are given), whose physical presence among us
will be sorely be missed.
(Here the Lodge, Heptad or Circle Master add a few words of his/her own, praising the departed
Brother/Sister.)

But we are also here to celebrate the release of our dear Brother/Sister from this earthly
shell and rejoice in the knowledge that he/she spirit now lives on, on the plane of the Masters.
The knowledge, the experience, .the sufferings even acquired by our departed Brother/Sister
during his/her earthly existence will stand him/her in good stead for completing his/her work ,
towards general re-integration of all Mankind from the plane on which he/she now dwells. And
the help he/she now receives from the Masters he/she will undoubtedly use to assist us, here
below, in our progress along the Path.

The Mask is the most intimate symbol given to the Martinist at his/her initiation. It is that
which helps him/her forego his/her mundane personality and earthly nature so the he/she may
reveal his/her true self to his/her Brethren. It becomes, in that sense, the very real symbol of the
Inner Self of the wearer, and of his/her struggle to break out of this earthly shell and overcome
his/her shortcomings.

Let us now therefore re-enact symbolically the release and liberation of our departed
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Brother/Sisters spirit and its ascent to the plane of the Masters.

Brethren, please form the chain.

(The members form the chain around the Master, the Altar and the empty chair.)

(The Master picks up the mask of the departed member from the chair and places it either in the
incense burner or, preferably in another metal vessel placed on the Altar. The Master pours a sufficient
quantity of mentholated spirit on the mask to soak it thoroughly. This being done, the Master lights a taper
from the east most candle on the Altar and set fire to the mask. [all due precautions should have been taken
previously to ensure that this can be done without setting fire to the Altar or the Temple!] The Master and
Brethren remain silent, looking at the burning mask. Before the flames goes out, the Master lights a new
taper from the burning mask and says:)

Brethren, please break the chain and stand to Order.

(The Master now moves to the East of the Temple and brings the lighted taper of our departed
Brother/Sister into the flame of the Departed Masters Candle, saying as he/she does so:)

As this flame, which symbolizes our lamented Brother/Sisters Inner Self mingles with
the flame of the candle lit in memory of our Past Masters, thus also may the spirit of our
Brother/Sister merge with this light of our Past Masters, and may he/she intercede with them that
they shall continue to grant us the help of their compassion and of their wisdom.
(The Master now return the central chair ad picks up the cordelier if the dead member. The Master
hands one end of the cordelier to the Unknown Brother and the other end to the Recorder. He says

Brethren, please re-form the chain.

(The members form the chain again, this time with a gap filled by the cordelier in the East. The
Master then puts out the three candles on the Altar in silence and, if need be waits for the flames of the
burning mask to die out. When they have, the Master says :)

Brethren, please re-form the chain.

(The Master now moves to the East, puts out the candle of the Departed Masters, turns to the Brethren and
says :)

All is consummated . Brethren, let us withdraw, (The Brethren returns to their seats and
don their regalia.)

(All now leave the Temple.)

After the Ceremony, the Cloak, the robe and cordelier are handed back to the family of the deceased member,
or disposed of as the family instructs. If the dead member has a son or daughter who is likely to succeed
him/her into the Order, the regalia is kept for him or her.

Items needed: Mentholated spirits, a new taper, a metal or earthenware container departed
members regalia.