Bino Bellomo di San Cosimano, a military intelligence agent, wrote a book about world freemasonry with interesting insights.
By Father Paolo M. Siano*
From 1940 to 1944/45, Bino Count Bellomo di San Cosimano (1904–?) was an agent (with the rank of lieutenant, then captain) of the Military Intelligence Service (SIM) . This was the Italian military intelligence service, subordinate to the General Staff of the Royal Army, which existed from 1925 to 1945. As a SIM agent, Bellomo was also an employee of Giuseppe Cambareni (1901–1972), alias "Entity was a spy. After September 8, 1943, Cambareni openly sided with Marshal Badoglio and worked as an Anglo-American and anti-fascist spy, always remaining true to his “creed” as an esoteric, Freemason and Rosicrucian. 1
I have written four articles about Cambareni, the “Magician of Generals.”
During the war, Captain Bino Bellomo was a member of the Masonic group with which Cambareni founded the Democratic Union ( 1944). Cambareni distanced himself from the British Secret Services (which sought the continuation of the Savoyard monarchy in Italy) and preferred instead to work for the American Secret Service OSS (forerunner of the CIA) to promote a centrist Italian republic that was both pro-fascist and was open to communists. 2
Friderician Templars lay claim to a dubious "Templar heritage".
By Father Paolo M. Siano*
In 2012, Corrado Maria Armeri founded in Gerace (province of Reggio Calabria) the "Sovereign Monastic (Knight) Order of the Friderician Templars", called Friderician Templars for short. The Order presents itself as a Catholic brotherhood and takes a stand on current issues in Sicilian and Calabrian radio and television stations. They call themselves Friderician because they are also based on the Hohenstaufen Frederick II (1194–1250), King of Sicily, Duke of Swabia, Roman-German King, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Jerusalem.
As far as I know, the Order does not currently have its own website on the Internet. There is an old, no longer updated page from 2014, but a Facebook page of the Friderician Templars of the group or the Priory of Teramo is active. Photos and online articles show the presence of the Friderician Templars in churches for religious gatherings or for ceremonies of investiture or "elevation" to knight or queen (e.B. in Teramo, in 2020 and in 2021). The Order also accepts women.
In June 2021, the Friderician Templars took part in the Corpus Christi Mass in the Cathedral of Teramo, which was led by the Bishop. Among the knights present were the Grand Master of the Order Corrado Armeri and his International Vicar, Melinda Miceli, who then presented her book "Templaris Compendium". During the Mass, General Domenico Trozzi was appointed Prior of Teramo. Trozzi was commander of the Air Squadron of the State Police in Palermo for 20 years.
"Templaris Compendium" by Melinda Miceli
In 2020, the Grand Master of the Friderician Templars, Corrado Armeri, appointed Dr. Melinda Miceli (born in 1974) as Vicar of the Grand Master of the Grand Master's Seat of Art and International Culture.
Miceli is an art critic, writer, novelist and is also interested in esoteric topics.
I hold the book "Templaris Compendium. The whole wisdom of the Templars in one volume" 1 by Melinda Miceli for very interesting. I will highlight important terms.
Like other New Templar realities, I have already described, Miceli attributes esoteric, Gnostic knowledge, teachings, and practices to the Templars. It is an official text with a praising "preface" (p. 3f) by Grand Master Corrado Maria Armeri.
In the appendix of the Miceli's book, on p. 170, there is a paragraph by Grand Master Armeri ("The New Era of the Templars"), then the "Catholic Creed" of the Friderician Templars, proclaimed on 8 December 2012 (pp. 170–174), their "Disciplinary Order" (pp. 177–182), their "Prayer" (p. 183), "The Spiritual Way of the Friderician Templars" (pp. 184–186), outlined in 2014 by her spiritual director Msgr. Giuseppe Greco (Archdiocese of Syracuse), "The Defense of the Faith" (p. 186f), "The Friderician Culture" (p. 187f), "The Testimony of Msgr. Vincenzo Filice" (pp. 189–192), "The Secret Alphabet of the Knights Templar" (pp. 193–195).
In the Catholic Creed of the Friderician Templars we find a well-sounding profession of faith that invokes the whole paradise: the Holy Trinity, the Immaculate Conception, the angels, the saints, from St. Francis to St. Ignatius of Loyola... Wonderful. The fundamental problem is that this profession of faith contradicts various contents of Melinda Miceli's text, a text approved and introduced by Grand Master Armeri: while the Friderician Templars call themselves Catholic and believe that they "belong to the friars of the Temple of Jerusalem, whose immortal faith we guard and protect" (p. 171), the vicar of the Grand Master attributes Gnosis and esotericism to the Templars.
Melinda Miceli claims the existence of "affinities in doctrine and organization" between the Templars and the "Ismailis" of the "Old Man of the Mountain" [meaning the Ismaili Assassins], i.e. the "most developed Islamic circles", which also include "Sufis" and "dervishes" (cf. p. 15). Miceli goes on to claim that the Templars had "a double hierarchy," "an accessible hierarchy," and "an occult, superordinate hierarchy" (cf. p. 19).
With the following statements, Miceli shows little knowledge of the history and theology of the Christian Liturgy and Mass: "The Mass, which comes from the ancient and oriental world in the narrower sense, did not exist before the supreme regulator, Innocent III. In the East, it was originally a magical and apotropaic instrument of worship adopted from Hinduism and Buddhism. This archaic aura has never faded and is manifested in the Liturgy of the Mass, which is sung Gregorian and spoken in Latin" (p. 55).
Miceli believes that the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, who was "close to Brother Elias, alchemist and political advisor to Emperor Frederick II," was "connected to the Templars" (cf. p. 80). I do not know on what basis Miceli claims: "Francis' mother was a Cathar, and it is no coincidence that Franciscan spirituality was much closer to Catholicism than to the Catholic Church, at least in its external forms" (p. 80).
The author also makes St. Francis an esoteric and Gnostic: "Francis was a disciple of John, i.e. he belonged to that spiritual current to which the Cathars, Albigensians, Bogomils, Patarenians, Dolzinians, Faithful of Love, Rosicrucians and Templars also belonged, who in their faith and thought completely agreed with the Sufis, Kabbalists, but also Buddhists and Hindus" (p. 81).
Melinda Miceli (right) in the sacristy of Teramo Cathedral
According to Miceli, the Castel del Monte in Puglia belonged to the Templars and they had "their idol Baphomet" (cf. p. 115). Castel del Monte: a place where "the occult science of alchemy" was practiced (p. 115), a place that symbolizes "the highest synthesis of the esoteric culture of that time" (p. 116).
The seal of the Templars, which depicts two knights on a horse, stands "for the dualism and balance of opposites to which their ideal refers" (p. 117); "in each of us" there is the "masculine" and the "feminine" (cf. p. 117).
Miceli connects the Templars "with the Mother Goddess" (p. 122), with the "holy feminine" (p. 122), with "places of energetic worship, of harmony of the two energies, of the masculine descending from heaven, and of the feminine rising from the earth" (p. 122).
According to Miceli, the "dragon" (or "Satan") defeated by St. Michael is "a symbol of evil that can be subjugated, but never completely extinguished, because it is functional for evolution" (p. 124). So evil is necessary?
Together with the esoteric and alchemist Fulcanelli, Miceli sees the cathedrals as stone books with magical and alchemical symbols (cf. p. 132), symbols of the cosmic action of "two opposing principles, light and dark" (cf. p. 133).
Miceli mentions the "Great Mother, the Earth, whose cult was embodied in Isis up to Mary Magdalene, depending on the historical epoch" (p. 135f).
According to Melinda Miceli, an important symbol of the Templar Order in France is "the Templar Thorn" (p. 145, emphasis added). The Vicar of the Grand Master ascribes an esoteric meaning to the Templar thorn and to the Templars certain practices towards the "thorn":
"According to the Hindus, the human body consists of two poles: a lower one, which corresponds to the sacrum, and an upper one, which corresponds to the skull. Certain yoga techniques cause a certain energy present at the base of the spine to rise above it to the crown. This path is synonymous with enlightenment. The energy is compared to that of a coiled snake that has to unroll. This practice is called Kundalini and is the principle of yoga. The biblical serpent and the Uraeus serpent on Pharaoh's forehead are the same images of kundalini" (p. 145f).
Miceli continues: "During the trial of the Templars, they also had to reveal the existence of a practice in their chapels: the Master kissed the sacrum, i.e. the lower part of the spine, to stimulate the 'revival of the serpent' so that this energy could rise in an exact and controlled way. According to Hindus, awakening can actually be dangerous, to the point of madness and even death" (p. 146).
Miceli describes Mary Magdalene as a woman who devotes herself to "sacred studies with the Essenes or the priesthood of Isis," then follows Jesus and will live in France in a cave where "she feeds only on angelic energies" (p. 147).
According to Miceli, the Black Madonna is "Isis", the Egyptian goddess of wisdom, "the Gnosis" (cf. p. 148). And also: "The Creed of the Templars is therefore a Gnostic Christianity, spread by Mary Magdalene and her disciples in the south of France and practiced, hidden from the clergy. The initiation cult of the female Isidic principle of divine wisdom was disguised as The Marian deification and devotion to the Black Madonna. According to this confession, which is similar to that of the Cathars, every man and woman is a son and daughter of God, capable of attaining their own spiritual enlightenment and ascending to higher heavens without intermediaries. [...] According to the Templars, the teachings of the Catholic Church would lead the devotee into oppression by a vengeful God. The Catholic Church persecuted Gnosticism like never before, and the enlightened knowledge of the divinity of the self was persecuted [...]" (p. 148).
Investiture of a Frederick Templar by Grand Master Armeri (with sword)
Later, the author also associates Mary Magdalene with Gnostic and magical culture (cf. p. 154). She is "Divine Teacher of Heavenly Wisdom and Gnosis" (p. 157).
Miceli thus confirms the accusations made against the Templars. They were credited with "blasphemous acts such as spitting on the cross three times and cursing Christ at the institution" (p. 161). According to Miceli, with this gesture the Templars denied and sacrificed the most sacred only in order to free it in its redemptive action... (see p. 161).
Then follows the accusation of worship "of a bearded head, Baphomet, for whom," Miceli is convinced, "the entire Order showed a special reverence" (p. 161).
Miceli continues: "The Baphomet, who was called the head of the devil or Muhammad by the Inquisitors, had a much deeper esoteric meaning than the simple accusations made against the Templars" (p. 161).
Miceli later wrote: "The worship of Baphomet must also be studied with the help of the hermetic tradition; in many depictions, the Baphomet is depicted as Janus with two faces, that is, he has two faces, one white and one black, in the same colors as the Baussant, the flag that the Templars led in battle. This leads the Templar researchers to adopt the ideological principle of dualism, that is, that of the union of opposites, as the basis of the entire spiritual and philosophical wisdom of ancient cultures" (p. 162).
Miceli continues about the Templars: "Their relations with Islam and Sufism, its most spiritual part, were aimed at finding points of contact with Christianity and creating a single religion that would put an end to all wars hidden under the seal of faith. The knights were convinced that God is the 'One', but was declined by men into various entities who, in the union of religious opposites, would have to find that cohesion that alone would be able to reach the true God" (p. 162).
In reality, Melinda Miceli turns the Templars into Gnostics and Esoterics and contradicts herself when she describes the accusations that the Templars are an "esoteric sect" as "dishonest" (cf. p. 164).
Let's also check out the video "The Discovery of templar Secrets with writer Melinda Miceli" 2 (minute 11:28), which was posted on YouTube on May 8, 2021. Gotha Tv Worldinterviews the author of "Templaris Compendium". Let's listen to some of Melinda Miceli's statements.
The Templars are "custodians of a knowledge as old as the earth" (min. 1:30–1:36), "commissioned by the Church to discover the mysteries of other religions" (1:40–1:44). "Their research had also led to the erection of an idol, which was the end of [the Templar Order] (1:46–1:53). The book was written at the request of Grand Master Corrado Armeri (cf. 1:53–1:57). The Templars are a "mystical, ascetic, and mysterious order" (3:20–3–25). Miceli wonders how an order like the Templars, who fought for the Church, could be called "heretical" (cf. 4:36–4:53). Miceli explains that the accusations of heresy did not take into account the "symbolic and very hermetic vision that belongs to the ancient Christian tradition of hermetism" (4:53–5:13), and therefore with this book she wants to restore the truth about the Templars (cf. 5:20–5:22) ...
Commenting on the "myth" of the Templars, Miceli states: "This myth is more relevant than ever, because the slogan that connects all the hermetic knowledge of the Templars is the conjugation of opposites, that is, the fusion of opposites. This was never understood" (6:00–6:17).
The Templars "believed in the duplicity of the cosmic principle" (6:45–6:48), that is, in spirit and matter, which must be kept in "perfect balance" (6:54–6:55) in order to "achieve evolution" (7:01–7:02). Then the author notes that "even the symbol of Baphomet, which has been claimed to be satanic, is not satanic, but a code for deciphering what could be a kind of totem to ward off evil. Solve et Coagula. The same star that is on the forehead of this idol, the Jewish star, has its tip not directed downwards, like the satanic ones, but upwards. This means that it is a positive idol, not a satanic one" (7:05–7, 35).
Miceli finally says that "the book is also initiatic" (8:23–8:24). The first nine Templars possessed "superior initiate knowledge" (9:24–9:26), "they were initiated beings who were already predisposed and predestined for knowledge" (9:34–9:40). Miceli points out that "the book belongs to the Order" (9:55–9:57), of which she is "the International Vicar for Culture and art" (10:04–10:06). And she declares, "Our goal is to spread the new era of the Templars" (11:13–11:17).
I will conclude with a few questions:
Grand Master Armeri (3rd from left), symbol of the Frederick Templars and Melinda Miceli. Armeri is accused by other New Templars of being Freemasons.
Do the Friderician Templarsshare the Templar wisdom (Gnosis, Esotericism, Baphomet – Union of Opposites, Kundalini, Kissing the Sacrum, etc.), presented by the International Vicar with a praising preface by the Grand Master, and to what extent?
What do the Monsignori and clerics, who act as protectors and spiritual directors of the Friderician Templars, say about all this? Will their investitures continue to take place in the churches?
Is it fair to say that there are also those among the Friderician Templars who try to unite opposites such as church and gnosis?
*Father Paolo Maria Siano belongs to the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FFI); the doctor of church history is considered one of the best Catholic connoisseurs of Freemasonry, to whom he has dedicated several standard works and numerous essays.Von Katholisches.info has so far been published by him:
Book presentation with Msgr. Weninger on February 12 in Vienna; next to him Georg Semler, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Austria, and on the far left the publisher Georg Löcker - fellow lodge brothers.
Von P. Paolo Maria Siano*
[Katholisches] In 1982 Michael Heinrich Weninger (born 1951 in Wiener Neustadt) joined the diplomatic service of the Republic of Austria, where he had a brilliant career. Among other things, he was from 1993 to 1997 head of the Austrian embassy in Belgrade and from 2008 to 2009 in Sarajevo. [1] Weninger, who has been a widower since 2009, was ordained a priest by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn in Vienna on June 24, 2011. Msgr. Weninger is also a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
In October 2014, the website of the East Lancashire Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons (English masonry was founded by the masters of the United Grand Lodge of England - UGLE) announced that a few days earlier, three ceremonies were held in Austria in the presence of an English Masonic delegation Installation by masters. The ceremonies took place in two boxes of the Mark Master Masons (MMM) [2] - in the St. Margaret's Lodge of MMM and the New Quarries Lodge of MMM, which is the oldest English-speaking Mark Master Mason Lodge in Austria - and in a Royal-Ark-Marine Lodge (RAM) held at the New Shores Lodge of RAM. [3] These three Austrian lodges with English names are associated with English Freemasonry and use rituals in English.
In each of these three lodges the "Brother" Msgr. Michael Weninger ("Bro. Rev. Michael Weninger") as chaplain for 2014–2015, who even celebrated a commemorative Mass on the fifth anniversary of the opening of the New Quarries Lodge and St. Margaret’s Lodge. 500 Freemasons of all obediences were present at the Mass. The Masonic website adds that “Bro. Rev. Michael ”(Bro. Stands for “brother ”, that's how the Freemasons call themselves) is well qualified for the position of lodge chaplain, since he lives in the Vatican and works as a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue:
"Since he lives in the Vatican as a member of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue but works in Rome."
Anyone who knows a little about Masonic matters knows that Msgr. Weninger, in order to be appointed chaplain of a lodge (or rather three lodges), had been initiated as a Mason of the first degree (apprentice) years before, then had to be transferred to the second degree (journeyman) before finally moving to the third degree, the master degree. Then he must have climbed to the higher grades, first as a master mason, then as a Royal Ark Mariner. It cannot be ruled out that he completed other “side degrees”.
It is therefore likely that Msgr. Weninger became a Mason even before he was ordained. I remember years ago someone mentioned the case of a former Austrian diplomat who had joined the Roman Curia as a priest and was considered a member of Freemasonry. It is only now that I have no doubt that this information is factual. And so we come to our days.
On Wednesday, February 12, 2020, Msgr. Michael Heinrich Weninger in Vienna in the presence of Georg Semler, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Austria (GLvÖ), presented his 500-page book “Lodge und Altar. On the Reconciliation of the Catholic Church and Regular Freemasonry.” In it he claims (I summarize):
that the Church's rejection of Freemasonry was motivated more by political than religious reasons;
that the Church was unable to distinguish between regular and irregular Freemasonry;
that the freemasons of regular freemasonry (e.g. the UGLE, the GLvÖ etc.) are not excommunicated
and that you can be Catholic and “regular” Freemason.
Msgr. Weninger even sent his book to Pope Francis, Cardinal Schönborn and various Vatican figures. Grand Master Semler praised the book as an important step towards reconciliation between the Church and Freemasonry. [4]
The Freemasons and Msgr. Weninger hope to meet with the Holy Father or with the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. [5]
Dialogue with members of the Catholic hierarchy is not new to Austrian Freemasonry. From 1968 to 1983 the Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Franz König, was the protagonist of the dialogues with representatives of Austrian, Swiss and West German Freemasonry, which culminated in the 1970 Lichtenau Declaration in favor of the compatibility of the Catholic Church and regular Freemasonry. It states that the latter is not a danger, which is why excommunication should be lifted.
Later, the German bishops in 1980 and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1981 and 1983 reiterated the incompatibility between the church and the lodge, and that was not for political but for doctrinal reasons, after Masonic writings by members.
Another interesting novelty is that the book by Msgr. Weninger is based on his dissertation, which he submitted to the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, with which he received his doctorate and which was published by this university in November 2019. That is its title: “Wisdom. Strength. Beauty. On the reconciliation of the Catholic Church and regular Freemasonry, Tesi Gregoriana (Spiritualità series, 16), PUG 2019, p. 523.
The case of Msgr. Weninger raises a few questions and considerations:
1) Why did this website of the English masonry reveal the Masonic status of Msgr. Weninger, who is so well integrated into the Vatican? Was it an accidental carelessness or a clever display?
2) How long is Msgr Weninger's membership in Freemasonry in the Archdiocese of Vienna and the Roman Curia?
3) How is Msgr. Weninger's canonical position affected by his "coming out"?
4) How do Freemasonic prelates behave towards their subordinates who express amazement and concern about the affiliation of clerics and lay Catholics to Freemasonry?
5) Can the so-called "Masonic regularity" be a criterion for the canonical rehabilitation of Anglo-Saxon Freemasonry? In fact, I find a certain contradiction with the topic of “Masonic regularity.” For example, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) recognizes the Grand Lodge of Austria (GLvÖ) as "regular", which in turn recognizes the Grand Orient of Italy (GOI) as "regular", which the UGLE does not recognize. Now, what credibility can the Grand Lodge of Austria claim before the Roman Curia, since it recognizes the Grand Orient of Italy as "regular", which is clearly a secular and esoteric Freemasonry with a long anti-clerical tradition?
6) Austrian Freemasonry wants a dialogue with the Pope, the Prefect of Faith and other personalities from the Vatican. Good. I hope, however, that the Austrian Freemasonry will not only talk to Msgr. Weninger's book, but also the rituals of the three degrees of apprentice, journeyman and master; the rituals of the high degree rites to which the masters of the Grand Lodges of Austria have access and the esoteric and initiatic writings that are reserved for the Masonic masters (there are, I know that very well).
Only careful review of such extensive documentation can enable ecclesiastical authorities and Catholic scholars to make a real and objective judgment about Freemasonry.
Finally, for reasons of space, I limit myself to this brief information: Regarding the English Master Mark Masonry (MMM) and the Royal Ark Mariner (the RAM level is reserved for MMM), which is connected to the above-mentioned United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) I know with certainty that even bricklayers of these degrees, who are apparently "biblical", are able to maintain esotericism. The same thing happens in Austrian Freemasonry. Therefore, the statements by Msgr. Weninger is anything but convincing.
* Father Paolo Maria Siano belongs to the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FFI); the church historian with a doctorate is considered one of the best Catholic experts in Freemasonry, to whom he has dedicated several standard works and numerous essays.
1] Delicate and responsible missions, since from 1991 to 1995 there was war in the crumbling Yugoslavia. This also applies to operations in Sarajevo, the formal capital of the EU protectorate of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the de facto capital of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in which Muslim Bosniaks and Catholic Croats have been united since 1996.
Austrian diplomacy emphatically supported this compulsory situation, as if trying to force “fraternity” in an experiment.
2] The Mark Masonry originated in England in 1756. This makes the mark master degree one of the oldest freemason degrees. It was only introduced in Austria in 2009.
[3] The Royal-Ark Mariner-Logen (RAM) and the Mark Master Masonry (MMM) are part of the Anglo-Saxon high degree system, with the RAM standing above the MMM. Both MMM and RAM degrees accept masters of all creeds, while certain obediences only allow "Trinitarian Christians".
[4] The Grand Master said: "This book is very important. Even if there is practically no longer any conflict with the Church, we in the Grand Lodge have a vital interest in making a gesture of reconciliation. ”
[5] A few days ago, the online Freemason encyclopedia Freemason Wiki published a detailed review of the Weninger book and the following note:
"How important Weninger's book is taken internationally is shown by two events: Christoph Bosbach, Grand Master of the United Grand Lodges of Germany, on the book presentation" traveled specially from Catholic Cologne ". And more importantly, when the Pontifical Gregorian University learned of his research there, he explicitly encouraged the author to submit the book to her as a dissertation. The Gregoriana is run by Jesuits; the current Pope Francis is also one. "
The Freemasons Seek Among Other Things, Secret Knowledge About the World and What it Contains, but Without Christendom. Excerpt from the Bible le moraliseé, the Creation of the World (Around 1220)
On November 12, in Syracuse, a conference entitled "Church and Freemasonry - So close, So Far?" has taken place. It was organized by the Grand Orient of Italy. Speakers included the theologian Monsignor Maurizio Aliotta (Archbishopric of Syracuse), Msgr. Antonio Staglianò (Bishop of Noto), and Sergio Rosso and Santi Fedele, both grand dignitaries of the Grand Orient.
The Franciscan of Immaculata, Paolo Maria Siano, one of the best authorities on Freemasonry, wondered:
"Why this conference?"
Masonic meeting in Syracuse
The official reason was the 300th anniversary of the founding of Freemasonry in 1717. In an article in Avvenire, the daily newspaper of the Italian Episcopal Conference, the priest Ennio Stamile wrote that "despite the differences, it is good," genuine ways of serving the common good and the transparent and responsible use of social justice."
So is it "a Catholic-Masonic co-operation on the level of social justice and solidarity?" is the question asked by Father Siano, who analyzed the four main addresses.
