Constant Chevillon
Encyclopedia
Constant Chevillon was Grand Master of the Freemasonry
Rite of Memphis-Misraïm
and head of FUDOFSI
and other occult
societies.
As a member of the Rosicrucian Fraternity, he was opposed to Harvey Spencer Lewis
' AMORC
and FUDOSI
.
He was enthroned as Patriarch
of the Eglise Gnostique Universelle after Jean Bricaud
, and succeeded by one of his students, René Chambellant, who maintained the compendium of esoteric societies in cooperation with the Gnostic church
.
At an early age, his prodigious memory and learning genius made their debut and the priest decided to teach him Latin. At the age of twelve, he entered the College of Montciel, near Lone-le Saulnier (Jura). He studied Literature
, Ancient History
, the Classics
and Philosophy
.
He moved on to higher branches of learning, receiving a Bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Letters at Lyon where he also received his Licentiate
's Degree and a Fellowship.
He studied philosophy under the celebrated Professor Arthur Hennequin. He knew Socrates
' Precept
s of Self-knowledge, but the one that guided his life was: "Renounce thyself while serving others". His philosophy professor was such an ideal for him that after Hennequin's death, he left the University.
He went to work at the General Society, a bank in Lyon and worked there until 1913. Later he went to work for the Banque Nationale de Credit in Lyon and continued his work there until his death.
During World War II, on March 23, 1944, he was shot and killed by the Gestapo
in a brutal hostage murder on March 23, 1944 in Lyon
.
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
Rite of Memphis-Misraïm
Rite of Memphis-Misraim
The Rite of Memphis-Misraim is a fringe Freemasonic rite which was formed by the merging of the two rites of Memphis and Misraïm under the influence of General Garibaldi in 1881.-The Rite of Misraïm:...
and head of FUDOFSI
FUDOFSI
FUDOFSI , headed by Constant Chevillon , was a federation of independent esoteric orders similar to FUDOSI, but strongly opposed to the other group.-History:...
and other occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
societies.
As a member of the Rosicrucian Fraternity, he was opposed to Harvey Spencer Lewis
Harvey Spencer Lewis
Harvey Spencer Lewis F.R.C., S.·.I.·., 33°66°95°, Ph.D. , a noted Rosicrucian author, occultist, and mystic, was the founder in USA and the first Imperator of Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis , from 1915 until 1939....
' AMORC
Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
The Ancient and Mystical Order Rosæ Crucis , also called Rosicrucian Order, is a philosophical and humanist worldwide fraternal organization. Members are known as students...
and FUDOSI
FUDOSI
FUDOSI or FUDOESI , founded on August 14, 1934, in Brussels , was a federation of autonomous esoteric orders and societies.-Background:FUDOSI was an attempt to create a federation of mystical orders with the...
.
He was enthroned as Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of the Eglise Gnostique Universelle after Jean Bricaud
Jean Bricaud
Jean Bricaud , also known as Tau Jean II, was a French student of the occult and esoteric matters. Bricaud was heavily involved in the French neo-Gnostic movement. He was consecrated a Gnostic bishop on July 21, 1913 by bishop Louis-Marie-François Giraud...
, and succeeded by one of his students, René Chambellant, who maintained the compendium of esoteric societies in cooperation with the Gnostic church
Gnostic church
Gnostic church may refer to a variety of religious organizations which identify themselves with Gnosticism. Various Gnostic religious organizations include:*Ecclesia Gnostica*Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica*Society of Novus Spiritus...
.
At an early age, his prodigious memory and learning genius made their debut and the priest decided to teach him Latin. At the age of twelve, he entered the College of Montciel, near Lone-le Saulnier (Jura). He studied Literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, Ancient History
Ancient history
Ancient history is the study of the written past from the beginning of recorded human history to the Early Middle Ages. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, with Cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing, from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC...
, the Classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
He moved on to higher branches of learning, receiving a Bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Letters at Lyon where he also received his Licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
's Degree and a Fellowship.
He studied philosophy under the celebrated Professor Arthur Hennequin. He knew Socrates
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
' Precept
Precept
A precept is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action.-Christianity:The term is encountered frequently in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures; e.g.:...
s of Self-knowledge, but the one that guided his life was: "Renounce thyself while serving others". His philosophy professor was such an ideal for him that after Hennequin's death, he left the University.
He went to work at the General Society, a bank in Lyon and worked there until 1913. Later he went to work for the Banque Nationale de Credit in Lyon and continued his work there until his death.
During World War II, on March 23, 1944, he was shot and killed by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in a brutal hostage murder on March 23, 1944 in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
.