Page 180 - Global Freemasonry

GLOBAL FREEMASONRY

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST RELIGION IN ITALY
Another country in which Masonic activities were evident was Italy.
Until 1870, the Italian territory was occupied by several small states,
remnants from feudal times. The most important of these was the Papal
State. It was centered in Rome, ruled by the Pope, and controlled a large
part of central Italy. The Masons in Italy were founded as an extension of
the French Masons, and began to exercise an influence in Italy from the be-

ginning of the nineteenth century. They wanted to destroy the Papal State
and eradicate the authority of the Church in Italy as a whole. According to
the author of the book entitled The Roman Catholic Church and the Craft,
master Freemason Alec Mellor: "In Italy, the origin of irregular lodges
was mainly political; they confused Masonry with the fight against the

temporal power of the Pope." 132
Masonry began its struggle against religion in Italy by means of an-
other secret society that it founded and controlled. This society was
known as the "Carbonari."
This society, first heard of in Naples at the beginning of the nine-

teenth century, took its name from charcoal burners. As the Masons used
the emblem of the wall-builder and expressed their ideas with symbols, so
the Carbonari adopted the emblem of the charcoal burner. But, the society
had ulterior objectives. The members of the society sought to initiate a po-
litical program, first in Italy, and then in France, to destroy the influence of

the Church, establish a new government and secularize all social institu-
tions.
The connection between Masonry and the Carbonari is evident. Ma-
sons automatically became members of Carbonari societies; in fact, from
the moment they entered the society they gained the degree of Master.
(On the other hand, it was necessary for other Carbonari members to un-

dergo a long process of advancement before achieving this degree) Two
cardinals by the names of Consalvi and Pacca issued an edict on August

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