BOOK PRESENTATION OF “THE ROSICRUCIAN MANIFESTOS”, by Rui Lomelino de Freitas

28th November | 21:00

Location: Municipal Library of Lagos Organised by: CM Lagos and Comenda de Laccobriga of the Order of the Temple Duration: 60 min Age rating: M16

All activities at the Municipal Library are free to attend, but prior registration is required at least 48 hours before the event. You can register by calling 282 767 816, visiting the Facebook page of the Library, or emailing biblioteca@cm-lagos.pt. Each initiative requires a minimum number of participants. If this number is not reached, the activity may be cancelled.

This work presents a historical, philosophical, and spiritual investigation into the emergence of the Rosicrucians in the early 17th century, framing the three texts that form the foundational core of the Rosicrucian tradition: Fama Fraternitatis, Confessio Fraternitatis, and The Alchemical Weddings of Christian Rosenkreuz. The author seeks to understand the intellectual and religious context in which these writings arose, particularly the circle of scholars, theosophists, and mystics associated with Tübingen, Germany.

The Rosicrucian proposal is presented as a project for the reform of humanity and the world, encompassing three major domains — Science, Religion, and Society. This transformation should occur simultaneously on both individual and collective levels, through knowledge of natural and divine laws and an inner process of human improvement.

One particularly relevant aspect of the work is the analysis of the influence that Rosicrucian thought exerted on various subsequent currents, including Masonic, theosophical, anthroposophical, and Western esoteric environments. The investigation also aims to identify the philosophical, religious, and spiritual sources that contributed to the formation of Rosicrucian thought. This edition is of special documentary interest as it presents, for the first time in Portugal, the complete translation of the three founding texts of the Rosicrucians: Fama Fraternitatis, Confessio Fraternitatis, and The Alchemical Weddings of Christian Rosenkreuz.

BIOGRAPHY: Rui Manuel Nogueira Fernandes Lomelino de Freitas is a professor and researcher in the field of Religious Studies, affiliated with the Universidade Lusófona. He holds degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies, having presented his dissertation The Rosicrucian Manifestos in 2019, supervised by Professor João de Almeida Santos. At the Universidade Lusófona, he conducts research particularly focused on Gnosticism and Western Esotericism. His main research areas include ancient and Renaissance Hermetic Philosophy, Gnostic movements of Antiquity, the modern and contemporary Rosicrucian tradition, and Alchemy. He is the author of various scientific works, chapters, articles, and academic communications. His publications include Hermeticism as a Source of Portuguese Humanism (2010), Wisdom of Silence: Hermeticism and Rosicrucianism in Western Humanist Thought (2012), The Call of the Rosicrucian — 400 Years of Living Tradition (2013), The Four Foundations of the Rosicrucian Manifestos 17th Century (2015), Introduction to Western Esotericism (2016), and The Rosicrucian Manifestos (2020). He has collaborated with academic and cultural institutions, including the University of Lisbon, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, and the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE), of which he is a member.

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