‘Grotto puts Mann in charge’

    

MOVPER photo

Grottoes International, the recently renamed empire of fezzed Freemasons, has concluded its 133rd Supreme Council Session—this time at Pittsburgh—and our new Grand Monarch is Azim Grotto’s own Victor Mann!

He was Azim’s Monarch a decade ago and, such is his dedication to Sympathy and Good Fellowship, he rocketed up the top ranks to be installed Saturday as Grand Monarch of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm. If you’re not familiar, “The Order of Veiled Prophets, while proclaiming the loyalty of its members to Masonry, makes no pretense of being a Masonic Order, nor does it claim to confer a Masonic degree,” according to Supreme Council. “Its membership is exclusively Masonic and its purpose is to supply the element of play, such a way that work and play will be blended without marring the solid beauty of Masonry.”

In other Azim news, our own Dominic Falcone has been installed Grand Sentinel. Bravo!

Bill Thomas selfie

This session was hosted in the Iron City because it’s the hometown of last year’s Grand Monarch, Michael Tomascin. So, you wonder, will the 2024 annual meeting take place in New York City?

No. You crazy? No one can afford to meet here, and it’s dangerous.

The Prophets instead will gather in the Big Easy, Victor’s original hometown, for our 134th Supreme Council Session during the first week of June. The Magpie Mason has every intention of being there. I’ve always wanted to visit New Orleans.

In the meantime, and on the local scene, Azim Grotto is planning a ceremonial for this fall. Details are being worked out. Also, the Empire State Grotto Association will get together October 19-22 at Niagara Falls (“slowly I turned…”).

Victor is from Independent Royal Arch Lodge 2. Very often that’s the mother lodge of Great Chiefs of Knight Masonry, so now it has another claim to fame. Congratulations, Victor!