Christian Rosenkreutz, Father of the Order

Initiatic Biography by Fra. Petros Xristos

(1378 - 1484+)

In the common year of 1378 (it is said) appeared the physical vehicle of the Master
who came to be known as Christian Rosenkreutz, the originator of the association
known as the Brethren of the Rosy Cross (in later years this proper title was
shortened to "Rosicrucian," giving the misleading impression that this represented a
new sect or belief pattern.) As with all Masters, there can be no doubt that he
existed previous to this time period in some other form and name, but incarnated
consciously (as a Bodhisattva, to use another term) in order to perform a specific
function at that particular place and time. It is not known what his birth name at this
time was, nor is it of any significance; what is important is that he took upon himself
the title and initiatory appellation of Christian Rosenkreutz for the esoteric meaning
that name possessed, encapsulating in a rubric the sum of his Attainment. Consider
as parallel examples the cases of "Jesus Christ" or "Buddha" -- both being titles
signifying a condition of consciousness and also a life mission.

His physical appearance was to a once noble but poor German family who placed him
in the charge of a monastery as a child where his mind was given to the learning of
Greek and Latin and other needful things, even as his awareness, already possessed
of the attainment of wisdom from eons previously, went through the painful
evolution of re-cognition and learning to express itself in the terminology of the place
and time.

Accompanied by a colleague, he undertook an arduous and risky pilgrimage to the

Holy Land; the colleague either died or parted company with him at Cyprus, at which
point CRC continued on alone, stopping in Damascus, among other places. He
probably visited significant sites on the old Temple Mount in Jerusalem, and re-
established a linkage with the Prophets and with the Christ consciousness, the
echoes of which still resounded in the stones and astral vibrations of that place,
which he had left behind so tragically fourteen hundred years previously.

Someplace in the Holy Land, perhaps under the Temple Mount itself, was a Temple
of a secret esoteric order called "Damkar," meaning the "Blood of the Lamb." This
name itself is of great significance, as it clearly refers to either the Light of the
Gnosis of the Divine Son of God; and, on another level, to the lineage (bloodline) of
that same one in physical incarnation, of whom CRC was at that time the most
recent appearance.

Here the story says that he was Initiated and took his title, indicated above; though
it is equally possible that CRC was in fact the founder of this order, a precursor of the
R+C, and which he re-established in the Holy Land at this time. He learned Hebrew
and Arabic and translated at least one secret book -- perhaps Gnostic or Essene in
origin -- into Latin which he took back to Europe with him later. After a symbolical
three years of retreat, fasting, and meditation in the wildernesses of Palestine and
Sinai, he journeyed to Egypt, where also was a group of the brotherhood meeting in
secret, studying the spiritual significances of the Pyramids and Sphinx, which Brother
CRC was able to clarify for them.

He travelled to other places around the Meditterranean, visiting fellow Brothers of

the secret School of initiation restoring or rectifing certain impurities that he saw (by
Divine wisdom) to have crept into the teachings, and receiving empowerments at
sacred sites.

He came to Spain and continued his mission to Restore the original Truth of the
schools of wisdom, decayed over time. Obviously, to take on such a task would have
been the height of presumption had he not been possess of inner vision and the
revelation of truth from many prior lifetimes of work and suffering. His mission was
unwelcome in Spain and elsewhere, where he underwent much criticism and
persecution.

He returned to his home country and spent five years there, and after labor with
unfit or weak devotees was somehow able to transmit his knowledge to three
disciples; among the four of them was set the foundation of the brotherhood. They
formed a secret school/order and studied the materials brought by CRC, aided by his
own enlightened commentary and guidance. In time they acquired a permanent
facility to serve as a Temple for instruction, initiation and worship. It was known as
the Collegium ad Spiritum Sanctum, the College of the Holy Spirit. It might be noted
here that in the original Latin, the idea of "collegium" referred not to what we know
of in modern times as an academic institution, with its overtones of bureaucracy and
political stagnation, but rather a fellowship of colleagues, more flexible and resonant
to individual spiritual needs than today's ossified institutions.

They worked as itinerant healers and exorcists (i.e. spiritual counsellors), and
continued to bring other worthy and prepared individuals into their brotherhood as
they found them -- but never in any significant numbers; indeed barely a handful
were officially initiated into the order (which was still known as the Brethren of the
College of the Holy Spirit, not "Rosicrucians" until after CRC's death decades later.)

With a foundation of CRC and twelve specially chosen disciples, a basic constitution
or mission statement was established, viz.:

"1.That none of them should profess any other thing, than but to cure the
sick, including the spiritually sick, and that freely." (Here, "freely" not only
means without charging a fee but also without setting limits as to who
would be helped, where or when.)

"2.That they should not be constrained to wear any distinctive dress, but
there in follow the custom of the country in which they happened to be
abiding." (While this was intended to avoid being labelled heretics or
sectarians, in later years it opened them to the charge of subterfuge. Of
course, they still wore robes during their own private rituals.)
"3.That every year on the day of Corpus Christi, they should meet at the
Collegium ad Spiritum Sanctum, or write the cause of absence." (At some
point, this meeting would have been accomplished on the Astral Plane. Also,
it is clear today that the more advanced of the brethren were not limited by
lack of a physical body, and still congregate to this day. These are the
Ascended Masters. One must be devoted and linked to the Lineage of the
R.C. or G.D. in order, generally, to benefit from association with these
Masters. It is of some significance that the annual day of their meeting was
the church feast of the Body of Christ -- or of CRC? -- and there is no
indication that this meeting would cease upon any of the disciples' deaths.)

"4.Every one should look for some worthy person of either sex, who after
his decease might succeed him." (This set up the practice of
student/mentor relationships, similar to the disciple/guru tradition of India.
While Brethren of course taught many students throughout their lives, this
point refers to developing at least one student advanced enough to take
over for the Brother.)

"5.The word R.C. to be their mark, seal, and character." (Inner meaning of
the Rose and Cross reserved for those worthy and capable of receiving it.)

The disciples went their ways as itinerant healers and wisdom-teachers to the
various countries of Europe. At some point the knowledge of CRC's life, "death," and
current whereabouts become lost to later members as the years went on and the
original founders died. It is possible that he re-appeared in the future as St.
Germain, and later guided Madame Blavatsky and others.

CRC's tomb was discovered years later while a successor of the original brethren was
excavating a part of the first College of the Holy Spirit. But that, as they say, is
another story.

No known portrait of C.R.C. exists.