Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

Ziyara Shrine

The word “Ziyara” means “pilgrimage to holy place” but the members and Nobles of Ziyara, know that it means “The Friendly Temple.” The year was 1872. The Republic was rebuilding from the Civil War and U.S. Grant was serving as president. The country stood on the verge of what was to become the “Gilded Age” when business, economy, and industrialism would flourish. In New York City, the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Domestic Shrine was founded. The order membership requirement was that a man had to be a member of the York Rite, the Scottish Rite, or both.

No new temples of the fledgling order were formed until 1876. Charters were then granted to establish temples in nine cities. They included Rochester, New York; Montpelier, Vermont; Cleveland, Ohio; Albany, New York; Cincinnati, Ohio; Troy, New York; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Bridgeport, Conn.; and Davenport, Iowa. In Utica, New York, Frazier W. Hurlburt, who was an active Mason, became a member of the Shrine on a business trip to New York. It was Hurlburt who gathered a group of area men and sent for a dispensation to establish a Shrine Temple in Utica, NY. The dispensation is dated October 30, 1877, making Utica the 11th city to receive a charter. Ziyara Temple covered 50,000 square miles of territory from just east of Rochester, New York to just west of Albany, New York, and from the Canadian border to the Pennsylvania state line. On October 2, 1878, the first petitions were received from other men who wished to become members of the shrine. Those petitioners were from Oswego, New York. In those days the initiation fee was $5. It is recorded in many places that the Shriners from the beginning were quick to respond to calls for help from those who had suffered a disaster. It is recorded that Shriners contributed generously to the victims of the Galveston flood in the early 1900’s. Records show that in 1916, in response to a request from the Imperial Potentate, Ziyara Temple sent a check for $300 to Islam Temple in San Francisco to help the distressed nobles who were suffering from the effects of an earthquake and fire. Later, it will be noted that this charitable spirit became one of the basic principles of the shrine movement. Ziyara temple has many famous and outstanding sons. Four of its Nobles became Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. At least five of its Nobles were members of Congress. Two local insurance companies had Ziyara Nobles as their chief officers. Among area bankers, three of Ziyaras Potentates were also the President of the Oneida National Bank. It is impossible to read the history of either Oneida or Herkimer counties without encountering the names of the outstanding judges, bank presidents, doctors, surgeons, lawyers, and businessmen who were members of the Ziyara temple. Because of the proximity to the Rome Air Base, there have been many distinguished officers of the armed forces as members. Also, many members have been mayors of their cities, towns, and villages. Three Ziyara Nobles were all members of the famous Sousa’s Band.