Greetings my Brothers!

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

Syria Shrine

On September 26, 1872, the original 13 members met in New York’s Masonic Hall, 114 East Thirteenth Street, for the purpose of formally organizing the Ancient Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.) for North America. The Shrine was born. (The organization is now known as Shriners International.) The new Shrine was not an immediate success in terms of membership. The spark that was needed to make the Shrine prosper apparently was the formation of the Imperial Council. That first meeting of the Imperial Council was brief, but in addition to the election of officers, it accomplished the establishment of the following temples: Mahammed in New Haven, Conn., Ziyara in Utica, N.Y., Pyramid in Bridgeport, Conn., and Syria in Pittsburgh.

Syria Temple became a reality on May 19, 1877. Officers were elected on May 29, 1877, for a permanent Syria organization. Samuel Harper, the first Potentate of Syria Shrine, was among those selected for roles as Past Potentates on the first Imperial Council. At the February 6, 1877 meeting The Council also voted to present each new Noble with a certificate, specified official jewels and costumes for the respective offices, and required each new temple to select an ancient Arabic or Egyptian name. It was between the late 1880s and the early 1900s that the Shrine enjoyed great membership growth and vigorous program activity. The famous Shriner’s fez was the subject of new legislation in 1915. New regulations prescribed that the red Turkish fez with black tassel be adorned only by the name of the temple and the scimitar and that part of the jewel of the order including the sphinx head and star. In 1913, the directors of the Syria Improvement Association mailed a prospectus outlining plans for a building on the old Schenley Farmland. The ground was broken for the new temple on April 20, 1915, and the cornerstone was laid on June 19. The formal dedication of the great building was a week-long affair, beginning October 23, 1916. The ceremony was held on October 26th. An estimated 40,000 guests attended the various activities. A feature that impressed visitors both then and to this day is the set of the bronze sphinx, two of which guard each portal of the building. A suggestion was made by Potentate Joseph N. Mackrell that an appropriate memorial is erected in memory of Nobles of the temple who served in the Army and Navy during World War l. There had been 529 such members, and their names are inscribed on the sphinx. The unveiling and dedication of the sphinx took place on November 1, 1919. The mosque represented an initial investment of half a million dollars and brought to the famous group of institutional buildings in the Schenley district a distinct new architectural touch. It was recognized as one of the best examples of “exotic revival architecture.” The 3,700 seat Syria Mosque ushered in a grand era of social and ceremonial events, and for nearly 75 years it contributed greatly to Pittsburgh’s cultural life. A movement began in the late 1980s to replace the aging Syria Mosque with a new facility that offered greater amenities to suit the needs of its members and its special events business. The Syria Mosque went up for sale in June of 1989. The building was demolished on August 27, 1991. In October 1994, the Pittsburgh Shrine Center opened its new, 40,000 square foot, $10 million facilities set on 37 acres in Harmar Township, Cheswick, PA. Great effort was spent to retain some of the classic features of the former Mosque, such as the twin sphinxes which guarded the entrance and the immense chandeliers which hung in the auditorium.

Greetings my Brothers!

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

Cyprus Shrine

The idea of forming a new Shrine Temple (as originally called) in Albany, NY was the brainchild of Imperial Sir Walter M. Fleming (first Imperial Potentate of the Shrine of North America 1876–1886). There were only four Temples chartered at the time — Mecca #1 in New York City, Damascus #2 in Webster, NY, Mount Sinai #3 in Montpelier, VT, and Al Koran #4 in Broadview Heights, OH.

In 1875, Imperial Sir Fleming selected some prominent members of Mecca Temple #1 in New York City to establish subordinate Temples. Among those appointed were John S. Dickerman, Townsend Fondey, and Robert Waterman, who resided in Albany, New York. In January 1877, Townsend Fondey organized a Shrine Temple at Masonic Temple in Albany, NY. Although no name was assigned, a dispensation was granted and certificates of membership issued to members as Nobles-at-Large, bearing the date January 22, 1877. Cyprus Temple #5 was formally organized on February 1, 1877, at New York National Guard, Ninth Brigade Headquarters, 92 State Street, Albany, NY. On April 26, 1930, The Ceremonial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was included in the class of candidates. He modestly listed his occupation as “lawyer” on his petition but was in actuality the Governor of New York State (soon to become the 32nd President of United States). Noble Roosevelt continued to be a member in good standing until the time of his death in 1945. In 1990 the Shrine Center moved From Albany to Glenmont, NY and there are currently about 450 members. The Cyprus Shrine supports the Shriners hospitals located in Springfield, Boston, and Philadelphia. When I Walked the Sands and became a Noble of the Cyprus Shrine in 2010, Ill. Ben Froggett (2001) asked the new members this question, “Why did you want to become a Shriner?” to which we all answered, “To help the children.”. I have heard this question asked many times since then and the answer has always been the same. I would like to add a second part to this question, “How will you help the children?”. I have taken my daily walking routine and turned it into a means to raise awareness about the Shriners and to raise a little money for the hospitals. I encourage everyone to find something that they can do on a regular basis that will benefit others. Imagine how much better off our world would be if everyone were to do this. I can assure you that you will also reap the benefits of this. I know that the little that I do has added immeasurably to my life.

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday. Let’s continue our tour where it all began, with the Mecca Shrine!

Mecca Shrine

Mecca was founded by a group of Masons in NYC that wanted to also be part of a fraternity that stressed fun and fellowship. Led by Brothers Walter Fleming, William Florence, Charles T. McClenahan, William Sleigh Paterson, and Albert L. Rawson, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S) [now Shriners International] was begun. The first meeting took place on September 26, 1872, and consisted of 13 members. By 1878, the membership had started to grow and there were 425 Shriners in 13 Temples. In 1888 there were a total of 7210 Shriners in 48 Temples. Today, there are over 200,000 Shriners and almost 200 Temples around the world!

My history with the Shriners has a similar path as that of the fraternity. In 2004 I was inspecting the meters at a local gas station (I work for Weights & Measures). I found that, on average, the meters were giving away 1.4 cents for every gallon sold. When I told the attendant, her reaction was “It’s only a penny.” That “penny” added up to about $56,000 a year. I decided to use this as a lesson for my son’s Cub Scout Den and teach them that, individually, small things may not have much value but collectively, they can often reach amazing amounts. I began this with eight boys in the den and then brought it to my older son’s Boy Scout Troop. We decided to hold a “Penny Drive.” Word got out and other Scout units joined in. Before long it became a Council-wide event. When all was said and done, a total of $2,246.09 (43 gallons of pennies) were collected which we donated to the Cyprus Shrine (I wanted this to be a children helping children event). Because of an error of a little over a penny, we were able to raise over $2000.

It is often said that “From humble beginnings come great things.” Shriners International was started because a small group of people had an idea and they followed through with it. That is what I have tried to do over the years with my annual Walk and I encourage you to do the same. Find something that you find interesting and will benefit others and give it a try. You may not be successful but that doesn’t mean you should quit. You may make a difference in other people’s lives and you will make one in yours.