The Grand Lodge of Italy of the Ancient, Free, Accepted Masons joins in the universal mourning for the passing of Pope Francis , a pastor who, with his teaching and his life, embodied the values ​​of brotherhood , humility and the search for a planetary humanism .

For he is the Son of Man, and the Son of God: the Son of God because of the form of God: the Son of Man because of the form of a servant, having it in his power to lay down his life, and take it up again. What could his enemies do against him? They killed his body, but they did not kill his soul. Take notice, then. It signified little for our Lord to exhort the martyrs by word, if he had not fortified them by his example.

Garcia Moreno was sure that his death had already been solved by his enemies, but that didn't scare him. I knew that among those enemies was the Masonry, who considered him the man of the supernatural, the man of Christ. That's why he didn't dislike the prospect of his death. Shortly before falling under the murderous dagger, he wrote to a close friend who was in Europe: "I'm going to be murdered." "I am glad to die for holy Faith. See you in Heaven".

Days ago, in a letter to Pius IX he let him know that the lodges of neighboring countries, instigated by those of Germany, sought "secretly" to make him disappear. That's why he says, "I need more than ever divine protection to live and die in defense of our holy Religion and this little Republic"... And adds: "What a fortune for me, Holy Father, to be bored and slandered because of our Divine Redeemer! And what immense happiness it would be for me, if your blessing would reach me from Heaven to shed my blood for whom, being God, wanted to shed His own on the cross, for us! ".

They sharpened their tongues like a sword. Let not the Jews say: ‘We did not kill Christ:’ for they delivered him up to Pilate, the judge, that they might seem innocent of his death. Thus when Pilate had said to them: ‘Put him to death yourselves:’ they answered: ‘It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.’ Hereby, they pretended to throw the injustice of their crime upon a judge that was a man: but could they deceive a judge that is God? What Pilate did, made him partaker of their crime: but in comparison with them, he was much more innocent. For he labored what he could to get him out of their hands; and for that reason ordered him to be scourged and shown to them. This he did to our Lord, not by way of persecution, but to satisfy their rage; that the sight of him in that condition might move them to pity, and make them desist from desiring his death. All this he did. But when they still persisted, you know that he washed his hands, and said that he had no hand in it, that he was innocent of his death. And yet he really put him to death. But if he was guilty for doing so against his will: are they innocent that forced him to do it? By no means. He pronounced sentence upon him, and commanded him to be crucified, and so might be said to kill him: but you, O Jews, you also killed him. How? With the sword of your tongues: for ye sharpened your tongues. And when gave you the stroke, but when you cried out: ‘Crucify him, crucify him’?

But how are Jesus’ enemies to get possession of their divine Victim, so as to avoid a disturbance in the City? There is only one plan that could succeed, and they have not thought of it: it is treachery. Just at the close of their deliberations, they are told that one of Jesus’ Disciples seeks admission. They admit him, and he says to them, “What will you give one, and I will deliver him unto you?” (Matthew 26:15) They are delighted at this proposition and yet, how is it, that they, doctors of the law, forget that this infamous bargain between themselves and Judas has all been foretold by David, in the 108th Psalm? They know the Scriptures from beginning to end — how comes it, that they forget the words of the Prophet, who even mentions the sum of thirty pieces of silver. (Matthew 27:9, Zechariah 11:12)