Mount Ecclesia
Encyclopedia
Mount Ecclesia is the location of the international headquarters of the fraternal and service organization The Rosicrucian Fellowship
, located on grounds in Oceanside, California
. It is also the location of its spiritual
temple, called "The Ecclesia", situated upon the promontory of a high mesa
.
On April 7, 1995, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
as the Rosicrucian Fellowship Temple.
The Rosicrucian Fellowship observes the basic condition, set by its founder Max Heindel
, that no price, membership dues or fees, should be put on its teachings. The Fellowship's funding and maintenance is achieved through the voluntary giving
of members and friends and with the assistance of volunteer workers. Mount Ecclesia seeks to become a Spiritual
Center in the world, as an effort:
, the Head of the Order of the Rose Cross (Rosicrucian
Order) — painted in gilt letters on the three upper ends and with a climbing rose. An excerpt of the first hand description of the mentioned event is as following:
The Healing Temple "The Ecclesia" was erected, for the purpose of affording more powerful means for the healing of disease, and dedicated on December 25, 1920. Spiritual Healing
meetings are held in this holy place at a regular time each day by the Probationers who have consecrated their lives to this work.
As in all the solar temple
s, "The Ecclesia" portal
is facing east (the rising sun). In front of the portal stand two palm trees. The portal is constituted by an triangular-shaped structure upon two round
columns. At the centre of the triangular surface there's an equilateral
triangle, symbol of Trinity
, inscribed by “the eye of God
.” The column
s fuse Greek
(Ionic, Doric and Corinthian) and Roman
(Tuscan and composite) styles, each one with a capital
crowned by a finial globe
. There are three steps between the columns leading to the Temple entrance. At the entrance there are two square
pilasters stading from the Temple walls, each showing two faces. The round 12-sided building architecture is composed by round arch
es and narrow round inward windows. Its great dome
is composed by a cupola
crowned by a golden globe with a finial
of lights. The inner portal and the Temple's interior is ornamented with alchemical
and astrological
symbols. It is a solar temple dedicated to the coming Age of Aquarius
.
On June 29, 1920 (from 11:55 A. M. until 12:02 P. M.), the vision
of an event of Spiritual
nature at ground's site was reported as following:
On July 23, 1920 (at noon), during the laying of the cornerstone
in the north-eastern corner of the temple, the purpose of The Ecclesia was stated in accordance to the commands of Christ
, namely, "Preach the gospel and heal the sick":
On December 25, 1938, the Rosicrucian Fellowship opened a Sanitarium
building which was used for a number of years to treat patients suffering from non-contagious diseases. Nearly since its inception the Fellowship has been providing, on a love offering basis, the service of Spiritual Healing; the first service took place on June 23, 1914. Currently, the healing
applications are received by the Fellowship's centers worldwide or directly by the Healing Department at Mount Ecclesia.
Rosicrucian Fellowship
The Rosicrucian Fellowship – "An International Association of Christian Mystics" – was founded in 1909 by Max Heindel as herald of the Aquarian Age and with the aim of publicly promulgating "the true Philosophy" of the Rosicrucians....
, located on grounds in Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
. It is also the location of its spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
temple, called "The Ecclesia", situated upon the promontory of a high mesa
Mesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
.
On April 7, 1995, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the Rosicrucian Fellowship Temple.
The Rosicrucian Fellowship observes the basic condition, set by its founder Max Heindel
Max Heindel
Max Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian occultist, astrologer, and mystic. He died on January 6, 1919 at Oceanside, California, United States.- Early infancy :...
, that no price, membership dues or fees, should be put on its teachings. The Fellowship's funding and maintenance is achieved through the voluntary giving
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
of members and friends and with the assistance of volunteer workers. Mount Ecclesia seeks to become a Spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
Center in the world, as an effort:
Foundation
Mount Ecclesia was launched on October 28, 1911, through a ceremony of ground-breaking which consisted in planting a large Cross with the initials C.R.C. — representing the symbolical name Christian Rose CrossChristian Rosenkreuz
Christian Rosenkreuz is the legendary, perhaps allegorical, founder of the Rosicrucian Order , presented in the three Manifestos published in the early 17th century...
, the Head of the Order of the Rose Cross (Rosicrucian
Rosicrucian
Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...
Order) — painted in gilt letters on the three upper ends and with a climbing rose. An excerpt of the first hand description of the mentioned event is as following:
The Healing Temple "The Ecclesia" was erected, for the purpose of affording more powerful means for the healing of disease, and dedicated on December 25, 1920. Spiritual Healing
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
meetings are held in this holy place at a regular time each day by the Probationers who have consecrated their lives to this work.
As in all the solar temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s, "The Ecclesia" portal
Gate
A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or a moderately sized opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port...
is facing east (the rising sun). In front of the portal stand two palm trees. The portal is constituted by an triangular-shaped structure upon two round
Round
Round or rounds can mean:* The shape of a closed curve with no sharp corners, such as an ellipse, circle, rounded rectangle, or sphere* Roundness , the smoothness of clastic particles...
columns. At the centre of the triangular surface there's an equilateral
Equilateral
In geometry, an equilateral polygon is a polygon which has all sides of the same length.For instance, an equilateral triangle is a triangle of equal edge lengths...
triangle, symbol of Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, inscribed by “the eye of God
Eye of Providence
The Eye of Providence is a symbol showing an eye often surrounded by rays of light or a glory and usually enclosed by a triangle...
.” The column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s fuse Greek
Architecture of Ancient Greece
The architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-speaking people whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland and Peloponnesus, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Asia Minor and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest...
(Ionic, Doric and Corinthian) and Roman
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
(Tuscan and composite) styles, each one with a capital
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
crowned by a finial globe
Globe
A globe is a three-dimensional scale model of Earth or other spheroid celestial body such as a planet, star, or moon...
. There are three steps between the columns leading to the Temple entrance. At the entrance there are two square
Square (geometry)
In geometry, a square is a regular quadrilateral. This means that it has four equal sides and four equal angles...
pilasters stading from the Temple walls, each showing two faces. The round 12-sided building architecture is composed by round arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es and narrow round inward windows. Its great dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
is composed by a cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
crowned by a golden globe with a finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
of lights. The inner portal and the Temple's interior is ornamented with alchemical
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
and astrological
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
symbols. It is a solar temple dedicated to the coming Age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius is either the current or new age in the cycle of astrological ages. Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...
.
On June 29, 1920 (from 11:55 A. M. until 12:02 P. M.), the vision
Vision (religion)
In spirituality, a vision is something seen in a dream, trance, or ecstasy, especially a supernatural appearance that conveys a revelation.Visions generally have more clarity than dreams, but traditionally fewer psychological connotations...
of an event of Spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
nature at ground's site was reported as following:
On July 23, 1920 (at noon), during the laying of the cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
in the north-eastern corner of the temple, the purpose of The Ecclesia was stated in accordance to the commands of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, namely, "Preach the gospel and heal the sick":
On December 25, 1938, the Rosicrucian Fellowship opened a Sanitarium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
building which was used for a number of years to treat patients suffering from non-contagious diseases. Nearly since its inception the Fellowship has been providing, on a love offering basis, the service of Spiritual Healing; the first service took place on June 23, 1914. Currently, the healing
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
applications are received by the Fellowship's centers worldwide or directly by the Healing Department at Mount Ecclesia.
See also
- Max HeindelMax HeindelMax Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian occultist, astrologer, and mystic. He died on January 6, 1919 at Oceanside, California, United States.- Early infancy :...
- Rosicrucian FellowshipRosicrucian FellowshipThe Rosicrucian Fellowship – "An International Association of Christian Mystics" – was founded in 1909 by Max Heindel as herald of the Aquarian Age and with the aim of publicly promulgating "the true Philosophy" of the Rosicrucians....
- The Rosicrucian Cosmo-ConceptionThe Rosicrucian Cosmo-ConceptionThe Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity is a Rosicrucian text, written by Max Heindel - Western Wisdom Teachings :The first edition was printed in November 1909...
- Esoteric ChristianityEsoteric ChristianityEsoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a mystery religion, and profess the existence and possession of certain esoteric doctrines or practices, hidden from the public but accessible only to a narrow circle of "enlightened",...
- New Galilee: the New JerusalemNew Galilee (Sixth Epoch)The New Galilee is the name given in the Western Wisdom Teachings to the New Jerusalem mentioned in the Bible. According to these Christian esoteric teachings, the New Galilee represents the future Sixth Epoch in mankind's evolutionary path and will see the transition of humanity to the etheric...
Further reading
- A Probationer. , in Rays from the Rose CrossRays from the Rose CrossRays from the Rose Cross is a Christian esoteric magazine established in June 1913 by Max Heindel, author of The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception and founder of The Rosicrucian Fellowship; its original name was Echoes from Mount Ecclesia. It is issued bimonthly by The Rosicrucian Fellowship in the...
, May/June 1996, pages 38–43