In 2021, the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, our Rite, fulfilled 140 years of existence in RomaniaEach of us has contributed in these 140 years with our social and Masonic prestige to the construction and preservation of the Rite from then to the present.
We, those of today, honored the Scottish Brothers who kept the Rite alive in times of hardship, during the four dictatorships of the last century: Carlist, fascist legionary, Antonescu, and communist.
At the end of November 2021, a oak cross was erected in their memory, bearing the simple inscription: 1881 2021.
In Romania, there were times when one was imprisoned and even died for being a Mason. Only those of today know the profound meaning of a seemingly simple inscription.
Also in November 2021, 140 acacias were planted in the Orient of Constanta, one for each year of the life of the Scottish Rite in Romania. Their green says:
The memory lives on. Continuous opposition. Renovated spirit.
(The memory lives on. The work continues. The spirit is renewed.)
These 140 trees became a landmark in the biography of the Scottish Rite. Every Lodge, every Chapter or Kadosh Council, every Inspectorate and every Brother in good standing was able to adopt an acacia. All 140 were adopted.
In Romanian tradition, the acacia is a sacred tree. Guardian of quiet nights, purifier of profane spaces, bringer of harmony.
However, some of the 140 acacias were stolen over time.
The relaunch of this project was more than just an ecological gesture for the Scottish brothers. It was a call for unity, solidarity and responsibility.
On the morning of November 1, 2025, members of the Fred Kleinknecht Lodge of Perfection in the East of Constanta came together to reawaken the symbolic project "140 acacias".
Created by the Scottish Rite four years ago, the project represented not only a memory of the past, but also a Point of Light, a axis mundi meant to celebrate the 140 cycles of presence of the Scottish Rite in the Romanian space.
The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Romania restored the circle of 140 trees and the symbolic integrity of the entire project.
Every acacia tree planted or replanted is a promise. Proof that together we can overcome difficulties, rebuild and regenerate the circle of trust of brotherhood.
We move forward.!
Stelian Nistor
Sovereign Grand Commander
