They did use rituals – most of which remain unknown – and pseudonyms were used to keep the identities of members a secret. In reality, scant details about the true nature of the ceremony remain (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Did the Illuminati use rituals? After entering as a ‘novice’, you graduated to a ‘minerval’ and then an ‘illuminated minerval’, although this structure later became more complicated, with 13 degrees of initiation required in order to become a member.Ī 19th-century depiction of an Illuminati initiation ritual.

There was also a hierarchical system to Illuminati membership. To join the Illuminati, you had to have full consent from the other members, possess wealth, and have a good reputation within a suitable family. Due to the original Illuminati recruitment of Freemasons, the two groups have often been confused for each other. In some countries, especially the US, there has historically been a lot of paranoia about the Freemasons – in 1828, a single-issue political movement known as the Anti-Masonic Party was even established. The Freemasons are a fraternal order that evolved from the guilds of stonemasons and cathedral builders of the Middle Ages.

How is the Illuminati connected to the Freemasons?

A bird known as the ‘owl of Minerva’ (Minerva being the ancient Roman goddess of wisdom) eventually became its main symbol. Some members of the Illuminati joined the Freemasons in order to recruit new members. Eventually the group’s aims focused on influencing political decisions and disrupting institutions like the monarchy and the Church.

What is the illuminati