1 of 7

Write now Article Tools

Who are the Shriners? Growing up, I always thought this was a silly group of men we watched during parades that wore weird hats. I thought they were just part of a parade and nothing more. Was I wrong!

The Shriners, A.A.O.N.M.S. or Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine was founded in New York City in 1870. It is a fraternity of men that is an appendage of the Freemasonry. Walter M. Fleming, M.D., William Conlin and William J. Florence were members of the Masons and were enjoying a lunch together with fellow Masons at the Knickerbocker Cottage in Manhattan. A discussion came up that the Masons should develop a new fraternity where fun and fellowship would be stressed rather than ritual. These three men took this suggestion seriously and founded the Shriners.

William Lawrence, who was a world renowned actor of the time, relayed to the other two gentlemen a story of a party he was invited while in Marseilles that was given by an Arabian diplomat. During the party, there was entertainment in the form of an elaborately staged musical comedy. At the end of the performance, the guests became members of a secret society. While attending this performance, Florence took notes and made drawings.

When he returned to New York, Florence showed his notes and drawings to Fleming. Fleming in turn took the ideas supplied by Florence and converted them into what would become the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.). Coincidentally, if you rearrange the letters, they spell out the words "A Mason".

The group decided to adopt a Middle Eastern theme and soon established Temples and Mosques across the United States. The Middle Eastern theme was thought to be popular because it alluded to the mystic surrounding the fraternity and also the mystery and ceremony of Arabian Nights with its elaborate parties.

Although the theme of the Shriners is Arabic, they are not related to Islam at all. It is simply a men's fraternity rather than a religious group. The only pseudo religious requirement is that Shriners must also be members of the Masons, and Masons must profess the belief in a supreme being. They have also since changed calling their meetings sites Temples to Shrine Centers.

This fraternity of men is committed to community service and has helped in countless public projects. The Shriners often participate in local parades and some Shrines sponsor and participate in annual local circuses. They also host an annual East-West Shrine Game which is actually a college football all star game. Once a year, there is also an annual convention where sometimes over 20,000 Shriners come together in a North American city. This helps generate significant income for the local economy.

Most importantly, the Shriners have been a key element in establishing 22 hospitals throughout North America. These hospitals are set up for children 18 and under and specialize in pediatric orthopedic injuries and burns. They have been instrumental in helping develop new treatments in these areas because of their support for research. Shriners do not charge for treatment at their hospital. They do not discriminate on religion, race or relationship to a Freemason. The only requirement is that the patients are under 18 and treatable.

So, my opinion of what a Shriner is has changed considerably after learning about this fraternity. For a bunch of guys wearing silly hats while riding in little cars during a parade, they have really done a lot to help their local communities and for communities throughout North America. With families struggling to provide every day health care to their own families, it is nice to know there is an organization that puts children and health care first.

Learn more about this author, Michele Van Pelt.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Who are the Shriners??
We want to hear your view. Write now!