ANON. [SIGNED PHILO LAPIDARIUS], AN ANSWER TO THE POPE’S BULL, WITH THE CHARACTER OF A FREEMASON (1738)

It is not surprising that the Holy See soon followed in the footsteps of lay governments that banned masonic meetings. The activities of a lodge in Florence contributed considerably to the publication of the first papal condemnation. This lodge was founded around 1732 and contained a number of English residents, various Italians including three abbots, and two Irish Augustinian friars – namely, Fathers Denhey and Flood.4 Among the members, the most influential were Baron Philipp von Stosch, a spy for Sir Robert Walpole, and Tomasso Crudeli, who had earlier written satirical verses against the church. The multireligious background of this lodge, including Protestants, Jews and Catholics, also gave impetus to the charges of heresy brought by Paolo Antonio Ambrogi of the Holy Office.5 Until the twentieth century the Church of Rome forbade meetings of Catholics with non-Catholics under the penalty of excommunication. During the last days of the Mediciean Grand Duke in 1737 the lodge was closed because of quietism, Molinism and epicureanism, and several Freemasons were jailed.6 The bans of the secular governments and the activities of the Florentine lodge paved the way for the first official papal statement on Freemasonry.