Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS)

Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS) was a fraternal order affiliated with Freemasonry, the side degree having been first proposed and enacted in 1870 by Walter M. Fleming and William J. Florence.

Structure

The order was organised as Temples at the local level, presided over by a Divan with elected officers — the Illustrious Potenante, Chief Rabban, Assistant Rabban, High Priest and Prophet, Oriental Guide, Treasurer, and Recorder, as well as Ceremonial Masters, Marshal, Captain of Guard, Outer Guard, and Custodian. The temples fell under the jurisdiction of an Oasis (city-level), in turn under a Desert (state-level), and these under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Council Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America. Members were commonly known as Shriners.

Successors

The Mystic Shrine organisation was ultimately succeeded in 2010 by Shriners International.

Reading

• Root, George L., ed. (1903), The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America, Peoria, Ill.: Press of B. F. Brown Co., https://archive.org/details/ancientarabicord00root