Papal Condemnations of Freemasonry

Pope Pius VIII 1829-1830

Pope Pius VIII 1829-1830

Successor of Leo XII, Pope Pius VIII, in his Encyclical "Traditi", published at the time of his advent on May 21, 1829 renewed all the condemnations of his predecessors, repeating as I showed above, that all Masonic Sects are issued from the "Well of Perdition." It was under his short reign as Pontiff that a new Lodge of "Alta Vendita" was discovered in Rome, having been formed in 1828 and headed by Joseph Picilli as Grand Master. Following Leo XII, Pius VIII most particularly mentions the Sect called "Unitsersitaire," saying:

"Its aim is to corrupt youth in schools."

and he applies to Masons those words of Saint Leo the Great:

"Their law is untruth: their god is the devil and their cult is turpitude."