Ruusu-Risti (Rosy Cross)

In 1907 Petter (or Pekka) Ervast (1875-1934) founded a national branch of the Theosophical Society in Finland. He wanted to create a subdivision that focuses more on the occult and this became Ruusu-Risti (meaning: Rosy Cross). Not all members were happy with it, so in the end Ervast decided to leave the Theosophical Society and take his department with him in 1920.

There were also problems within the Finish federation of Le Droit Humain (mixed gender Freemasonry) which Ervast had also founded in 1920, so also from there Ervast moved out taking members with him.

Thus a Theosophical group with “a Masonic core” came into existence. The reason that this is of some interest to readers of this website is that Ervast rewrote the Dharma rituals of Annie Besant (the pretty Theosophical rituals still used by some Le Droit Humain lodges and in LDH split offs) replacing some elements with elements of the Kalevala.