ala Da Vinci Code

(feeling lang)

two nights ago, we went to Ninong Art's wake in Holy Mary Funeral Homes. he died of Diabetes complications. it 'destroyed' his liver.

when we got there, we thought there was a Mass. from afar, you would see people standing and you could here them singing. when we got nearer, we realized it's not really the traditional Mass because the people standing were all men and some were holding a leaf as if it symbolizes something. they were doing what looked like a ritual (maybe blessing the body of Ninong Art).

then, i remembered about one thing about Ninong Art that my husband told me before, which was also confirmed by Ninong's sons (Arjay, Allen and Algin), about the Opus Dei. Ninong was part of a group similar or connected with the Opus Dei. i just could not remember the exact name of the group. i concluded that it probably was them doing the ritual.

they were all wearing white tops and black slacks. they wore something resembling to an apron, strapped around their waist. the apron has a symbol in the middle which i did not recognize that night but later on found out that it was called "square and compass". actually, kanina ko lang nalaman from Instructor Manalili, whom i saw that night, too (when all the men went out to catch some air). member din pala siya nung 'Free Masons' Leonard Wood Lodge.

Below is what i got from Wikipedia :)

The Square and Compasses is the single most identifiable symbol of Freemasonry. Both the square and compasses are architect's tools, and are used in Masonic ritual as emblems to teach symbolic lessons. Some Lodges and rituals explain these symbols as lessons in conduct: for example, that Masons should "square their actions by the square of virtue" and learn to "circumscribe their desires and keep their passions within due bounds toward all mankind".

However, as Freemasonry is non-dogmatic, there is no general interpretation for these symbols (or any Masonic symbol) that is used by Freemasonry as a whole.

As measuring instruments, the tools represent judgement and discernment.

Then, i saw an image of the Square and Compasses connecting it to the Seal of the president of the United States. Below is what I found :)























...and below is

President Franklin Roosevelt's conditional approval of the one-dollar bill's design in 1935, requiring that the appearance of the sides of the Great Seal be reversed, and together, captioned.

wow, i can do a whole thesis on this topic. hehehe! i'd like to share more info but you gotta do your own research. very timely it seems - Angels & Demons will be out in cinemas soon. ;) by the way, i just saw the Angels & Demons trailer. parang this movie will do better than The Da Vinci Code. :)

source : Yahoo and Wikipedia