page_title: Filiki Eteria
section_title: Hierarchy and initiation
hierarchical_section_title: Filiki Eteria / Hierarchy and initiation
caption_attribution_description: Le Serment Selon la tradition, c'est Theódoros Kolokotrónis, commandant en chef de la Révolution grecque, qui est représenté prêtant serment sur l'Évangile. Huile sur bois de 1849 par Dionysios Tsokos (1820-1862) Pièce du Musée national historique de Grèce exposée à l'Institut et musée Voltaire de Genève (Suisse)
context_page_description: Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret organization founded in 1814 in Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow the Ottoman rule of Greece and establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Constantinople and the Russian Empire, local political and military leaders from the Greek mainland and islands, as well as several Orthodox Christian leaders from other nations that were under Hellenic influence, such as Karađorđe from Serbia Tudor Vladimirescu from Romania, and Arvanite military commanders. One of its leaders was the prominent Phanariote Prince Alexander Ypsilantis. The Society initiated the Greek War of Independence in the spring of 1821.
context_section_description: Filiki Eteria was strongly influenced by Carbonarism and Freemasonry. The team of leaders was making and spreading its decisions, saying that they transmit the commends of the "Invisible Authority" (Αόρατος Αρχή), which was thought that was one or more strong persons, so from the start it was shrouded in mystery, secrecy and glamour. It was generally believed that a lot of important personalities were members, not only eminent Greeks, but also notable foreigners such as the Tsar of Russia Alexander I. The reality was that initially, the Invisible Authority comprised only the three founders. From 1815 until 1818, five more were added to the Invisible Authority, and after the death of Skoufas' another three more. In 1818, the Invisible Authority was renamed to the "Authority of Twelve Apostles" and each Apostle shouldered the responsibility of a separate region.
  The organisational structure was pyramid-like with the "Invisible Authority" coordinating from the top. No one knew or had the right to ask who created the organisation. Commands were unquestionably carried out and members did not have the right to make decisions. Members of the society came together in what was called a "Temple" with four levels of initiation: a) Brothers (Αδελφοποίητοι) or Vlamides (Βλάμηδες), b) the Recommended (Συστημένοι), c) the Priests (Ιερείς) and d) the Shepherds (Ποιμένες). The Priests were charged with the duty of initiation.
  I swear in the name of truth and justice, before the Supreme Being, to guard, by sacrificing my own life, and suffering the hardest toils, the mystery, which shall be explained to me and that I shall respond with the truth whatever I am asked.
  — The Oath of Initiation in to the Filiki
  When the Priest approached a new member, it was first to make sure of his patriotism and catechize him in the aims of society; the last stage was to put him under the lengthy principal oath, called the Great Oath (Μέγας Όρκος). Much of the essence of it was contained in its conclusion:
  Last of all, I swear by Thee, my sacred and suffering Country,— I swear by thy long-endured tortures,— I swear by the bitter tears which for so many centuries have been shed by thy unhappy children, by my own tears which I am pouring forth at this very moment,— I swear by the future liberty of my countrymen, that I consecrate myself wholly to thee; that hence forward thou shall be the cause and object of my thoughts, thy name the guide of my actions, and thy happiness the recompense of my labours.
  — Conclusion of the Great Oath of the Filiki
  When the above was administered the Priest then uttered the words of acceptance of the novice as a new member:
  Before the face of the invisible and omnipresent true God, who in his essence is just, the avenger of transgression, the chastizer of evil, by the laws of the Eteria Filiki, and by the authority with which its powerful priests have intrusted me, I receive you, as I was myself received, into the bosom of the Eteria.
  — words of acceptance into Filiki
  Afterwards the initiated were considered neophyte members of the society, with all the rights and obligations of his rank. The Priest immediately had the obligation to reveal all the marks of recognition between the Vlamides or Brothers. Vlamides and Recommended were unaware of the revolutionary aims of the organisation. They only knew that there existed a society that tried hard for the general good of the nation, which included in its ranks important personalities. This myth was propagated deliberately, in order to stimulate the morale of members and also to make proselytism easier.
caption: The Oath of Initiation into the Society, painting by Dionysios Tsokos, 1849.
exif: {"Image DateTime": "2008:03:15 15:28:42", "Image Artist": "\u0398\u03b5\u03cc\u03c6\u03b9\u03bb\u03bf\u03c2 \u03a4\u03c3\u03cc\u03ba\u03bf\u03c2 (1849)", "Image ExifOffset": "2204", "Image XPComment": "[159, 3, 32, 0, 197, 3, 192, 3, 191, 3, 200, 3, 174, 3, 198, 3, 185, 3, 191, 3, ... ]", "Image XPAuthor": "\u0098\u00b5\u00cc\u00c6\u00b9\u00bb\u00bf\u00c2 \u00a4\u00c3\u00cc\u00ba\u00bf\u00c2 (1849)", "Image Padding": "[]", "EXIF Padding": "[]"}