On September 24th, 1996, at the time of the Constitution of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Portugal, a very friendly relationship was established between the Grand High Priest of Germany, Companion Charles Hunsucker and the Principal Grand Sojourner of Portugal (J.V.). Thus, despite the expectation with which the foreign powers were looking at Portuguese Freemasonry after the crisis started at the end of 1996, the German Grand Chapter sent J.V. an invitation to participate in the Annual Convention on April 26th, in Badkissigen.
By a happy coincidence, J.V. was elected Grand High Priest of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch of Portugal (SGCARP) in the 1st Convention, held on April 19th, 1997. A few days later, accompanied by the Grand King and the Grand Secretary, he was received with the highest honors in the Grand Convention of Germany. There took place the first contacts for the introduction of the Cryptic Degrees and the Knightly Orders of the York Rite in Portugal.
The fact that Charles Hunsucker was also Grand High Priest, Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council Cryptic of Germany, and Deputy General Grand Master for Europe of the General Grand Council International, made the process much easier. It was jealously supervised by Robert Simpson, Grand Secretary and Grand Archivist of Germany (who was also in Lisbon in September 1996).
On June 13, 1997, Charles Hunsucker, Ward Williamson (then Grand Secretary who succeeded Hunsucker in 1998), Robert Simpson and Richard Williamson (Fellow of the California Grand Chapter and father of Ward Williamson) came to Lisbon to greet thirty-two Companions of the Royal Arch in Criptic Degrees. On that day, the Most Illustrious Grand Master of Germany granted two dispensations for the Portuguese Companions to meet and confer the Criptic Degrees through the Monastery Flor da Rosa, Council No. 19 and Monastery of Santa Cruz, Council No. 20, installing the respective officers.
On April 24th, 1998, at the Annual Assembly of the Grand Council of Germany, the Illustrious Masters of the Monastery Flor da Rosa, Council No. 19 and of the Monastery of Santa Cruz, Council No. 20, were initiated into the Order of the Silver Trowel, receiving the honorary degree of Three Times Illustrious Master. One of them was to be appointed an Officer of the Order for the new year.
At the Annual Assembly of 1998, a new Dispensation was given to the Portuguese Companions for the creation of the Monastery of São Bartolomeu, Council No. 21, which was signed by the Most Illustrious Companion Charles Hunsucker, who was seriously ill and was unable to attend. The Dispensation was delivered by the new Grand Master Ward Williamson in the presence of the General Grand Master of the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International, Most Puissant Companion Orwille E. Wesseler.
This gathered one of the conditions for the creation of the Grand Council: the existence of at least three Councils working regularly. The presence of the General Grand Master allowed us to agree right away on the creation of the Grand Council of Criptic Masons of Portugal. That be known by the name Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Portugal and would be constituted by Charter signed by Grand Master E. Wesseler on September 1st, 1998.
On September 19th 1998, in the constitutive ceremony held in Palácio Pancas Palha, in Lisbon, were present besides the General Grand Master, the General Grand King of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International, the Most Excellent Companion William Schoene, as well as the delegations of Germany, Italy, Maryland and Missouri.
On March 13, 1999, in the 1st Annual Assembly of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Portugal held in Praia Grande, Colares, the By-Laws, the Hymn and the Banner of the Grand Council of Portugal were approved.
Since then, the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Portugal develops the most fraternal relations with all regular Cryptic Grand Councils of the world, so that the pillars of Cryptic Freemasonry - Faith, Hope and Charity - are widely spread and strengthened by the bonds of Integrity, Unity and Harmony of the Cryptic Rite, also strengthening the cement of Friendship and Fraternal Love that unites and marks all Companions of the Secret Vault spread over the globe. The Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Portugal, the only regular Cryptic Masonic Power in Portugal, is a member, since its creation, of the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International and is recognized by dozens of Cryptic Grand Jurisdictions around the world.
Since the foundation of the Monastery of São Bartolomeu, Council No. 3, in Guarda, on April 24th, 1998, the following Councils have been constituted until today: the Monastery of Ordem de Santiago, Council No. 5, in Lisbon; the Monastery of São João de Deus, Council No. 9, in Albufeira; the Monastery of São João de Tarouca, Council No. 10, in Lisbon, the Monastery of Cartuxa, Council No. 11, also in Lisbon, the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha, Council No. 12, in Coimbra, the Monastery of São João Novo, Council No. 14, in O'Porto, and the Monastery Ordem de Cristo, Council No. 15, in Tomar, Councils that contributed and continue to contribute for the growth and development of Cryptic Masonry in Portugal.
