The Founders

Marie Routchine (Dea) was born in Odessa on November 25, 1883. Her parents, fleeing Russia from the tsars, fled to Paris a few years later, and it was there that Marie spent her childhood where daily she watched the spectacle of human suffering of the working-class people of Paris. She was interested in painting and art, as well as the question of how human suffering could be alleviated — why did such fanaticism and hatred abound when we are all on Earth to love, and to experience together the gift of living? 

With her husband, Eugene Dupré, she made several trips to Egypt where she came into contact with the leaders and chiefs of esoteric schools in the East. In 1910, by a providential destiny, Deon met her and initiated her in Egypt; she would become the co-founder of our Order, and was named Dea.

Demetrius Plato Semelas (Deon) was born on May 13, 1884 in Silivri, a small town on the Sea of Marmara west of Constantinople. As a young man he wished to become a doctor, but his father suffered reversals of fortune and could not help him continue his studies. Life began for him as for everyone, and his life would have been like all others if an inner call had not revealed to him his mission. In 1909 he received the initiatic transmission which was reserved for him from the last R+C Master of the School of Attica. 

In 1910 Deon met Marie Routchine in Egypt and they began their initiatic work together. He initiated her, and later this initiation was completed by Deon’s initiator. In 1915 they received the mandate to revive the ancient Order of the Lily and the Eagle for the work of the regeneration of humanity. They adapted the traditional teachings to the present state of civilization and the conditions of modern life. They presented the One Truth under two aspects, Eternal Wisdom and Universal Love, so that it would be understood by all who wished to listen. 

In Cairo, on the day of epiphany 1915, in the presence of Deon, Dea established the Order of the Lily and the Eagle and placed at the head of each great jurisdiction one of the three disciples she had initiated: Antoine Hadji-Apostolou, Nicolas Condaros, Georges Agathos, as well as her husband, Eugene Dupré.

Dea died in 1918. Deon fulfilled the promise that he had made to her, and tirelessly led the Order until his death in 1924.

SUCCESSORS

Eugene Dupré directed the Order from 1924 to 1945.

Georges Agathos directed the Order from 1945 to 1958.

Madeleine Weil directed the Order from 1958 to 1999, and was the last living witness of the beginnings of the Order. She had served as Deon’s secretary from 1918 to 1924.

The current directors of the Order of the Lily and the Eagle in the U.S. follow directly in this line.