Confessio Fraternitatis

The Confessio Fraternitatis (Confessio oder Bekenntnis der Societät und Bruderschaft Rosenkreuz), or simply The Confessio, printed in Kassel (Germany) in 1615, is the second of a trio of Rosicrucian pamphlets (manifestos) declaring the existence of a secret brotherhood of alchemists and sages who were thought to be preparing to transform the political and intellectual landscape of Europe.

The Confessio is a breviary about Â«the true PhilosophyÂ», it completes the earlier manifesto (Fama Fraternitatis, 1614) and in some way it comes to justify it, defending it from the voices and acusations already launched to the misterious Brothers of the "Fraternity of the Rose Cross".

According to the Confessio a fundamental requisite to achieve this knowledge is "that we be earnest to attain to the understanding and knowledge of philosophy" and the Rosicrucian Brothers describe themselves as Christian ("What think you, loving people, and how seem you affected, seeing that you now understand and know, that we acknowledge ourselves truly and sincerely to profess Christ") but not in the exoteric, popular Christianity sense ("condemn the Pope,") but in the true esoteric Christianity: "addict ourselves to the true Philosophy, lead a Christian life".

It was immensley popular being reprinted several times and translated into several languages. Its author remains anonymous. Many historical figures have been attributed its authorship, including Francis Bacon.