The Shriners

Fraternal Orders · Updated August 15, 2026

Overview

The Shriners' elaborate Middle Eastern imagery and Mosque-named meeting halls have no actual connection to Islam or the Near East, despite using terms like Imperial Divan and temples styled after Moorish architecture. The fraternity emerged in post-Civil War America, when exotic fraternal rituals captured the public imagination. In 1872, two men built an organization on pure theatrical fantasy. Dr. Walter M. Fleming, a prominent Freemason and physician, teamed up with actor William J. Florence to launch the group in New York City. They formally named it the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, an appendant body requiring members to first achieve the degree of Master Mason.

Florence developed the ritual and theme after encountering a secret society ceremony during his travels abroad. Fleming organized the first chapter, Mecca Temple, in New York City. The founders leaned hard into 19th-century American fascination with the exotic Near East. Local chapter headquarters took on names like Egypt, Sahara, Morocco, and Oasis. Members wore red fezzes as official headgear and decorated their regalia with camels, pyramids, and the Sphinx. Many buildings went up in Moorish Revival style. A 12-member governing board took the name Imperial Divan, borrowing from traditional Near Eastern government councils. In 1876, the fraternity formed the Imperial Council to manage its rapid national growth.

The organization shifted toward large-scale philanthropy in 1922, opening the first Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Shreveport, Louisiana. That single facility launched a massive pediatric care network rooted in the Masonic principle of relief. In 2010, the group rebranded as Shriners International to reflect its expanding global footprint. The organization now operates from headquarters in Tampa, Florida, reporting nearly 1.7 million members across over 200 chapters in nine countries.

The Shriners' elaborate Middle Eastern imagery and Mosque-named meeting halls have no actual connection to Islam or the Near East, despite using terms like Imperial Divan and temples styled after Moorish architecture.

Source: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Key facts

The Shriners were founded in 1872 in New York City as an appendant body of Freemasonry.: Formally named the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), the organization requires members to first achieve the degree of Master Mason.
The organization is governed by a 12-member board called the Imperial Divan.: This name references traditional Near Eastern government councils, though the fraternity has no actual ties to the region or to Islam.
Local chapter headquarters are called Shrine Centers but are sometimes referred to as Temples or Mosques.: Most chapters carry Middle Eastern names such as Egypt, Sahara, Morocco, and Oasis, and many buildings are constructed in Moorish Revival style.
Shriners wear distinctive red fezzes as their official headgear.: The fez is part of the organization's colorful Middle Eastern theme, which also includes camels, pyramids, and the Sphinx in fraternal regalia.
The organization operates the Shriners Children's network of nonprofit pediatric medical facilities.: This philanthropic mission reflects the Masonic principle of relief and is a central focus of the fraternity's community service.
Shriners International is currently headquartered in Tampa, Florida.: The organization reports nearly 1.7 million members across over 200 chapters in nine countries.

Context

The Shriners emerged in post-Civil War America as a Masonic appendant body emphasizing fellowship and philanthropy. Their adoption of Middle Eastern pageantry reflected a 19th-century American fascination with exoticism and fraternal ritual. Despite the Islamic and Arabian imagery, the organization is entirely American in origin and has no religious or geographic ties to the Near East.