Afifi Shriners

A one hundred year history of the Afifi Temple, headquartered in Tacoma, Washington. The word Afifi is defined as “a characteristic of a woman who is virtuous and refrains from anything crude or vulgar.”

Afifi Shriners, founded in 1888, was one of the first Shrine Centers to be established in the Pacific Northwest. On Monday, September 17, 1888, the fraters named in the petition met at the Tacoma Hotel. On the following night Afifi Temple met in the Masonic Hall in Tacoma. Illustrious Sir Gault occupied the Chair as Potentate and presided over the election of Nobles to serve on the Divan. Noble William J. Meade was elected Recorder. Nine Novices were present and received the secret work. The initiation fee was set at thirty-five dollars which included a fez.

The purpose of the Shrine is to have fun and support the Shrine Hospitals. The Shrine Organization is international, with centers in Canada, Mexico, Republic of Panama and the United States. There are 191 Shrine centers (chapters) with approximately 350,000 members. Although the Shriners are an all male fraternity we proudly include our Ladies in all that we do.