The Freemasons is a freethinking, rationalist, humanitarian organization which was founded in Italy circa 1425. The Freemason fraternal organizations traced their origins to secret societies formed by stonemasons in the Middle Ages, describing Freemasonry as a "beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols," with the square and compass trowel being major symbols. The Masonic Order believes in brotherhood and helping others, and their name comes from masons who would conceal their trades to be free of rich lords, who used them to build cathedrals and other large buildings. The Masons have been accused of being bent on world domination or already being in control of world politics, and religions like Catholicism and Islam have excommunicated all Freemasons within their religions, and Nazi Germany persecuted Masons in the 1930s and 1940s.