Supreme Council for Central America celebrates today 143 years

Thursday, 9 January 2014

Guatemala City, Guatemala. The Central-American Supreme Council for the Masonic Jurisdiction of Central America celebrates today 143 years. The Supreme Council was founded on January 9, 1871, in San Jose, Costa Rica. Since 2011, the Sovereign Grand Commander is Gustavo Estuardo Ordóñez Kocher, 33°.

Elections for the office of Grand Master of Spain

Madrid, Spain. On March 8, 2014, there will be elections for the office of Grand Master of Spain for the period 2014-2018. Currently, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Spain is Oscar de Alfonso Ortega.

Elections for the office of Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy

Wednesday, 8 January 2014

Rome, Italy. On March 2, 2014, there will be elections for the office of Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy. The candidates are: Massimo Bianchi (Deputy Grand Masters: Morris Ghezzi & Cesare Cometto), Silverio Magno (Deputy Grand Masters: Ernesto Jacobbi &Marco Proto) and Stefano Bisi (Deputy Grand Masters: Sergio Rosso & Santi Fedele).

The Grand Orient of Italy has 22,181 Freemasons (16,252 Master Masons). Each and every Master Mason has one vote. The candidate who obtains 40% (6,501 votes) of the valid votes is declared the winner. If no candidate will obtain 40% of the votes, there will be a second round of voting on March 23 (between the top two finishers). The installation of the Grand Master will take place from 4 to 6 April 2014, during the Annual Communication of the Grand Orient in Rimini.

Assistant Grand Master of England to step down

Monday, 6 January 2014

London, United Kingdom. On December 11, 2013, was held the Quarterly Annual Communication of the United Grand Lodge of England. The event was attended by the Grand Lodges of Pennsylvania (United States), Belgium, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Germany, Brazil, Paraguay etc.

For the first time in the history of UGLE, the Assistant Grand Master presided the Annual Communication. It was the first and last time for David Williamson to led UGLE's Annual Quarterly Communication, announcing also his withdrawal from office. Sir David Wootton was appointed by the Duke of Kent to take the office of Assistant Grand Master (to be installed in office on March 12, 2014). Williamson has held this position for 13 years.

French National Grand Lodge (GLNF): 100 years

Paris, France. On 6-7 December 2013 GLNF celebrated 100 years of its foundation. On 6 December there were a series of public events attended by members of other Masonic organizations of the hexagon and Grand Masters and representatives of foreign Grand Lodges.

On December 7, was held a Masonic Ceremony to celebrate the first century of existence of the French National Grand Lodge. This ceremony was attended by the Grand Lodges of: Israel and Spain (both delegations were received in applause), Brazil (17 Grand Lodges, plus the Grand Orient of Brazil ), United States (Arizona, Washington D.C., Maryland), Peru, Cuba, Canada (Ontario), Venezuela, Italy, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Portugal, Ivory Coast, Gabon, China, Turkey, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Mauritius, Niger, Armenia, Cameroon, Djibouti, Congo, Andorra, Morocco, Slovenia, Moldova, Guinea, Croatia, Burkina Faso, Russia and Albania. Also attended the event representatives of the World Conference of Grand Lodges, Inter-American Masonic Confederation, American Grand Chapter American and American Royal Arch.

Grand Master Servel thanked to all Grand Lodges who are with GLNF, talking in his speech about last year's efforts. The Grand Masters of Spain, Israel and Washington D.C. talked about supporting GLNF.

GLNF regained recognition of Grand Lodges of Portugal, Ontario (Canada) and Pennsylvania. The Grand Lodge of Turkey also argues powerfully in favor of the GLNF, announcing that it will not recognize any solution which will not be accepted by GLNF.