Greek Patriarch: Freemasonry is incompatible with Orthodoxy

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Athens, Greece. A new scandal shakes Freemasonry in Greece. Greek Orthodox Church Synod renewed the "excommunication" of Freemasonry. Last week was held a high level reunion of the Greek Orthodox leaders, headed by the Patriarch of Greece, Hieronymus II of Athens. 

The Holy Synod approved the proposal of the Synodal Commission on Heresies, issuing a circular announcing that no monk, priest or bishop can not be part of a Masonic Lodge. The Greek Orthodox Church considers incompatible the status of Freemason with that of Orthodox. 

Also, Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus sent a letter to the Supreme Council of Greece, asking to announce the identity of the high ranking bishop which was initiated into the 18° Degree, accusing the Supreme Council of heresy and threatening the Sovereigns Grand Inspectors General with the excommunication by the Church.

Installation Ceremony of the Grand Master of Peru

Lima, Peru. Galo Moncada Mau (initiated into Freemasonry on 23 April 1986) was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Peru (2014-2016) and Edgar Neyra Bardales was elected Vice Grand Master. Moncada Mau was Vice Grand Master from 2012 to 2014. The Installation Ceremony will take place today, March 25, 2014. Also today marks 132 years since the founding of the Grand Lodge of Peru.

UGLE (England) could recognize again GLNF (France)

Thursday, 13 March 2014

London, United Kingdom. On March 12, 2014, was held the Quarterly Communicationt of the United Grand Lodge of England. UGLE's Board President, Anthony Wilson, recalled that GLNF actions are still monitored and that the Grand Lodge reached positive developments to date. 

Also UGLE will wait to see GLNF adopting administrative decisions in April 2014, following which the French National Grand Lodge could be recognized in the near future again by the United Grand Lodge of England (if things are going in the right direction). The Grand Lodge of Ireland and the Grand Lodge of Scotland share UGLE's position.

French National Grand Lodge (GLNF) won the "fight" in the United States

Kansas, United States. American Grand Lodges can resume relations with French National Grand Lodge. The decision was taken last month in the United States, where the Grand Masters of North America discussed the issue GLNF (represented by Grand Master Servel). The report talks about the positive development of the GLNF and the fact that Grand Lodges may consider resuming relations with GLNF.

Visionary and Reformer: Óscar de Alfonso Ortega was re-elected Grand Master of Spain

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Madrid, Spain. Óscar de Alfonso Ortega defeated his opponent with a smashing score of 92%. The Past and current Grand Master of Spain is a visionary and a reformer of the post José Carretero Spanish Freemasonry. Alfonso Ortega also won the elections in 2010. 

The installation ceremony was attended by several Grand Masters and representatives from Europe and Africa, including the Grand Master of France, Jean Pierre Servel (which gave the Grand Master of Spain the highest honor of French Freemasonry) and Gustavo Raffi (Past Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy). 

Also, the Grand Lodge of Spain issued a resolution which expresses loyalty to His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

Photo: Grand Lodge of Spain

Stefano Bisi is the new Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Rome, Italy. On March 2, 2014, elections were held for the office of Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy. Of the total Freemasons with right of vote (16,252 Master Masons), voted only 11,490 (71.55%). 

Stefano Bisi got 5,315 votes (46.26%), Silverio Magno 3,468 votes (30.18%) and Massimo Bianchi 2,716 votes (23.64%). The National Electoral Commission will validate the election on March 8, 2014. 

If the election is validated, the Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy is Stefano Bisi (2014-2019). He is to be installed in April 4 to 6, 2014, during the Annual Communication in Rimini. The Masonic government program of the new Grand Master was called: "Presence, secularism, tradition."

Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Spain

Madrid, Spain. On March 8, 2014, will take place the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Spain. The event will be attended by 26 Grand Lodges and Grand Orients: Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Romania, Bulgaria, Morocco, France, Portugal, Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Turkey, Austria, Serbia, Luxembourg, Israel, Germany, Estonia, Andorra, Latvia, Macedonia etc. 

On this occasion there will be elections for the office of Grand Master and Grand Masters José Francisco Moreno and Radu Balanescu will be decorated with the medal of the Order of the Founder (blue badge).

Grand Lodge Valle de Mexico does not meet the standards of Masonic regularity

Monday, 3 March 2014

Baltimore, United States. According to the report of the Conference of Grand Masters of North America, Grand Lodge Valle de Mexico does not meet the standards of Masonic regularity. The report notes that in the last decade this Grand Lodge has invaded many Masonic jurisdictions. 

Also, the report states that the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Quintana Roo does not appear in the list of Regular Grand Lodges which has been issued by the Confederation of Regular Grand Lodges of the United Mexican States.

Grand Master Gustavo Raffi: It is impossible to remain indifferent to the massacre in Ukraine

Sunday, 2 March 2014

Rome, Italy. The Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy, Gustavo Raffi, expressed his grief and concern about the events taking place in Ukraine. "The Grand Orient of Italy joins the Ukrainian people," said Gustavo Raffi, adding that "It is impossible to remain indifferent to the massacre (...)."

Edgar Sánchez Caballero will be the new Grand Master in Paraguay

Baltimore, United States. The Symbolic Grand Lodge of Paraguay was recognized as the sole Regular Grand Lodge in Paraguay. The decision was adopted at the Conference of Grand Masters of North America. Currently, the Grand Lodge is leaded by Euclides Acevedo. On March 7, 2014, Edgar Sánchez Caballero will be installed as Grand Master.

Grand Orient of Italy will have a new Grand Master

Rome, Italy. Today are held 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.