Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia recognized at the Conference of Grand Masters of North America

Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Vancouver, Canada. The Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia received the recognition of the Conference of Grand Masters of North America, which considered RGLS to be the sole Obedience in Serbia respecting the standards of regularity and recognition.

The Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia is led by Grand Master Ranko Vujačić who was re-elected on December 14, 2014. Vujačić is currently a member of the executive board of the World Conference of Grand Lodges.

Grand Lodge of Spain recognized 8 Grand Lodges

Madrid, Spain. The Grand Lodge of Spain announced that the Grand Master issued a series of decrees for the recognition of a number of Grand Lodges from Asia, Europe, Africa and South America, thus establishing fraternal relations. In addition to the Grand Lodge of Ukraine, there are the Grand Lodges of Armenia, Montenegro, San Marino, Monaco, Mauritius, Congo-Brazzaville, and Paraguay.

Grand Master Óscar Alfonso Ortega
fhoto: Grand Lodge of Spain

Grand Orient of the Netherlands re-recognized GLNF

Monday, 23 February 2015

Amsterdam, Netherlands. On February 21, 2015 was held the Extraordinary Annual Communication of the Grand Orient of the Netherlands (Vrijmetselaren onder het Grootoosten der Nederlanden). On this occasion it has been decided to re-recognize the French National Grand Lodge (GLNF).

Grand Lodge of Ukraine has established a Lodge in Tbilisi

Thursday, 19 February 2015

Kiev, Ukraine. The Grand Lodge of Ukraine has established a new Lodge. "Ilia March" Lodge will work in Tbilisi (capital of Georgia). The event took place on 8 February 2015. In the Republic of Georgia there is no Grand Lodge.

Despite the situation of invasion through which Ukraine passes, the Grand Lodge continues to work to spread beyond its borders the Masonic Light.

Grand Lodge of Spain recognized the Grand Lodge of Ukraine

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

Madrid, Spain. The Grand Lodge of Ukraine was recognized by the Grand Lodge of Spain as the sole Grand Lodge working regular on Ukrainian territory and being sovereign over the symbolic degrees of Freemasonry. The Grand Lodge of Ukraine this year celebrates 10 years since its foundation, being helped in 2005 by the French National Grand Lodge and the Grand Lodge of Austria.

Grand Lodge of Liberia passed safely over ebola pandemic

Monrovia, Liberia. The Grand Lodge of Liberia will hold Sunday (22 February 2015) a Thanksgiving Service to thank the GAOTU for passing safely over the Ebola virus pandemic. Also, some people will be honored for their contribution in health care. The ceremony will be held at the Grand Masonic Temple of Monrovia.

Extraordinary conference of Quatuor Coronati Research Lodge

Monday, 16 February 2015

London, United Kingdom. 2017 will mark 300 years since the founding of what is now called the United Grand Lodge of England. As a result, members of the Quatuor Coronati Research Lodge, under the jurisdiction of UGLE, will hold a conference next year at Queens' College, Cambridge.

The event will take place from 9 to 11 September 2016, being dedicated to both Freemasons and non-Masons. The conference will focus on the history of Freemasonry in the last three centuries.

Grand Lodge of Luxembourg re-recognizes GLNF

Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The Grand Lodge of Luxembourg re-recognized the French National Grand Lodge. The decision was adopted on 11 February 2015 during an Extraordinary session of the mentioned Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge of Luxembourg is the fourth signatory Grand Lodge of the Basel Declaration which recognized again GLNF. The ALPINA Grand Lodge of Switzerland will recognize again GLNF, most likely at the beginning of this summer (at the latest).

Historic moment in French Freemasonry: GLNF-GOdF joint conference

Thursday, 12 February 2015

Paris, France. On 28 May 2015 will take place a historic event in the French capital. The French National Grand Lodge and the Grand Orient of France will hold a joint conference: The GLNF-GOdF Lafayette Meetings (Freemasonry, School of thought, School of spirituality).

The event will take place at GOdF's Grand Temple, the subject being: La Franc-Maçonnerie face à ses mythes. Even if the two Masonic organizations represent two different paths, they prove that the dialogue has always been a tool of Freemasonry. GLNF and GOdF are the most important Masonic organizations in the Hexagon. Jean-Pierre Servel demonstrates again the high Masonic diplomacy.

The IV International Masonic Symposium in Turkey

Cappadocia, Turkey. From 23 to 26 April 2015 the Grand Lodge of Turkey organizes the IV International Masonic Symposium. Participants will attend a concert on the first day (Antakya Civilizations Choir), and on April 24 the symposium will be opened. The event promises to be very interesting for Freemasons and not only.

IMC General Assembly in Madrid

Wednesday, 11 February 2015

Madrid, Spain. The Grand Lodge of Spain writes history. This year in April, the General Assembly of the Inter-American Masonic Confederation will be organized by the Grand Lodge of Spain. The IMC meeting will gather in Madrid Grand Masters from three continents, representing 67 countries. IMC was founded in 1947 and currently comprises over 300,000 Freemasons from Latin America, Portugal, France and Spain.

The Masonic Press Agency promoted several times IMC's General Assemblies, among which those in Mexico and Brazil.

French Masonic leaders discussed with the Minister of the Interior

Paris, France. Nearly two weeks ago, the leaders of the French Freemasonry attended a meeting with Bernard Cazeneuve, Interior Minister of France.

photo: CHARLES PLATIAU / REUTERS. CHARLES PLATIAU

The participants were: Jean-Pierre Servel (Grand Master of GLNF), Alain Bauer (Past Grand Master of GOdF), Roger Dachez (President of IMF - French Masonic Institute), Daniel Keller (Grand Master of GOdF), Michel Meley (President/Grand Master of the DH), Marc Henry (Grand Master of GLdF), Alain Juillet (Immediate Past Grand Master of the GLAMF) and Catherine Jeannin-Naltet (Grand Master of GLFF).

United Grand Lodges of Germany and from other 8 European countries have recognized GLNF

Monday, 9 February 2015

Paris, France. The Grand Lodges of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Estonia and Germany re-recognized the French National Grand Lodge (GLNF). The decisions of the Scandinavian Grand Lodges came in the context of the decision taken by the United Grand Lodge of England, an action supporting GLNF's reality.

Less expected were the decisions of the United Grand Lodges of Germany, Grand Lodge of Austria and the Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium. These Grand Lodges, together with the Grand Lodges of Switzerland (Alpine) and Luxembourg, were the signatories of the Declarations of Basel, Brussels and Berlin, documents which encouraged the Grand Lodge of France (GLdF) to hope for international recognition.

The decision of the Senate of the United Grand Lodges of Germany (31 January 2015) comes amid the failure of GLdF and that of Grand Master Marc Henry to promote, vote and promulgate the fundamental constitutional changes necessary to start the process of international recognition and also  on the background changes made within GLNF, realized with great success under the mandate of Grand Master Jean Pierre Servel. The decision of the Senate was unanimously passed.

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite: England suspends recognition for France

London, United Kingdom. A month ago (8 January 2015), the Supreme Council for England and Wales announced the suspension of recognition for the Supreme Council for France (SCplF). The decision of the Supreme Council in London has immediate effect and stipulates, among other, that the members of the Scottish Order in England should not to visit the Lodges/Chapters under the jurisdiction of the AASR of SCplF. Also, members SCplF's members must not visit the Lodges/Chapters within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council for England and Wales.

Given the position adopted by the current leader of SCplF (Jean-Luc Fauque, President of the Confederation of European Supreme Councils) regarding the French National Grand Lodge and taking into account the decision of the United Grand Lodge of England, it is understandable why the English Jurisdiction of the AASR decided to suspend relations with the Supreme Council for France.

Equally important was the lack of representatives from Northern and Southern Jurisdictions of the AASR for the United States at SCplF's Annual Communication in December 2014. It is important to observe which will be the international reactions following the decision in London and how and if Fauque will be received at the biennial of the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America (Washington D.C.).

Chancellor Helmut Schmidt was awarded by German Freemasonry

Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Hamburg, Germany. German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt was awarded with the Stresemann Prize by one of the 5 Grand Lodges composing the United Grand Lodges of Germany. The ceremony took place on January 26, 2015 at the headquarters of the Grand Lodge in Hamburg.

Annual Grand Festival of the Supreme Council for India

Hyderabad, India. On 7 February 2015, the Supreme Council for India will hold its Annual Grand Festival. The event will take place in the morning and in evening. Sovereign Grand Commander Stephen John Hindes 33° will confer the 30° Degree to some Brethren in the morning and during the evening will be receiving foreign delegations, after which there will be a banquet.

Freemasons killed in terrorist attacks in Paris

Paris, France. Following the attacks that took place in Paris in January, almost all Masonic organizations in France have issued press releases condemning the actions of terrorists. Freemasons from around the world expressed their condolences and support to French Freemasons, messages being received from: Malta, Slovenia, Peru, Turkey, Ukraine, Haiti, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Romania, Greece, Croatia, China, Azerbaijan, Togo, Italy, Latin America etc.

Over 1,000 French Freemasons marched through the streets of Paris and other cities to show their support and to protest against extremism and terrorism. Among the murdered journalists were counted two Freemasons: Bernard Maris and Michel Renaud.

After the attacks, the Grand Orient of France organized a conference which was also attended by Hassen Chalghoumi, President of the Conference of the Imams of France.