Feast of the Order in Spain had as special guest the Grand Master of Morocco

Wednesday, 28 September 2016

El Oriente

Valencia, Spain. The Annual Feast of the Order in Spain (which occurred in the first semester of the year) gathered over 300 guests and it had as special guest the Grand Master of the Regular Grand Lodge of the Kingdom of Morocco, Yassine Nouini.

Yassine Nouini stated the following: "Relations between the Grand Lodge of Spain and the Regular Grand Lodge of the Kingdom ofMorocco should be increasingly stronger given the geographical and historical reasons that unite us." The Masonic event was covered by state television in Spain.

Grand Lodge of Panama celebrated a century since its foundation

Panama City, Panama. On April 16, 2016 ceremonies were held to celebrate a century since the founding of the Grand Lodge of Panama. The ceremony presided by Grand Master Carlo Rognon was attended by several Grand Lodges, including: Symbolic Grand Lodge of Paraguay, Grand Orient of Brazil, Grand Lodge of Cuba etc.

It was also attended by the Executive Secretary (Rudy Barbosa) and President (Óscar Alfonso, Grand Master of Spain) f the Inter-American Masonic Confederation and Thomas W. Jackson.

The Grand Lodge of Panama is the sole regular Grand Lodge in the country and in 2018 will host the World Conference of Regular Grand Lodges.

Edgar Bazán Naveda is the new Grand Master of Peru

Lima, Peru. On March 26, 2016 took place the Installation Ceremony of the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Peru. Edgar Bazán Naveda was installed as Grand Master of Peru, replacing Galo Moncada Mau. The new Deputy Grand Master is Tulio Manrique Trelles.

Edgar Bazán Naveda will hold the position of Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Peru for two years (2016-2018).

The event was attended by several Grand Masters in South America, by the Executive Secretary (Rudy Barbosa Levy) of the Inter-American Masonic Confederation and by Grand Master of France (Jean Pierre Servel - GLNF).

Romanian installed Master of a Feminine Lodge in UK

London, United Kingdom. On February 29, 2016, the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons announced the installation in the office of Worshipful Master of Gothic Lodge #27 of the first women of Romanian origin (in the United Kingdom) in the organization's history. The Installation cremony took place on February 22, 2016. The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons is one of the two Feminine Grand Lodges in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons also has a Lodge based in Bucharest, Romania.

The organization was founded in 1913 (being the second Feminine Grand Lodge in the World) and was led for 20 years by the Grand Master Elizabeth Boswell-Reid. The first three Lodges were: Stability, Wisdom (changing its name in Fidelity) and Strength.

XIX World Conference of Supreme Councils held in Portugal

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

Lisbon, Portugal. From 13 to 17 May 2015 took plce the World Conference of Supreme Councils. The event was hosted by the Supreme Council for Portugal, led by overeign Grand Commander Agostinho Garcia, 33º (President of the World Conference). he conference was attended by the Supreme Councils of Southern and Northern Jurisdictions of the United States, England, France, Peru, Italy, Israel, Spain, Greece, India, Cyprus, Romania, Bulgaria, Paraguay, Brazil, Venezuela, Scotland, Turkey Switzerland, Canada, Serbia, the Netherlands, Panama, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Bolivia, Finland, Luxembourg, Australia, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Russia, Togo, Croatia, Armenia, Haiti and Latvia.

In accordance with decisions taken at Lisbon, the next World Conference will be organized by the Supreme Council of Paraguay. The XXI World Conference of Supreme Councils will be held in Bucharest (Romania) and organized by the Supreme Council of Romania.

Noé Dos Santos is the leader regular Freemasonry in Uruguay

Montevideo, Uruguay. At the end of the last year, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Uruguay was reelected. For Noé Dos Santos and his deputy, José Garchitorena, this is the second term at the helm of Freemasonry in Uruguay.

The installation ceremony of the Grand Master was attended by several foreign delegations: United Grand Lodge of England (South District), Symbolic Grand Lodge of Paraguay, Grand Lodge of Santa Catarina (Brazil), Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Masonic Confederation, Grand Lodge of Argentina, Grand Orient of Brazil etc.

The banker Noé Dos Santos was born in 1938 and was elected twice as President of Rotary. He was initiated into Freemasonry in 1991. From 2013 he occupies the office of Grand Master. In July 2016, the Grand Lodge of Uruguay celebrated its 160 anniversary.

Christoph Bosbach is the new Grand Master of Germany

Tuesday, 13 September 2016

Christoph Bosbach

Berlin, Germany. Christoph Bosbach is the new leader of German Freemasonry. He was installed in office last year after Rüdiger Templin has completed his two terms in office. The event took place on November 1, 2015 in the presence of 47 foreign delegations: England, Albania, Paraguay, Romania etc.

Born in Cologne, Bosbach was Deputy Grand Master and he is a lawyer. He also he worked in IT. Since 1991 is a member of the Lodge Freimut und Wahrheit in Cologne.

The United Grand Lodges of Germany have over 15300 Freemasons grouped in 485 Masonic Lodges. The organization is one of the largest in Europe alongside the United Grand Lodge of England, Grand Orient of Italy etc.

Commission on Information for Recognition recognizes the unification of regular Freemasonry in Bulgaria

Monday, 12 September 2016

At the beginning of this year took place the Conference of Grand Masters of North America. According to the tradition of this event, the annual report on regularity and recognition was issued. In this year's report there are references to the Grand Lodge of Georgia and the United Grand Lodge of Bulgaria. There is also additional information on the Regular Freemasonry in Quintana Roo (Mexico) and Paraguay.

Georgia | On March 14, 2015 took place the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Georgia with the help of the Grand Lodge of Russia. The Grand Lodge of Georgia asked the Commission for Recognition to analyze its regularity, but on February 22, 2016 the Grand Master of Russia asked the Commission that the matter be tabled until the meeting of 2017 and his petition was accepted.

Bulgaria | On June 20, 2015 took place the ratification process of the unification of Freemasonry in Bulgaria. The United Grand Lodge of Bulgaria is the sole regular Grand Lodge. The Masonic Agency announced that the unification ceremony held in Sofia (Hotel Marinella, 11.00 o'clock) was attended by Grand Masters and delegations from Germany, Austria, Russia, Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland and the United States of America.

Israeli President received the visit of the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Israel

Tel Aviv, Israel. On 10 November 2015 a delegation of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel was received by His Excellency President Reuven Rivlin. The delegation of the Grand Lodge was headed by Grand Master Avi Baranès. The delegation also included, among others: Past Grand Masters Nadim Mansour, Sami Raphael, Itzhak Zino, Ephraim Fuchs, Deputy Grand Master Suleiman Salem etc.

The President of Israel received from the Grand Master the medal of the Grand Lodge in recognition for his actions made in favor of Israeli citizens without distinction of race and religion.

Grand Master Avi Baranès is in his second term, leading  the sole regular Grand Lodge of Israel. President Reuven Rivlin is the leader of the Israeli state since 2014 and is a supporter of minority rights.

XIV World Conference of Regular Grand Lodges was held in the United States of America

San Francisco, United States. From 18 to 21 November 2015 took place the World Conference of Regular Grand Lodges, organized by the Grand Lodge of California. The opening ceremony took place Thursday at 8:30 in the presence of the President, Executive Secretary Radu Balanescu (Grand Master of the National Grand Lodge of Romania). Also, the occupying the presidium were Thomas Jackson and Ronald Seale (Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States). The conference was opened jointly by the Grand Lodge of California, Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California and the Grand Lodge of Iran (in exile in the United States).

The event took place at the California Masonic Memorial Temple in San Francisco. The conference was attended by over 1000 Freemasons representing over Grand Lodges. The next World Conference of Regular Grand Lodges will take place in Antananarivo, Madagascar (Africa) in 2017 and that of 2018 will be organized by the Grand Lodge of Panama.