August 2015

Monday 31 August 2015

Ivan Sariev was elected Most Worshipful Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Bulgaria


As expected, this summer took place the unification of Freemasonry in Bulgaria after 15 years of divisions and negotiations. On June 20, 2015, over 1,300 Brethren and 44 Lodges of the Grand Lodge of Bulgaria merged with the United Grand Lodge of Bulgaria, informs the Masonic Press Agency.


According to the same source, Ivan Sariev is the undisputed leader of the Bulgarian Freemasonry as a result of the unification process. 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.


GLNF re-recognized by the (regular) Grand Lodges of Switzewrland (Alpina) and South Carolina


The Masonic Press Agency recently announced that in early June, the Grand Lodge ALPINA (Switzerland) decided to resume bilateral relations with the French National Grand Lodge and recognize GLNF again as the sole regular Grand Lodge in France. The same decision was taken by the Grand Lodge of South Carolina. This year many US Grand Lodges will adopt the same decision during their Annual Communications.

MW Grand Master J.P. Servel, GLNF

Tuesday 25 August 2015

Friday 14 August 2015

Thursday 13 August 2015

Wednesday 12 August 2015

Tuesday 11 August 2015

Raul Arturo Gomez Mariscal (President of the Confederation of Regular Grand Lodges of Mexico) passed to the Eternal Lodge


On June 15, 2015, at 6 AM, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Baja California, Raul Arturo Gomez Mariscal, passed to the Eternal Lodge. Brother Gomez Mariscal was Chairman of the Confederation of Regular Grand Lodges of the United Mexican States, Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the Supreme Council for Mexico and member of the Commission of Regularity of the World Conference of Regular Grand Lodges.


Monday 10 August 2015

Romania hosted the III World Meeting of the Francophone Lodges


On 11-13 June 2015 took place the 3rd World Meeting of Francophone Lodges. The event was organized by Les Sages d'Heliopolis Lodge #53 of Bucharest (jurisdiction of the National Grand Lodge of Romania).


The world meeting was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Bucharest. On Thursday the organizers offered a cocktail reception for all Brethren attending the evetd. Friday was by two conferences: "Culture and Masonic esotericism" & "History and Society", and on Saturday was held a Masonic (ritualistic) meeting (at the Brâncovenesc Hall of the Parliament Palace) followed by a gala dinner. Saturday's event was attended by Grand Master Radu Balanescu, Executive Secretary of the World Conference of Regular Grand Lodges.

Masonic Press Agency: Serbia hosted the European Conference of Grand Masters


From 5 to 7 June 2015 took place the European Conference of Grand Masters, event organized by the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia. On Friday evening was offered a reception and the conference began on Saturday morning. On Sunday took place the 47th Annual Communication of the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia. The conference was attended, among others, by Peter Lowndes (Pro Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England), Radu Balanescu (Grand Master of the National Grand Lodge of Romania & Executive Secretary of the World Conference of Regular Grand Lodges), Jean Pierre Servel (French National Grand Lodge), Stefano Bisi (Grand Orient of Italy), Rudiger Templin (United Grand Lodges of Germany), Andrei Bogdanov (Grand Lodge of Russia), Alfonso Ortega (Grand Lodge of Spain) etc.


It was the largest and most important Masonic event ever organized in Serbia. The leaders of (regular) Freemasonry discussed about the contribution of Freemasonry to the development of humanity, generally speaking, and particularly in Europe.

Grand Master Ranko Vujacic was reelected, and at the Annual Communication which took place on Sunday were awarded medals for those Brethren who have contributed to the development of the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia.


A few days earlier, the Masonic Academy of Serbia was inaugurated on June 1, 2015. The initiative belongs to the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia headed by Grand Master Ranko Vujacic. The event was attended, among others, by Thomas Jackson (Honorary President of the Academy) and Rudiger Templin (Grand Master of Germany) who gave a lecture on: "Freemasons in civil society and their responsibility in the 21st century".


Religious and Masonic leaders will have a multilateral dialogue with the leaders of the European Union (?!)


On June 2, 2015 took place the meeting of the First Vice-President of the European Commission (Frans Timmermans) with the leaders of 7 European Masonic organizations and of 4 secular organizations. The discussions were focused on how we can live together respecting disagreements. Within the multilateral dialogue were reached topics such as freedom of expression, youth education, immigration and economic crisis.


The event was attended by Nieves BAYO GALLEGO (Spanish Symbolic Grand Lodge), Catherine Jeannin-NALTET (Women's Grand Lodge of France), Daniel KELLER (Grand Orient of France), Dimitrios LYBERIS (International Masonic Order DELPHI), Yvette RAMON (International Mixed Masonic Order HUMAN RIGHT), Tomasz SZMAGIER (Grand Orient of Poland) and Steven WARMOES (Grand Lodge of Belgium).

For the first time since this multilateral meeting is organized it was requested that the next meeting to be attend also by religious leaders during the same session with those of Freemasonry in Europe. According to the Masonic Press Agency, both First Vice-President of the European Commission (Frans Timmermans) and Vice President of the European Parliament (Antonio Tajani) agreed.


Steven P. Boring was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Florida


At the end of May the Grand Lodge of Florida announced that Steven P. Boring (Past Senior Grand Warden) was installed as Grand Master. He will be assisted by Stanley Hudson (Deputy Grand Master).


Steven P. Boring (born in Elizabethton, Tennessee) worked for 28 years at Florida Power Corporation and served in the Army National Guard in Florida for 36 years. He was initiated into Freemasonry in East Gate Lodge #355 in Clearwater, being raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on December 23, 1974.