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Freemasonry in Lebanon started with the chartering of a Lodge by the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1861, and has expanded to include Lodges working in Arabic, English, and French and chartered under multiple jurisdictions and streams. There are four regular and recognised Jurisdictions, and over two dozens of clandestine and irregular lodges
The first regular Masonic Lodge to be erected in Lebanon was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland on May 6, 1861 [1] and was given the name Palestine Lodge No. 415 and operated in French. [2] This lodge operated in Beirut but became dormant in 1895. Four other Scottish lodges were chartered in Lebanon before the First World War. The Grand Orient of France chartered a lodge in 1869, working in Arabic. Two further lodges followed, but none survived the First World War.[ citation needed ]
Other new lodges formed prior to World War I was a lodge in Beirut under the Ottoman Grand Lodge, later the Grand Lodge of Turkey, and another under the National Grand Lodge of Egypt, formed around 1914. Several other Egyptian-warranted lodges were chartered thereafter, and after the First World War, these were formed into a District Grand Lodge. By the end of World War Two, these lodges were extinct, merged, or had changed jurisdictional authority.[ citation needed ]
In 1955 the Grand Lodge of New York consecrated the District Grand Lodge of Syria-Lebanon on August 22, 1955, by Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York M∴ W∴ Charles W. Frossel, who flew to Lebanon for that purpose. The first lodge, Syrio-American Lodge No. 1, was consecrated in 1924. 12 lodges were chartered & consecrated in all, 11 in Lebanon and 1 in Syria. Of these the 11 lodges in Lebanon remain active. The one in Syria, Ibrahim El Khalil Lodge No. 4 in Damascus, originally consecrated in 1927, went dormant after the 1967 war. [3]
In 2010, the Grand Lodge of Washington, D.C. [4] chartered their first lodge in Lebanon, Phoenix Lodge No. 1001 [5] in Al Fanar, Lebanon. In 2018, a French-speaking lodge under the name of Cadmus Lodge No. 1002 was also chartered, bringing the total number of lodges operating under the Grand Lodge of Washington, D.C. to two. A third one, Cedrus Libani No 1003 was established in 2022 [6] . In 2024, the charters for these three lodges were arrested [7] . They were later restored in November 2024 by the Grand Master of Grand Lodge of Washington, D.C.
In 2013, the District Grand Lodge of Lebanon was formed under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. [8] Operating within its framework were 6 Lodges; Lodge Peace 908 (Arabic speaking meets in Fanar), Lodge Kadisha 1002 (English speaking meets in Fanar), Lodge Zahle 1047 (Arabic speaking meets in Zahle), Lodge El Mizab 1130 (Arabic speaking meets in El Mina Tripoli), Lodge Mount Lebanon 1312 (Arabic speaking meets in Koura), Lodge Harmony 1830 (English speaking meets in Zahle).[ citation needed ]
Since then, 4 more Lodges [9] have been formed to bring the number of Lodges operating under the District Grand Lodge of Lebanon to 10, namely Lodge Pythagoras 1841 (English speaking meets in Fanar), Lodge King Hiram 1351 (English speaking meets in Fanar), Lodge Trinity 1846 (English Speaking meets in Fanar), and Lodge Al Nour 1847 (English speaking meets in Chtaura).[ citation needed ]
In 2018, 3 lodges in the District Grand Lodge of Syria-Lebanon under the Grand Lodge of New York were granted a charter from the Grand Lodge of New York and William M. Sandone, Grand Master to form their own Grand Lodge, "The Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Lebanon." [10] [11] The Grand Lodge formed has not been recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England [12] or other major grand lodges like the Grand Lodge of Scotland or Ireland [13] .
Freemasonry or simply Masonry includes various fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 14th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. Freemasonry is the oldest fraternity in the world and among the oldest continued organizations in history.
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is a rite within the broader context of Freemasonry. It is the most widely practiced Rite in the world. In some parts of the world, and in the Droit Humain, it is a concordant body and oversees all degrees from the 1st to 33rd degrees, while in other areas, a Supreme Council oversees the 4th to 33rd degrees.
A Masonic lodge, also called a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry.
Cedrus libani, commonly known as cedar of Lebanon or Lebanese cedar, is a species of tree in the genus Cedrus, a part of the pine family, native to the mountains of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. It is a large evergreen conifer that has great religious and historical significance in the cultures of the Middle East, and is referenced many times in the literature of ancient civilisations. It is the national emblem of Lebanon and is widely used as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens.
Freemasonry in Malta has a lengthy history dating from the eighteenth century. The main masonic influences have been from the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and the Grand Lodge of Ireland. Today Regular Freemasonry is under the jurisdiction of the English Constitution since 1815, the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta, which was formed in 2004 as well as the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
A Grand Lodge, also called Grand Orient or by another similar title, is a name for the overarching governing body of a fraternal or other similarly organized group in a given area, usually a city, state, or country.
Co-Freemasonry is a form of Freemasonry which admits both men and women. It began in France in the 1890s with the forming of Le Droit Humain, and is now an international movement represented by several Co-Freemasonic administrations throughout the world. Most male-only Masonic Lodges do not recognise Co-Freemasonry, holding it to be irregular.
The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland is the governing body of Freemasonry in Scotland. It was founded in 1736. About one third of Scotland's lodges were represented at the foundation meeting of the Grand Lodge.
There are many organisations and orders which form part of the widespread fraternity of Freemasonry, each having its own structure and terminology. Collectively these may be referred to as Masonic bodies, Masonic orders, Concordant bodies or appendant bodies of Freemasonry.
This is a general survey on the historical and modern presence of Freemasonry in countries located in Asia.
This is a chronology of the formation of "regular" or "mainstream" Masonic Grand Lodges in North America, descending from the Premier Grand Lodge of England or its rival, the Antient Grand Lodge of England. A Grand Lodge is the governing body that supervises "Craft" Freemasonry in a particular jurisdiction or geographical area.
A Research lodge is a particular type of Masonic lodge which is devoted to Masonic research. It is a lodge, and as such has a charter from some Grand Lodge. However, it does not confer degrees, and restricts membership to Master Masons of some jurisdiction in amity with the jurisdiction that the research lodge is in. Related to research lodges are Masonic research societies, which serve the same purpose but function fundamentally differently. There are research lodges in most countries where Freemasonry exists.
Continental Freemasonry in North America is relatively rare, but there are a few continental-style organizations active.
Freemasonry in Barbados is one of the oldest established organisations in the country. Regular Freemasonry is controlled from London and Edinburgh by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and the Grand Lodge of Scotland through local Provincial Grand Lodges. More recently Prince Hall Freemasonry has also been established on the island.
The history of Freemasonry in Turkey stretches back to the 18th century under Ottoman imperial rule.
The Grand Lodge of Cyprus, or in the Greek language, Μεγάλη Στοά της Κύπρου, is the sovereign governing body of freemasonry within the Republic of Cyprus. Its formal English name is "The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Cyprus, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons." While four of its constituent lodges are approaching 100 years of age, the Grand Lodge of Cyprus itself came into being on February 15, 2006. Thus it is one of the youngest grand lodges in the world.
Freemasonry in Scotland in lodges chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland comprises the Scottish Masonic Constitution as regular Masonic jurisdiction for the majority of freemasons in Scotland. There are also lodges operating under the Scottish Masonic Constitution in countries outside of Scotland. Many of these are countries linked to Scotland and the United Kingdom through the Commonwealth of Nations and prior colonies and other settlements of the British Empire although there are several lodges in countries such as Lebanon, Belgium, Chile and Peru, which do not have such connections.
The Supreme Council, Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction oversees the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in fifteen states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Vermont. This territory has existed since 1827 when the NMJ gained jurisdiction "over the then 14 states situated east of the Mississippi and north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Wisconsin was not yet a state, but part of Michigan."
The history of Freemasonry in Ghana can be traced to the early nineteenth century when the first Masonic lodge was consecrated in the country. The practice of Freemasonry was imported to the then Gold Coast and other Commonwealth realms by European residents in the nation during the British colonial era. Most of the lodges in Ghana are governed by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and Wales, Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Ireland. Similar to their sister organisations worldwide, Ghanaian masonic fraternities are nonsectarian, with proceedings of the societies being strictly apolitical and non–religious.
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