Grande Loja Regular de Portugal

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Original GLRP coat of arms

The Regular Grand Lodge of Portugal was created under a warrant from the Grande Loge Nationale Française by Decrees 762 and 763 of June 29, 1991. It was incorporated as a civil association under Portuguese law some days afterwards, on July 15, 1991, on the official books of the 3rd Public Notary of Lisbon.

1 History
2 Recognition and Schism
- 2.1 Court Decisions
3 External links

[edit] History

Freemasonry in Portugal has had a turbulent history, since it was first introduced by the Premier Grand Lodge of England in 1800. In 1743 John Coustos and two other members of his lodge were arrested by the inquisition and questioned under torture. His book detailing his sufferings under the inquisition has been an important source work of early ritual Masonic practice. The history continues with Bro. Da Costa who also arrested by the Inquisition because of his Masonic activities, but escaped and fled to London in 1805, where he joined the Lodge of Antiquity. [1]

In the 1980s the National Grand Lodge of France set up to number of Lodges in Portugal and in 1989 English Freemasonry returned with the warranting of the Prince Henry the Navigator Lodge. In 1991 the National Grand Lodge of France constituted its district in Portugal into The Regular Grand Lodge of Portugal. [2]

[edit] Recognition and Schism

Regularity is a constitutional mechanism by which Grand Lodges (or Grand Orients) give one another mutual recognition. This recognition allows formal interaction at the Grand Lodge level, and gives individual Freemasons the opportunity to attend meetings at Lodges in other recognized jurisdictions. Conversely, regularity proscribes interaction with Lodges that are irregular.

Grand Lodges that afford mutual recognition and allow inter-visitations are said to be in amity. Regularity as far as the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) Constitution is concerned, is based around a number of Landmarks, set down in their constitution and the constitutions of those Grand Lodges with which they are in amity. Even within this definition there are some variations with the quantity and content of the Landmarks from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Other Masonic groups organise differently. However, even without formal recognition of regularity, some Grand Lodges continue informal relations.

The Regular Grand Lodge of Portugal was recognized, by a letter from the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) on March 12, 1992; and hence by almost all other regular Grand Lodges all over the world.

UGLE ceased to include the "GLRP" as a Grand Lodge, as a result its internal schism, in 1996.

Two bodies currently claim to be the regular Masonic Authority for Portugal. UGLE recognizes the body styled the Regular Grand Lodge of Portugal (Legal), Grande Loja Legal de Portugal (GLRP) and provides a link to this Grand Lodge, (as GLLP) [3] on the UGLE website. [4] The body styled Regular Grand Lodge of Portugal, Grande Loja de Portugal (GLRP) also has a website. [5]

[edit] Court Decisions

The State Portuguese Courts have decided twice, over pretensions relating to rival claims:

1) Sentence of the 3rd Chamber of Criminal Court of Lisbon, in proc. 971/97.2TDLSB.
2) Sentence of the 2nd Chamber of Civil Court of Cascais, in proc. 362/99, ordering the restitution to "GLRP" of all things and documents taken; particularly the original paintings of the banner and coat of arms.

Almiro Gaspar Marques is the current Grand Master of the GLRP- Grande Loja Regular de Portugal.