Grande Loge de France
The Grande Loge de France (GLDF) is the third largest Masonic obedience in France. It positions itself as occupying a unique position in the landscape of French Freemasonry, recognising and having relations with the obediences of Continental Freemasonry while still considering itself to be separate from them.
History
Previous uses of the name
The name, "Grande Loge de France" was used by the first French Masonic grand body, but its foundation date is unknown. In 1773, this body gave itself a new set of Statutes and changed its name to the "Grand Orient de France". A few Lodges objected to one of the new Statutes' articles which stipulated that the Masters must be elected by the free choice of their Lodge and decided to continue under the old name of Grande Loge de France. However both bodies re-united in 1799.
History of the current Grand Loge
The current Grande Loge de France (GLDF) was founded in 1894 due to a rift in the Grand Orient. The Grande Loge de France was never recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE),[1] although it was (briefly) recognized by a few of the Grand Lodges in the United States around the time of the First World War (UGLE and most of the American Grand Lodges currently recognise the Grande Loge Nationale Française instead). In 1954 the General Assembly (Convent) of the GLDF voted a resolution which rendered obligatory the presence of the Volume of the Sacred Law in all its Lodges. Following this, the GLDF and the GLNF entered into negotiations for a union, which ultimately failed. In 1964, the GLDF signed a 'Treaty of Fraternal Alliance' with the GODF. Some 1,000 brethren out of a total of 8,200 left GLF because they disagreed with the Treaty and joined the GLNF.
The Grand Lodge of France works the first three degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (A&ASR). As of 2008 it has approximately 800 lodges and over 30,000 members.
Grande Loge de France outside France
Grande Loge de France has lodges in 14 countries outside France[2] as a result of history (Lodges in former French colonies) or the absence of any other Grand Lodge in amity with the Grande Loge de France in the country at the time of the foundation of the Lodge.
- Belgium: One lodge in Tournai
- Thailand: One lodge in Bangkok
- Canada: One lodge in Montreal
- Congo: Three lodges, two in Brazzaville and one in Pointe Noire
- England: One lodge in London[3]
- Israel: Two lodges, one in Jerusalem and one in Tel Aviv
- Latvia: Three lodges in Riga
- Lithuania: One lodge in Kaunas
- Madagascar: Three lodges
- Mauritius: Four lodges
- Russia: One lodge in Moscow
- Senegal: One lodge
- Spain: Two lodges, one in Barcelona[4] and one in Madrid[5]
Confederation of the United Grand Lodges of Europe
In 2000, together with other European Grand Lodges and the "Opera" Traditional and Symbolic Grand Lodge, the GLDF formed the Confederation of the United Grand Lodges of Europe.[6]
As of 2008, the Confederation of the United Grand Lodges of Europe had 11 constituent members:
- Gran Logia de Canarias
- Grande Loge de France
- Grand Lodge of Greece A&ASR
- General Grand Lodge of Italy
- National Grand Lodge of Portugal
- National Grand Lodge of Serbia
- La Grande Loge Nationale du Liban
- National Grand Lodge of Romania
- Grande Loge traditionnelle et symbolique Opéra
- Grande Loge unie du Liban
- Sun Grand Lodge of Lebanon
- United Grand Lodge of Russia (in 2010)[7][8]
Recognition
In France, there are some 11 Grand Lodges, few of which officially recognize the legitimacy of the others. Many cooperate with GLdF at a level below official recognition.
References
- ↑ http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/masonic_foreign_recognitions.html The politics of Grand Lodge foreign relations by W. Bro. Jack Buta
- ↑ The GLDF in the world
- ↑ The White Swan Lodge, No 1348
- ↑ El Centro de la Unión Escocesa, No 1178
- ↑ Logia Genesis
- ↑ Article on United Grand Lodges of Europe in "The Plumbline"
- ↑ News on UGLR official site (Russian)
- ↑ Иванов С. «Исторический союз русских лож» СПб.: АИР. 2011.- 520 с.: ISBN 978-5-9902797-1-1
Bibliography
- Connaître la Grande Loge de France, édit. Ivoire Clair, collection Les Architectes de la Connaissance dirigée par Philippe Morbach, Paris, 2000 ISBN 2-913882-06-4
- Daniel Ligou (dir.), Histoire des Francs-Maçons en France, tome 2, 1815-2000, Privat, Toulouse, 2000 ISBN 2-7089-6839-4
- Roger Dachez, Histoire de la franc-maçonnerie française, PUF, Paris, 2003 ISBN 2-13-053539-9
- Gilbert Garibal, Être franc-maçon aujourd'hui, Marabout, Alleur (Belgique), 1994 ISBN 2-501-02029-4