List of Masonic Grand Lodges explained

This is a list of all verifiable organizations that claim to be a Masonic Grand Lodge.

A Masonic "Grand Lodge" (or sometimes "Grand Orient") is the governing body that supervises the individual "Lodges of Freemasons" in a particular geographical area, known as its "jurisdiction" (usually corresponding to a sovereign state or other major geopolitical unit). Some are large, with thousands of members divided into hundreds of subordinate lodges, while others are tiny, with only a few members split between a handful of local lodges. Sometimes there will only be one Grand Lodge in a given area, but the majority of the time there will be at least two. More often, there will be several competing Grand Lodges claiming the same jurisdictional area, or claiming overlapping areas. This fact leads to debates over legitimacy: Not all Grand Lodges and Grand Orients recognize each other as being legitimate. However, such recognition is not relevant to this list, yet recognition is foundational within the fraternal order. Inclusion in this list only requires the establishment of a physical (as opposed to a virtual, or online) presence, and lodges (regular, unrecognized or clandestine) which acknowledge their governance.

Membership numbers are subject to change; for current figures, check the sources which are indicated in the reference section.

Africa

See main article: List of Masonic Grand Lodges Africa.

Asia

See main article: List of Masonic Grand Lodges Asia.

Australia and Oceania

See main article: List of Masonic Grand Lodges Australia and Oceania.

Caribbean

See main article: List of Masonic Grand Lodges Caribbean.

Central and South America

See main article: List of Masonic Grand Lodges Central and South America.

Europe

See main article: List of Masonic Grand Lodges Europe.

North America

See main article: List of Masonic Grand Lodges North America.

External organizations or affiliations

AbbreviationNameFoundedNotes
AACEEAdogmatic Associations of Central and Eastern Europe2001The AACEE brings together all Liberal Masonic Obediences from Central and Eastern Europe respecting the same values and willing to participate to a common mission.[1]
L'AMILL'Association maçonnique intercontinentale libérale1996
CATENAInternational Masonic Union Catena[2] 1961Grand lodges with male and female membership.
CGLREUConfederación de Grandes Logias Regulares de los Estados Unidos MexicanosAn association of Mexican state grand lodges, many of whom are in amity with CGMNA jurisdictions and UGLE. Some older and larger CGLREU jurisdictions have also joined the multi-national association of CMI, although the two organizations are not linked.
GLIMGran Logia Itinerante de Mexico1788A military-founded masonic body. The itinerant lodges were established by the Spanish soldiers that arrived to Mexico previous to the Independence Movement. Their lodges were inherited by their founders descendants, all part of the freemasonry on their cities. This lodges have the attribution to work anywhere there are at least 3 Master Masons.
CGLEMConfederation of Grand Lodges of Europe and Mediterranean[3] An association of grand lodges in the Mediterranean area and Southern Europe. Not to be confused with GLUDE. Established by the Traditional and Modern Grand Lodge of France, the National Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Italy, Grand Lodge communities of Andalusia, The Regular Grand Lodge of Portugal, and The National Grand Lodge of Morocco (GLNM).
CGMNA or COGMNAConference of Grand Masters in North America1928An organization of Grand Lodge leaders, representing 64 sovereign jurisdictions located throughout the US, Canada, Mexico and Germany. Its members are broadly recognized by jurisdictions throughout the world. Today, these CGMNA jurisdictions serve over 2 million Freemasons in North America.[4] Its oldest constituent Grand Lodge dates itself to 1733.
CIMASConfederación Interamericana de Masonería Simbólica2002Independent Liberal and Adogmatic body.[5]
CLIMAFCentre de Liaison International de la Maçonnerie Féminine1982An association of women's grand lodges, mostly in Europe.
CLIPSASCentre de Liaison et d'Information des Puissances maçonniques Signataires de l'Appel de Strasbourg[6] 1961Organized by the Grand Orient of France (GOF), member jurisdictions reject Anderson's 1723 constitutions, do not require belief in a supreme being, and make no distinction regarding participation by men or women.
CMIConfederación Masónica Interamericana (CMI) (Interamerican Masonic Confederation)1947An organization of South and Central American Grand Lodges. Its members are broadly recognized by CGMNA grand lodges and the United Grand Lodge of England. Founded by the grand lodges of Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, by 2014 the CMI had almost 75 member grand lodges.[7]
CMBConfederacion Masonica BolivarianaAn organization of grand lodges within Bolivia, and neighboring countries.
CMCConfederacion Masonica ColombianaAn organization of state and national lodges within Colombia.
CMCAConfederacion Masonica CentroamericanaAn organization of state and national lodges in Central America.
COMABConfederação Maçônica do Brasil1973An association of independent Grand Orients in Brazil[8]
COMAMConferencia Masónica Americana (American Masonic Conference)This Masonic organization, formed by Grand Lodges and Grand Orient of the American continent, was created in Santiago de Chile in order to serve as a nexus and union of the Liberal and adogmatic, male, female and mixed Obediences that aim at the work of individual perfection with absolute freedom of conscience.
CMSBConfederação da Maçonaria Simbólica do Brasil1965An association of grand lodges in Brazil
DHLe Droit Humain1893International mixed (male and female) Freemasonry. Also known as "Co-Masonry".
EMAEuropean Masonic AllianceThe EMA (AME) is referenced in the Register of Transparency of the European Commission, and has several meetings a year with the president or vice-president of the European Commission, as well as meeting European Senators.[9]
EMEL'Espace Maçonnique Européen2002Promotion of human rights and secularism
GLMAE Gran Logia Mixta de los Andes Ecuatoriales (GLMAE)2011Ecuadorian association of mixed (male and female) lodges
GLUDE [10] Confédération des Grandes Loges unies d'Europe2000An organization of grand lodges using the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, founded by the Grand Lodge of France (GLdF), la Grande Loge Traditionnelle et Symbolique Opéra (of France) and la Grande Loge Nationale de Serbie (then Yugoslavia).
HC [11] High Council (HC) or Masonic High Council (MHC)2005An association of jurisdictions styling themselves as High Councils. Organized by the Regular Grand Lodge of England (RGLE), which serves as the HC's Mother High Council. Highly volatile, These groups do not publish member counts nor addresses, and may exist only on the internet or as a function of one or two persons. External citations needed.
IMFInstitut Maçonnique de France2002Instigated by the GOF, with collaboration by the GLdF and seven other French masonic bodies, the IMF allows low-level cooperation on promotion of Masonic book fairs and events that address the conditions of man and society. The GLdF left this organization in 2006.
Int. FMInternational FreemasonsAn African-American oriented group of grand lodges in the United States
LFBLes Franc-maçons BelgesAn organization of Belgian grand lodges
National CompactPrince Hall - National Compact1847Subordinate Grand Lodges of the Prince Hall National Grand Lodge
NUGLB [12] National United Grand Lodges of Bulgaria2016Association of Grand Lodges in Bulgaria (Shared United Bulgarian Orient - shared jurisdiction)
PHAPrince Hall Affiliation (PHA)1870An association of 49 historically black Grand Lodges located throughout North America, the Caribbean, and Liberia, which trace their origin to Prince Hall, of Massachusetts. Many of these GLs are in amity with their CGMNA counterparts and with the United Grand Lodge of England. Today there are over 4,500 PHA lodges worldwide, and of them, the oldest constituent PHA lodge dates itself to 1797.
PHCGMPrince Hall Conference of Grand Masters1887An organization of Prince Hall Affiliated (PHA) Grand Lodge leaders,[13] from 49 Prince Hall Affiliated (PHA) grand lodges.
REHFRAMRencontres Humanistes et Fraternelles Africaines et MalgachesAn organization of African regular and liberal lodges, meeting annually in an African capital.
SCICSuprême Conseil International du Canada (International Supreme Council of Canada)2019[14] SCIC is the governing body that maintains uniformity for the – degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite practiced by the Grand ANI Lodge of Canada and the Grand Orient of Quebec.
SIMPASecrétariat international Maçonnique des Puissances Adogmatiques1998Some of the larger Grand Lodges in CLIPSAS left in 1998 to form their own organisation. Most have now rejoined and SIMPA is currently dormant.
SOGLIASociety of Grand Lodges in Alliance2010 [15] SOGLIA is confederation of Grand freemason Obedience's which all members obey principles of Regularity. Assembled annually, in different places of the world, in order to share fellowship and to promote Masonic tradition, SOGLIA members are respecting the autonomy of each Grand Lodge. That is expressed by variety of accepted and recognized Rituals practiced in our Grand Lodges around the world. Our association was born in the year 6010.Y:T:L: by signing the Treaty of Arezzo, in the city that welcomed eight Grand Masters representing eight Grand Lodges. Subsequently, more Grand Lodges have join SOGLIA spanning our society to the five continents.
UMML’Union Maçonnique de la Méditerranée (UMM) (Masonic Union of the Mediterranean)2000 [16] An association of fifteen adogmatic and liberal jurisdictions from countries bordering the Mediterranean and Mediterranean culture. Since 2012, the UMM has been controlled by the Grande Loge Féminine de France and the Fédération Française du Droit Humain.
UMMTUnione Mondiale Massonica Tradizionale (UMMT) (World Traditional Masonic Union)[17] 2013 Self-reported as "approximately 30 members", the UMMT includes European jurisdictions not in amity with UGLE or the larger jurisdictions in their nations. Admits mixed Grand Lodges and use of the Ancient and Primitive Rite de Memphis-Misraïm.
VGLvDVereinigte Großlogen von Deutschland (United Grand Lodges of Germany)1958-04-27A sovereign federation of five autonomous Grand Lodges, it serves as the national Grand Lodge of Germany to all outside German Masonry (Masons of other nations and the German public)[18]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: STATEMENT. www.dudau.com. Laurentiu Dudau. AACEE Info. en. 2019-05-24.
  2. http://www.catena.org/english/members/ CATENA members list
  3. https://cglem.org/ CGLEM website
  4. https://www.cogmna.info/ CGMNA web site
  5. Web site: Confederación Interamericana de Masonería Simbólica. https://web.archive.org/web/20100507154713/http://www.cimas.info/ . 2010-05-07. es. 2023-08-21.
  6. Web site: Membres. CLIPSAS. Members. 2014-07-11. fr-FR. mdy-all.
  7. http://www.cmisecretariaejecutiva.org/cmi/ CMI Executive Secretary website
  8. http://www.comab.org.br/ COMAB website
  9. Web site: E.M.A. (European Masonic Alliance). FREEMASONRY.network. en-US. 2019-05-24.
  10. http://www.rlastrolabe.com/index.php/grandes-loges-unies-deurope/13-grande-loge-unie-deurope.html Astrolabe
  11. http://www.rgle.org.uk/ RGLE website
  12. http://www.nuglb.bg/ NUGLB website
  13. http://www.conferenceofgrandmasterspha.org/home.asp PHCGM web site
  14. Web site: Accueil. Suprême Conseil International du Canada - Rite Écossais Ancien et Accepté. fr-CA. 2022-07-26. mdy-all.
  15. http://www.theworldofsoglia.org Brief History of the Regular Grand Lodge of Romania
  16. http://www.glff.org/lunion-macionnique-de-la-mediterranee.html GLFF website, noting formation and control
  17. http://ummt.ro/history Unione Mondiale Massonica Tradizionale History page
  18. http://www.freimaurer.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=29 Über die VGLvD (About the VGLvD)