Sunday, June 17, 2007

Featured Grand Lodge

Grand Lodge of Macedonia

One of the youngest Grand Lodges in the world is the one in Macedonia.
It’s hard to trace the history of Masonry in Macedonia, because the country was under foreign rule for a very long time and changed its rulers couple of times before it got partial independence after the WWII and full independence in 1991. What is known for sure is that there were lodges working in 19th century, created by the europen diplomats and businessmen who lived in the country. The “Young-Turks” revolution, that changed the Ottoman Empire and initiated the modern day Turkey, started in the lodges that were situated there, and one of the most respected lodges today in Istanbul has the name “Macedonia”.
Evidences of masonic influence are present in some old buildings and churches, with the square and compasses or the All Seeing Eye present in paint or carved in stone.
The official start of masonry in this small, but historicaly important country, that has a biblical “certificate”, was in 1995, when a group of 8 honorable men became masons in the lodges in Yugoslavia (today – Serbia). Soon after that, their number rose to 21. The attempt to create a lodge in Macedonia was interrupted by the change of situation and the relationship between the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia and the rest of the masonic world, so bringing light in the country was delayed in order to avoid irregularities.
Masons who were already initiated, started contacts with the UGLE and in 1997 were accepted as members of lodges in England. Soon after, the first Macedonian Lodge was formed – Lodge Skopje (the name of the capital city). Two other lodges were also formed under UGLE – Unity and White Dawn. The road for opening an independent Grand Lodge was paved.
In October 2005, high representatives and officers from the United Grand Lodge of England came in Skopje and brought light into the Grand Lodge of Macedonia. It was an extraordinary rear moment - the second time in 100 years that UGLE has done that.
Since then, a number of mutual recognitions and contacts started with lodges all over the world. One more lodge was opened – Morning Star. The total number of masons in the country is currently almost 100 (on a total population of 2 milion). An interesting fact is that the first Macedonian Lodge that was opened – Skopje, still works in English, in honor of its Mother Lodge – UGLE.
You can contact them:
web: www.glm.org.mk (the web-site is with an excellent design, but the English version is still under construction)
e-mail: glm@unet.com.mk

or by mail:


GLM
R.Macedonia, Skopje 1000
P.O.Box 544