Grand Orient of Italy

History

The Grand Orient of Italy was founded in 1805, during the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy; the viceroy Eugene of Beauharnais was instrumental in its establishment.

Past Grand Masters have included:

• Giuseppe Garibaldi,
• Adriano Lemmi, 1885–96
• Sculptor Ettore Ferrari,
• Mayor of Rome Ernesto Nathan

Freemasonry was suppressed by Mussolini in 1925, being restarted after the Second World War. Nevertheless, many people connected with the Italian Fascism were Freemasons: Edmondo Rossoni, Araldo di Crollalanza, Alfredo De Marsico, Peppino Caradonna, Bernardo Barbiellini Amidei, Aldo Finzi, Balbino Giuliano e Costanzo Ciano, father of Galeazzo, Alberto Beneduce, Giacomo Acerbo, Ezio Maria Gray, and Armando Casalini, among others.

In 2013, Gustavo Raffi, the then Gran Master of the Grand Orient of Italy, addressed special warm greetings to Pope Francis for his election, signing a new period of reconciliation between Freemasonry and the Roman Catholic Church.When I read the warm greeting from Gustavo Raffi, the grand master of the Grand Orient of Italy, in 2013, I was certain that, more than a "welcome" to Pope Bergoglio [...], it was a "good riddance" to Pope Ratzinger!

• Leggendo nel 2013 il caloroso saluto di Gustavo Raffi, il gran maestro del Grande Oriente d'Italia, fui certo che, più di un "benvenuto" a Papa Bergoglio [...], si trattasse di un "benservito" a Papa Ratzinger!
  • Georg Gänswein. As quoted in Marco Grieco, È uscito Nient’altro che la verità: la resa dei conti di padre Georg, vanityfair.it (12 January 2023)

Regularity

Recognition by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is a key factor in maintaining the status of a Regular Masonic jurisdiction. The Grand Orient of Italy was once a significant player within international Freemasonry, and in 1972 it was recognised as regular by UGLE. However, this recognition was withdrawn in 1993, due to accusations of corruption and Mafia involvement. For thirty years, the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy was the only Italian Grand Lodge recognised by UGLE or the other home constitutions of Ireland and Scotland. However, the Grand Orient continued to be recognised by a large majority of the other regular masonic jurisdictions, both in Europe and worldwide.

This situation was highly unusual, in that most regular authorities recognised the Grand Orient, but its status was complicated by the lack of recognition from the three most senior jurisdictions, which normally give a lead in terms of international recognition. To further complicate the situation, the United Grand Lodge of England publicly stated that the Grand Orient of Italy was regular in both origins and practices, but that it must (at that time) remain unrecognised due to the issues surrounding alleged corruption.

However, this position was rectified in March 2023, when the United Grand Lodge of England agreed to re-recognise the Grand Orient of Italy alongside the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy.

Propaganda Due, the lodge that investigative journalists have identified as being implicated in the murder of Roberto Calvi, was originally chartered by the Grand Orient, although the Grand Orient revoked its charter in 1974.

List of grand masters

Prior to Gustavo Raffi's grand mastership, two terms of five years was the maximum tenure for a grand master. This, however, was changed during Raffi's time, and his three-term grand mastership which began in 1999 ended in 2014.

References

Bibliography

• Enrico Simoni, Bibliografia della Massoneria in Italia, Foggia, Edizioni Bastogi, 1° volume 1992 (3471 schede), 2° volume 1993 (indici sistematici degli articoli delle Riviste massoniche del dopoguerra; 3762 schede), 1° volume di aggiornamento 1997 (schede da 3472 a 4584), 3° volume 2006 (indici sistematici degli articoli della "Rivista della Massoneria Italiana" e della "Rivista Massonica"; 1870–1926; 6478 schede), 2° volume di aggiornamento 2010 (schede da 4585 a 6648)

References

1. "Nel 1805 fu costituito il Grande Oriente d’Italia." Tran. "In 1805 the Grand Orient of Italy was founded." [http://www.grandeoriente.it/stor1.htm La storia 1805–1860] {{webarchive. link. (20 December 2007 , from the [http://www.grandeoriente.it/ GOI Official website])
2. Headquarters [http://www.grandeoriente.it/en/il-vascello/ detailed.]
3. See section "Government", on GOI [http://www.grandeoriente.it/en/about-us/ about us] page.
4. See [http://www.grandeoriente.it/en/about-us/ Members & Lodges].
5. Ponziano, Giorgio. (30 March 2012). "Tremila massoni al Palacongresso". [[Italia Oggi]].
6. [http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/garibaldi_g/garibaldi.html Garibaldi — the mason] Translated from ''Giuseppe Garibaldi Massone'' by the Grand Orient of Italy
7. Aldo Alessandro Mola "''Masons in Italy: The Borderland Between Fanaticism and Liberty''". Revista de Estudios Históricos de la Masonería Latinoamericana y Caribeña (REHMLAC). ISSN 1659-4223. p. 233
8. Entry "Giuseppe Mazzini" in [http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/10,000_famous_freemasons/Volume_3_K_to_P.htm Volume III K – P] of ''10,000 Famous Freemasons'', William R. Denslow, 1957, Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co., Inc.
9. {{Cite EB1922
10. Time]]'', 8 June 1981
11. [[Marcello Veneziani]]. (September 22, 2021). "All’armi siam fascisti, anzi massoni".
12. [http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/anti-masonry01.html#p2 What was the P2 Lodge?], Anti-masonry Frequently Asked Questions, [http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/ Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon]
13. "United Grand Lodge of England » Europe".
14. "Grand Lodge of Albania is recognised". United Grand Lodge of England.
15. "United Grand Lodge of England » Foreign Grand Lodges".