The Grand Master of the National Grand Lodge of Greece Most Worshipful Brother Ioannis Benetatos

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38 Years of Growth Through Positive Thinking and Action

⚜Origin

  • The Origin of the  NGLG is fully  Regular according the  UGLE CONTITUTION , BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR GRAND LODGE RECOGNITION, September 4, 1929 , rule 1. “.. Regularity of origin; i.e. each Grand Lodge shall have been established lawfully by a duly recognized Grand Lodge or by three or more regularly constituted Lodges…”

       On the 7 th of June 1986, six Lodges of the Grand Lodge of Greece decided to denounce that Grand Lodge due to continued irregularities, illegal disciplinary procedures and infringement to higher degree bodies. Those Lodges were “Palaion Patron Germanos”, “Acropolis”, “Parthenon”, “Omonoia”, “Miaoulis” and “Pistis”. The representatives of these six Lodges, all present, appointed by the latter, after declaring unanimously the definite exit from the aforementioned federation, founded the National Grand Lodge of Greece, voted its first Constitution, and elected its first Council and Grand Master, Stephanos Paipetis.The inauguration ceremony was led by the late R.W.Bro. William R. J. Eve, Past Grand Deacon of the UGLE and first Deputy Grand Master of the National Grand Lodge of Greece in the city of Athens.

⚜Recognitions

  • 85 Mutual Recognitions with Regular Grand Lodges all over the world , most of them recognized from the 3 Mother Lodges.

  • Mutual Recognition with Grand Lodge of Scotland and Grand Lodge of Ireland , the 2 of the 3 Mother  Grand  Lodges  and mutual Recognition with UGLE the period 1993 – 1999.

  • NGLG participates to all important Regular Grand Lodge Conferences

       ( World , European GM and GSec and visitor to CMI )

  • 60 Grand Lodges in amity with us , are members in CMI

 

Facts 

  • NGLG is the only Grand Lodge in Greece with continuous regularity since its establishment and never had withdrawn recognition for irregular behaviour.

  • Its an honor  that the regularity is confirmed and accepted  by the 3 Mother Grand Lodges :

UGLE & Grand Lodge of Scotland & Grand Lodge of Ireland

  • The Grand Lodge of Scotland welcomed over 60 delegates from 41 different Grand Lodges to the 35th European Grand Secretaries and Grand Chancellors Conference 2024 last weekend. They met to discuss The Relevance of Freemasonry in the Modern World and The Grand Chancellor of the National Grand Lodge of Greece, spoke about Embracing the Wisdom of Our Elders.

European Conference of Grand Masters in Dublin , Grand Lodge of Ireland , 24 Nov 2023 

Proposal to GLG for common actions and solutions.

  • MWBro. Ioannis Benetatos , GM of NGLG announced in public on 2th September 2024 , as the new Grand Master , the proposal for  common actions and solutions with GLG

Proposal to GLG for common actions and solutions.

Dear Brothers,

I am informing you that on September 2, 2024, I took the initiative to contact the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Greece (GLG). My purpose was twofold: to introduce myself as the new Grand Master of the National Grand Lodge of Greece (NGLG), as we had not previously met, and to convey my intention to initiate discussions aimed at finding a common solution for the unity and progress of Greek Freemasonry.

My proposal included three alternative options:

a) mutual recognition of the two Regular Grand Lodges,
b) a joint declaration for the sharing of Masonic territory,
c) the initiation of discussions to create a United Grand Lodge from the two Regular Grand Lodges, with each maintaining its autonomy, sovereignty, history, and membership.

Moreover, as a gesture of respect toward the GLG, I suggested that the first Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Greece, should it be established, come from within their ranks.

The Grand Master of GLG stated that he would only consider the option of reunification and the absorption of the NGLG. My response was that 38 years of history cannot simply be erased, nor can the will of the 1,500 brothers of the NGLG who wish to continue, nor the 85 recognitions from Regular Grand Lodges around the world. I expressed my belief that in a process of compromise, each side should be willing to make concessions; however, my proposal was not accepted.

The conversation took place in a friendly atmosphere, though it did not bear fruit. We concluded the discussion with positive and amicable feelings. My efforts toward the advancement of Greek Freemasonry and the potential for all brothers, regardless of their Regular authority, to coexist, communicate, and mutually recognize each other, will continue. I declare that I am fully available and willing to work hard to realize any of my above proposals.

With respect,
The Grand Master

Message from the Grand Chancellor

The Office of Grand Chancellor was established on Sept 21, 2021 and RW Bro. D.Sk.  is the 3rd Grand Chancellor since May 20 ,2023. The Office’s mission is the worldwide settlement of external relations and the amity with intervisitation and communication and the exchange of Grand Representatives between Regular Grand Lodges for the benefit of the Freemasonry, following strictly the landmarks as referred in the constitution and specially as the duty is described in the rule , 19 of the Constitution.

Annual Communication 

All Regular Grand Lodges are invited to be represented by their GM in The Annual Communication with the Investiture Ceremony and the Grand Festival of the National Grand Lodge of Greece is scheduled for May 17th, 2025.

Further details will be through official correspondence with the office of the Grand Chancellor. ( grand.chancelor@nglgreece.gr )

The National Grand Lodge of Greece has 77 Lodges under its jurisdiction.  { IT WAS 65 IN 2023 and we accepted through affiliation and settlement, lodges Isotita, Europe, Spyridon Nagos, Dodoni etc from the other regular Grand Lodge.}
They are divided in:
Four Provincial Grand Lodges (PGL of Athens, PGL of Piraeus & Islands of the Aegean Archipelagos, and PGL of Ionian Islands, the PGL of Peloponnese & Western Greece)
One District Grand Lodge (DGL of Cyprus), and
Three Regional Groups of Lodges (Western Greece, Northern Greece and Central Greece).
Amongst them are:

  • Three English-speaking Lodges (Parthenon No 3, in Piraeus, Saint George’s Lodge No 52, in Athens, and Rudyard Kipling No 85, in Corfu) operating the Emulation Ritual.
  • One German-speaking Lodge (Sokrates No 31, in Piraeus) operating the Schröder Rite of 1801.
  • Two French-speaking Lodges (La France No 58, in Athens, and La Paix No 95, in Corfu operating the French Ritual of 1785).
  • Two Italian-speaking Lodges (Fratelli Bandiera No 86, in Corfu and Garibaldi n.13  in Athens ) operating the Emulation Ritual.

Furthermore, the above referred Emulation Ritual, as in Greek was firstly published in January 1987 in Athens, by the NGLG and its a complete, faithful and bona fide Greek translation of the English ‘Emulation’ ritual as worked by the ”Emulation Lodge of Improvement for Master Masons” approved and printed in 1969 under the United Grand Lodge of England.

The total number of active Brethren is 1580. The candidates have an average age of 30-50.

During the period 2023 – 2024, were initiated as Entered Apprentice, 192 new brethren through 36 Lodges.

 

 

Annual Book 2024
Origins and Regularity
MUTUAL RECOGNITIONS

Grand Master's Calendar

NOVEMBER 2027

NORTH AMERICA

XXI World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges

MAY 2026

SOUTH AFRICA

XX World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges

NOVEMBER 2025

 

Saturday  22 November  2025, Istabul , Turkey

10th European Grand Masters Conference

Organized by the Grand Lodge of Türkiye

JUNE 2025

Tercentenary Grand Lodge of Ireland

22-24 June 2025

Royal Convention Centre Dublin

APRIL 2025

11-13 April 2025, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

 20th Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Bosnia and Herzegovina

and 

the 25th Anniversary of Freemasonry in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

MARCH 2025

14-16 March 2025 ,Monaco
International Communication.

National Regular Grand Lodge of The Principality of MONACO.

GLNRPM will install its newly elected Grand Master, the MW Brother Franck NICOLAS.

FEBRUARY 2025

8 February 2025, Dublin, Ireland

Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Ireland


 

DECEMBER 2024 

14th December, Torino,Italy

REGIONAL GRAND LODGE OF PIEMONTE AND VALLE D’AOSTA

REGULAR GRAND LODGE OF ITALY

7 December 2025 ,Ratingen ,Germany

Annual Convocation and Installation meeting

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF BRITISH ROYAL ARCH MASONRY IN GERMANY 

First Grand Principal M.E. Comp. Glyn Edmonds 


 

   NOVEMBER 2024

 November 27 to 30  Foz do Iguacu- Parana, Brazil

XIX World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges

Grand Oriente Do Parana . Installation of the Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Paraná: December 1st (Sunday in the morning) – Grand Masters and Delegations

Farewell to Delegations: December, 1st (Sunday afternoon) and 2nd (Monday all day)

The National Grand Lodge of Greece will cast its vote on the candidate who will assume the organization of the XXI World Conference, which will take place in North America in November 2027.

 

Saturday November 23, 2024.

Annual General Meeting will be held in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

Grande Lodge of Burkina Faso

 

 OCTOBER 2024

23 al 27 de octubre de 2024, Managua, Nicaragua

  COMACA 2024

Organizador: Soberana Gran Logia Simbólica de Nicaragu

Saturday 19th October 2024, at 14:30 Rome Italy
Preavviso della Seconda Comunicazione di Gran Loggia 2024
Gran Loggia Regolare d’Italia

Friday 11th October & Saturday 12th October 2024, Edinburgh, Scotland
35th European Grand Secretaries & Grand Chancellors Conference
Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland


 

SEPTEMBER  2024

Saturday , 28 September 2024 , Cape Town , South Africa
ANNUAL CONVOCATION

THE INSTALLATION OF THE FIRST GRAND PRINCIPAL  Elect, MEC Avron Jacobson MSA

THE SUPREME GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF SOUTH AFRICA  

September 19-22, 2024 ,San Salvador in El Salvador

COMACA LVII ,

GRAN LOGIA CUSCATLAN oriente de El Salvador

 

31st August 2024, at 14:00 hours, Tallinn , Estonia

Annual Convocation

Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Freemasons of Estonia

CMI EVENT 

25-28 APRIL 2024

Cartagena,  COLOMBIA

Visitors in 27th triennial International Assembly of CMI

CMI EVENT 

21 OCTOBER 2023

Punta Cana,  Dominican Republic

Visitors in the Annual Assemblies of CMI Zones II

the speech of the Grand Chancellor to the 35th European GS and GC Conference in Edinburgh with title : 65 plus, the Golden age