- Grande Oriente Lusitano
The Grande Oriente Lusitano - Maçonaria Portuguesa (Grand Orient of Lusitania - Portuguese Freemasonry) is a symbolic
Masonic Obedience founded in 1802, thus being the oldest Portuguese Masonic Obedience. Its first Grand Master wasSebastião José de São Paio de Melo e Castro Lusignan , grandson of the first Marquis of Pombal, and his symbolic name was "Egas Moniz".The Grande Oriente Lusitano - Maçonaria Portuguesa belongs to the Masonic liberal current, proclaiming the absolute liberty of conscience and adogmatism.
History
Its history is intimately related to the history of Portugal itself since the early 19th century. Some of the great changes Portugal has met during the 19th and 20th centuries were mostly due to the action of Portuguese Freemasonry, such as:
* The Liberal Revolution of 1820;
* The abolition of theDeath Penalty , in 1867;
* The establishment of thePortuguese First Republic , in 1910. [ [http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/arnaldoGeng.html Breve historial da Maçonaria em Portugal] ]It was seen as a driving force in the anti-clericalism of the liberals. ["By the 1830s the Masons had become, by and large, the principal promoters of anticlericalism." [http://libro.uca.edu/payne2/payne22.htm Chapter 22 Portugal under the Nineteenth-Century Constitutional Monarchy] , Stanley G. Payne, A History of Spain and Portugal, Vol. 2]
Opposing every form of oppression, the Grande Oriente Lusitano has faced throughout its history many moments of fierce persecution by the most conservative and reactionary wings of society. Amongst these moments, the prohibition during the Estado Novo
dictatorship (law nº1901 datedMay 13 ,1935 , proposed by José Cabral who had recently joined the single state-ruled party "União Nacional ", National Union, after leaving the Portuguese integralists and the national-syndicalists leadered by Francisco Rolão Preto) which forced Portuguese freemasons into clandestinity and often prison and political exile.Fernando Pessoa , the renowned Portuguese poet, who assumed himself as a profane (or non-mason) published an article in "Diário de Lisboa" (Lisbon Daily, a daily newspaper) defending Freemasonry and specifically the Grande Oriente Lusitano. During clandestinity (1935-1974), the Grande Oriente Lusitano had its buildings confiscated and the Masonic Palace, in center Lisbon, occupied by the Legião Portuguesa ("Portuguese Legion", a para-military political force created for the "defense of the State").The Revolution of the Carnations on
April 25 ,1974 revoked law nº1901 and the Grande Oriente Lusitano could once more see the light of day and have its buildings returned.Rites
Under the auspices of the Grande Oriente Lusitano there are lodges of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and of the French Rite. These Rites are administered by the respective philosophical Potences with which the Grande Oriente Lusitano has a treaty to confer the symbolic degrees:
* [http://www.gremiolusitano.pt/?menu=4&submenu=9 Supreme Council of the Grand Inspector-General of the 33rd Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for Portugal and its jurisdiction]
* [http://www.gremiolusitano.pt/?menu=4&submenu=10 Sovereign Grand Chapter of the Cavaliers Rose-Croix - Grand Chapter General of the French Rite of Portugal]Grémio Lusitano
The three potencies are represented in civil society through the Grémio Lusitano, a cultural, recreational and philanthropic society whose head quarters are situated at the Rua do Grémio Lusitano, number 25, in Lisbon. This building, the Masonic Palace, also hosts the Portuguese Masonic Museum, considered by many as one of the best of its kind in Europe. The Museum is open to the general public.
ee also
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CLIPSAS References
External links
* [http://www.gremiolusitano.eu/ Grande Oriente Lusitano] pt icon
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