The British Grand Lodge returns to communion with the Italian Freemasons

After 30 years of formal separation, the UK Masonic Grand Lodge has restored relations with the Italian Freemasons. The separation from the so-called Great East, which dates back to Giuseppe Garibaldi, occurred because of the apparent close connection between the Italian Freemasons and the Mafia, which used secret lodge houses to develop their informal ties to the Italian political scene, where they offered them their votes in exchange for freedom of action.

The hostel is within the hostel

Sometimes, even without the knowledge of the members involved, there are lodgings within the lodges used for such communication. The separation was completed after Giuliani Di Bernardo, Grand Master at the time, traveled to London as a whistleblower in 1993 and reported in detail to the brothers there on the situation in the Italian lodges.

As a result, Di Bernardo founded the so-called Regular Grand Lodge of Italy, which was immediately recognized by the English Freemasons and exists to this day. He is one of the harshest critics of the recognition of the Great East in his Italian homeland. He describes the current situation within the Italian Masonic community as a jungle. The new establishments adapting to the rites – there are currently 150 large, irregular inns in Italy – still vague links between the Great East and the Mafia and clear signs of open cooperation make the position of the great English inn seem incomprehensible from Di Bernardo’s point of view.

The latest incident involves Cosa Nostra member Matteo Messina Denaro, a longtime fugitive who was suspected of being hidden by a Sicilian Freemason and arrested in January. The English Grand Lodge still wants to return the Italian Freemasons to full fellowship on Wednesday. dt / bst