The Masonic Order
Overview
Freemasonry (or Masonry) is an initiate order based on an esoteric teaching; it is an organization whose members are joined in brotherhood by ideals and common moral, spiritual and social values, through initiation according to a shared ritual, by an oath sworn upon a holy book (generally the Bible, the Torah, or the Qur’an) and, in most ramifications, by belief in a “Supreme Being,” a “Great Architect of the Universe.”
This organization, present in most countries with a civilization of European origin, is divided into obedience’s, which are themselves divided into Lodges (also called workshops) of 7–50 people (sometimes even more).
In the Republic of Moldova, Freemasonry is organized into a single obedience, the Grand Lodge of Moldova.
Origin
Freemasonry is, according to its own definitions, an association, society, organization, alliance, fraternity, institution, etc. The word Mason means Builder/Stone mason. Freemasonry was originally nothing more than the guild of free masons, who guarded with sanctity the secrets of their craft. That is why, they say, the beginnings of Masonry are lost in the mists of archaic times, starting with the Tower of Babel and, especially, the Temple of Solomon. In connection with the construction of this temple, Masons speak of Hiram Abif as the architect hired by King Solomon to build the great temple in Jerusalem. In the Middle Ages, when the construction of great cathedrals was the prerogative and privilege of master masons, Masonry acquired increasingly well-structured forms of organization. These master masons are called “operative Masons,” as opposed to the so-called “speculative Masons” who appeared later.
Freemasonry became speculative (from the Latin “speculum,” “mirror”) in 1717 in London, when the United Grand Lodge of England was founded. Speculative Freemasons are members of a philosophical and moral fraternity who no longer practice masonry in the literal sense. Freemasonry became symbolic, using the tools and traditions of operative Masonry as metaphors for personal and moral improvement. Speculative Freemasonry is inseparable from the encyclopedist movement and the Age of Enlightenment. In the purest tradition of cathedral builders, Freemasons preserved the symbolism of the craft, which they enriched with the hermetic teachings of alchemy and the riches of the chivalric tradition.
Address of the Grand Master
of the Grand Lodge of Moldova
Dear visitor,
Welcome to the official website of the Grand Lodge of Moldova, the only regular and sovereign Masonic authority on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, which is officially recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England—the mother lodge of all Grand Lodges in the world. The Grand Lodge of Moldova is on friendly terms with approximately 150 regular Grand Lodges worldwide and is a respected entity of the universal Masonic community, which today brings together over 6 million people across the globe. In the Republic of Moldova, the Masonic light was rekindled in 1997 by the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy, but on our territory the Masonic movement has existed for more than 200 years.
FAMOUS FREEMASONS WORLDWIDE
Among the Freemasons have come figures who changed the world. Many political leaders, heads of state, scientists, philosophers, artists, and revolutionaries have been members of Freemasonry throughout history. Below are a few notable historical personalities who were Freemasons:
Political leaders: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, Simón Bolívar, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, George VI.
Scientists, writers, artists, and musicians: Isaac Newton, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Voltaire, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Joseph Haydn, Alexander Pushkin, Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, Alexander Fleming, Jean Sibelius, Duke Ellington.
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
(1874-1965)
Winston Churchill is one of the greatest politicians the 20th century has given us, as well as one of the most famous in history. His life, with its highs and lows, disappointments, betrayals, ambitions, and passion, shaped him to reach, under the star of destiny, the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain and to become the man who played a decisive role in Hitler’s defeat. On January 24, it was 60 years since the British nobleman’s death, and we look back longingly at a time when countries had leaders, speeches, and ideas—not second-rate politicians with fragmented logic and strategy.
René Descartes (1596-1650)
A French philosopher and scholar, he is the pioneer of modern philosophy, the founder of the rationalist school of thought, and the founder of the concept of science as a mechanistic interpretation of nature and living organisms. His philosophy was at the center of intellectual attention in the modern era up until Kant. Consciousness as a philosophical principle, as established by Descartes, became the core of Kant’s doctrine and even of the entire German idealism. His influence can still be traced to this day.
Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet) (1694-1778)
François-Marie Arouet, better known by his pen name Voltaire, was born on November 21, 1694, in Paris. During his literary career, which spanned more than 60 years, he wrote many influential poems, essays, and books, including Candide and Letters on the English Nation. His sharp intellect and provocative ideas about religion, freedom, and ethics brought him both fame and disdain in the courts of Europe and later helped him secure his reputation as one of the foundational figures of the Enlightenment and one of the most controversial and frequently quoted thinkers of the 18th century.
Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749-1832)
The German writer and scholar Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of humanity’s most outstanding figures, was born on August 28, 1749, in Frankfurt am Main, into a middle-class family.
He is unique among German writers for the close way in which he intertwined his life with his literature, reflecting in the latter all the stages and turns of the former: the atmosphere of his parental home, nature, excursions and travels, episodes of passionate love, friendships, and impressions inspired by Gothic or classical art.
“Licht, mehr Licht!” (“Light, more light!”) were Goethe’s last words, spoken on his deathbed on March 22, 1832.
George Washington (1732-1799)
George Washington was an American general and statesman, a key figure in the American War of Independence and the first President of the United States, serving his term between 1789 and 1797.
He played an essential role in securing the independence of the American colonies from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
He was the first President of the United States, contributing to the establishment of the modern American state.
Isaac Newton (1642-1726)
Isaac Newton was a renowned English scientist, alchemist, theologian, mystic, mathematician, physicist, and astronomer, and the president of the Royal Society. Isaac Newton is the scholar at the origin of the scientific theories that would revolutionize science in the fields of optics, mathematics, and especially mechanics.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Physicist, philosopher, economist, and American statesman. Born into a French family with 14 children, he was self-taught, studying Latin, the fashionable languages of the time (English and German), and especially the physical sciences. On December 23, 1747, he invented the lightning rod, and on August 22, 1772, he became an associate member of the Academy of Sciences in Paris. In 1776, he was one of the drafters of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
An Austrian composer, author of over 600 musical works. His father, Leopold Mozart, a talented musician and composer, provided him with an exceptional musical education from an early age, so that young Amadeus was performing before European princes at the age of 6 (Munich and Vienna), 7 (Mannheim, Paris), 8 (London), and 13–14 (Milan, Florence, Rome).
He was initiated on December 14, 1784, into the Lodge “Beneficence” in the Orient of Vienna, which later merged with the lodge “New Crowned Hope.” After three months of Masonic activity, he invited his father to visit the lodge of which he was a member. Later, Brother Mozart took part in the Masonic initiation of his father, Leopold Mozart, conductor of the Royal Court Orchestra and author of the famous “Toy Symphony.” The initiation of Haydn into Freemasonry was also due to Mozart.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill