Our History

Preserving Freemasonry in its Origin

The history of the confederation of the “United Grand Lodges of Europe and the Mediterranean” start at the beginning of the new millennium. The origin was justified with the need to improve the Masonic basic idea and a return to the landmarks, which at that time were exposed to strong influence from the commercial side in many obediences. Many Freemasons no longer wanted to follow this kind of lodge work, which was determined by politics and the influence of power. In many places, there was an exit or reorientation, it seemed necessary to construct a new roof.

Preserving the original form of Freemasonry and carefully adapting it to the current requirements of our time ultimately resulted in the foundation of the “Confederation of Grand Lodges of the Mediterranean and Southern Europe” in 2003. The statutes of the new confederation CGLMES were finally ratified in Lisbon in 2006. Soon new countries were integrated and it quickly became clear that in other parts of Europe and the Mediterranean there was also a need to restore Freemasonry to its original face with short adjustments that allow a connection with our modern life.

Around five years after the Confederation was founded, it became necessary to adapt the external appearance to the current requirements, which gave rise to the term “Confederation of Europe and the Mediterranean”, CGLEM for short.