Freemasonry in Sweden was introduced by the
Swedish Order of Freemasons, founded in 1735 as the oldest still active Swedish
fraternal order, working the
Swedish Rite of
Freemasonry
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
. It is under
royal patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...
of the
King of Sweden
The monarchy of Sweden is the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parliamentary system: see the Instrument ...
and closely associated with the
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden ( sv, Svenska kyrkan) is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.6 million members at year end 2021, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sw ...
. It is a jurisdiction that admits
Christian men only, and is recognised by the
United Grand Lodge of England
The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the governing Masonic lodge for the majority of freemasons in England, Wales and the Commonwealth of Nations. Claiming descent from the Masonic grand lodge formed 24 June 1717 at the Goose & Gridiron ...
as a
Regular Masonic jurisdiction
:''This article deals with organization in ''Craft'' or ''Blue Lodge'' Freemasonry. See the appropriate article for information on organization in appendant Masonic bodies such as York Rite and Scottish Rite.''
In Freemasonry, regularity is one ...
, being the only Regular Grand Lodge that admits a
34th ''informal'' Masonic Degree. Its total membership is about 16,500.
There is also a minor presence of several other masonic systems operating in
Sweden on a smaller scale.
History
Freemasonry came to Sweden in 1735, with a Grand Lodge established 1760. In 1756 Carl Friedrich Eckleff established the first St Andrew's lodge in
Stockholm to work additional degrees, beyond the three initial degrees of Craft Freemasonry. A Grand Chapter was erected in 1759. Eckleff's ideas of a truly progressive system building upon the internationally recognised three degrees (of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) was further developed by Duke Karl of Södermanland, who later became
Charles XIII of Sweden
Charles XIII, or Carl XIII ( sv, Karl XIII, 7 October 1748 – 5 February 1818), was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 to his death. He was the second son (and younger brother to King Gustav III) of King Adolf Frederick of S ...
. As Grand Master of the Swedish Order of Freemasons he developed the system, which by 1800 had fully evolved into the
Swedish Rite system, which has since experienced only very minor development. The Swedish system has since spread to Finland (under Swedish control), and also to Norway, Denmark, and Iceland under independent national Grand Lodges.
Swedish Order of Freemasons
The Swedish Order of Freemasons ( sv, Svenska Frimurare Orden) is the native Swedish manifestation of Swedish Rite Freemasonry. It is recognised by the
United Grand Lodge of England
The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the governing Masonic lodge for the majority of freemasons in England, Wales and the Commonwealth of Nations. Claiming descent from the Masonic grand lodge formed 24 June 1717 at the Goose & Gridiron ...
, and stands in the body of regular world Freemasonry. It has 43 St John's (Craft) lodges (degrees I-III), 23 St Andrew's lodges for degrees IV-VI, and 7 Chapters for degrees VII-X. There is also a lodge of research and a stewards' lodge. Additionally 63 recognised "fraternal societies" provide masonic fellowship in rural communities considered too small to support a working lodge. Membership in Sweden is 15,200. In addition there are 1,300 members in
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
in 7 St John's lodges, 2 St Andrew's lodges, and 1 Grand Chapter. The total membership is 16,500. While Finland has also a native Grand Lodge following American rite, the overlap of geographical jurisdictions has been agreed upon for decades and the two Grand Lodges are in perfect amity.
[Ahtokari, Reijo (2015]
Milstolpar på den finländska frimurarvandringen
. Föreningsbandet 4/2015. Pp. 10–11. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
As with all Swedish Rite constitutions, all members must be
Christian men. Visitors of any religion from recognised foreign jurisdictions (including Swedish freemasons of the Swedish District Grand Lodge of the Grand Lodge of Finland) may attend lodge meetings, but visitors attending the chapter degrees (from grade VII onwards) must be recognised as Christians, or sign a statement asserting that they are Christians.
[Den första under Storlogen i Finland arbetande logen i Sverige invigd](_blank)
. Föreningsbandet 1/2014. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
There is a close relationship with the Lutheran
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden ( sv, Svenska kyrkan) is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.6 million members at year end 2021, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sw ...
( sv, Svenska kyrkan), which is the established
national church of Sweden. Priests and bishops of the Church of Sweden have a special role within the Swedish Rite of Freemasonry, particularly in grade VII and above.
Royal Order of Scotland
The
Royal Order of Scotland
The Royal Order of Scotland is an appendant order within the structures of Freemasonry. Membership is an honour extended to Freemasons by invitation. The Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland is headquartered in Edinburgh, with a total of 8 ...
has never formed part of the Swedish Rite, but in 2000 a Provincial Grand Lodge of the Order was reestablished in Stockholm, the original from 1852, with members of the Swedish Rite permitted to join it as a side degree, or appendant body. A second Provincial Grand Lodge was established in 2002 in
Kristianstad
Kristianstad (, ; older spelling from Danish ''Christianstad'') is a city and the seat of Kristianstad Municipality, Scania County, Sweden with 40,145 inhabitants in 2016. During the last 15 years, it has gone from a garrison town to a devel ...
and a third in 2016 in
Linköping
Linköping () is a city in southern Sweden, with around 105,000 inhabitants as of 2021. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality and the capital of Östergötland County. Linköping is also the episcopal see of the Diocese of Linköping (Church ...
. It admits only Christian men who are VII grade (or above) members of the Swedish Order of Freemasons, and strictly by invitation only.
Other masonic systems
Several other masonic orders have or had a minority presence in Sweden.
Female adoption lodge: ''Le véritable et constante amitié''
Women Freemasons seem to have been introduced early in Sweden, though the information in scarce: according to documents of the Swedish Freemasons,
Hedvig Charlotta Nordenflycht
Hedvig Charlotta Nordenflycht ( Stockholm, Sweden, 28 November 1718 – Stockholm, Sweden, 29 June 1763) was a Swedish poet, feminist and salon hostess.
Biography
She was the youngest of five children of the wealthy official Anders Ander ...
was in 1747 the Grand Mistress of in a certain ''Ordre de la resemblance'', which can thus be interpreted as a Women's Lodge of Adoption.
[Kjell Lekeby (2010). Gustaviansk mystik. Alkemister, kabbalister, magiker, andeskådare, astrologer och skattgrävare i den esoteriska kretsen kring G.A. Reuterholm, hertig Carl och hertiginnan Charlotta 1776-1803.. Sala Södermalm: Vertigo Förlag] However, a confirmed Women's Lodge does not appear until the 1770s.
On 2 May 1776, the Grand Master of the Swedish Freemasonic Order,
Duke Charles, had his spouse,
Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp
Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp ( sv, Hedvig Elisabet Charlotta; 22 March 1759 – 20 June 1818) was Queen of Sweden and Norway as the consort of King Charles XIII and II. She was also a famed diarist, memoirist and wit. She is ...
, inaugurated as the Grand Mistress of a female lodge of adoption to his own lodge at the
Royal Palace, Stockholm
Stockholm Palace or the Royal Palace ( sv, Stockholms slott or ) is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch (King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia use Drottningholm Palace as their usual residence). Stockholm Pala ...
, named ''Le véritable et constante amitié''.
[Kjell Lekeby (2010). Gustaviansk mystik. Alkemister, kabbalister, magiker, andeskådare, astrologer och skattgrävare i den esoteriska kretsen kring G.A. Reuterholm, hertig Carl och hertiginnan Charlotta 1776-1803.. Sala Södermalm: Vertigo Förlag] This new woman's lodge of adoption was confirmed by seal from Grand Master of the French Freemasonic Order,
Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, and the Grand Mistress of the French Woman's Lodge of Adoption,
Bathilde d'Orléans
Bathilde d'Orléans (Louise Marie Thérèse Bathilde; 9 July 1750 – 10 January 1822) was a French princess of the blood of the House of Orléans. She was sister of ''Philippe Égalité'', the mother of the Duke of Enghien and aunt of Lou ...
, on 8 May 1776.
The Woman's Lodge of Adoption was organized by rules set by Duchess Charlotte in three grades with a ritual in five grades after a French role model, and had their meetings in the same rooms in the apartments of Duke Charles in the Royal Palace where the male lodge also had their meetings.
Except Duchess Charlotte herself,
Sophie von Fersen
Countess Eva Sophie Piper, née Eva Sophie von Fersen (30 March 1757 – 2 February 1816, Löfstad Slott), was a Swedish countess and lady in waiting. She was the daughter of count Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina von Fersen and ...
and
Hedvig Eleonora von Fersen
Hedvig "Hedda" Eleonora von Fersen (2 July 1753 – 8 November 1792, in Pisa) was a Swedish noble, lady in waiting to the Swedish queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark. She was the daughter of Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina De la G ...
, both introduced in 1776, are confirmed as members of the Lodge of Adoption, and
Charlotte Stierneld are likely to have been member of the same lodge, as she was named as "already a Freemason" when she was introduced in the
Yellow Rose Lodge.
It is unknown how long the Lodge of Adoption was active, but it is likely that is functioned at least until 1789, when duchess Charlotte mention how duke Charles allowed her to participate in "secret gatherings" to explore the occult, and perhaps as long as until the foundation of the short lived Co-Masonic Lodge
Yellow Rose Lodge in 1802, but was surely abolished in 1803, when all secret societies at court was banned.
Le Droit Humain
The International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Women, or
Le Droit Humain
The International Order of Freemasonry ''Le Droit Humain'' is a global Masonic Order, membership of which is available to men and women on equal terms, regardless of nationality, religion or ethnicity.
History
The Order is founded on the an ...
, came to Sweden in 1918, when a lodge was established in Stockholm. A second lodge in Gothenburg was short-lived. Being a
co-masonic obedience it admits both men and women. Today, there are four Le Droit Humain lodges in Sweden (two in Stockholm, one in
Vänersborg
Vänersborg () is a locality and the seat of Vänersborg Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 23,882 inhabitants (out of a municipal total of 39,591) Until 1997 it was the capital of Älvsborg County, which was dissolved in 1998. Sin ...
and one in
Malmö
Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal pop ...
), which are linked administratively with others across Scandinavia. Lodges use either the "Lauderdale" or "George Martin" versions of the three craft degrees, as well as various high degrees (especially of the
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in the United States often omits the ''and'', while the English Constitution in the United Kingdom omits the ''Scottish''), commonly known as simply the Sco ...
, which is the main ritual system for the entirety of Le Droit Humain).
Swedish Masonic Camp
The Swedish Masonic Camp ( sv, Svenska Frimurare Lägret) was a system established in 1951 using Craft and Royal Arch warrants that John Trollnäs had received in the 1930s from the Grand Lodge of Hamburg. He also received from the Supreme Council in Leipzig warrants to work the
Scottish Rite
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in the United States often omits the ''and'', while the English Constitution in the United Kingdom omits the ''Scottish''), commonly known as simply the S ...
and the
Memphis Rite. Five lodges were established during the 1950s at
Lund,
Halmstad,
Gothenburg and
Helsingborg
Helsingborg (, , , ) is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Scania (Skåne), Sweden. It is the second-largest city in Scania (after Malmö) and ninth-largest in Sweden, with a population of 113,816 (2020). Helsingborg is the cent ...
in southern Sweden. Even at its 1960s highpoint membership was just 350, and during the 1970s and 1980s both membership and activity decreased. All five lodges closed, the last in 2006. A small group of former members revived the order in 2009 with lodges in
Stockholm and
Simrishamn. It accepts male members who believe in a Supreme Being. It works the craft degrees, the
Holy Royal Arch
The Royal Arch is a degree of Freemasonry. The Royal Arch is present in all main masonic systems, though in some it is worked as part of Craft ('mainstream') Freemasonry, and in others in an appendant ('additional') order. Royal Arch Masons meet ...
, the
Order of Mark Master Masons
The Order of Mark Master Masons is an appendant order of Freemasonry that exists in some Masonic jurisdictions, and confers the degrees of ''Mark Mason'' and ''Mark Master''.
Purpose
Similarly to Craft Freemasonry, Mark Masonry conveys moral a ...
, the
Order of Royal and Select Masters
The Order of Royal and Select Masters is an Masonic appendant bodies, appendant order of Freemasonry and frequently referred to as 'Cryptic Degrees'. In England and Wales, the degrees are practiced as a stand-alone organisation of Freemasonry while ...
, the Order of High Priests, and the
Royal Ark Mariner degree. It has a goal of reviving in Sweden the
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and
the Rite of Memphis.
Gran Oriente Latinoamericano
Gran Oriente Latinoamericano is a co-masonic (mixed male and female) system introduced into Sweden in 1984. It has lodges in Stockholm,
Norrköping and
Södertälje
Södertälje ( , ) is a city in Södermanland and Stockholm County, Sweden and seat of Södertälje Municipality. As of 2017, it has 72,704 inhabitants. Södertälje is located at Mälarens confluence in to the Baltic Sea through the lock in the ...
. It works the
French Rite The French Rite is a Rite of Freemasonry that was founded in France, in 1786.
History
The French Rite is intimately linked to the birth of Freemasonry in France and was founded in France in 1786. British exiles brought the Modern rite to France ...
(Rite Français), and does not require a belief in a Supreme Being amongst its members.
Grand Lodge of Finland
Since early 2010s, the Grand Lodge of Finland has operated a district grand lodge of Sweden with the permission of the Swedish Rite. The lodges chartered by the Grand Lodge of Finland work using a Swedish-language version of the Finnish ritual, which is a close successor of the ritual used by the Grand Lodge of State of New York. The lodges require that candidates are men who profess faith in a Supreme Being and the immortality of soul.
The Swedish district grand lodge is in full amity with the Swedish rite, and the grand master of the Swedish Order of Freemasons has participated in inauguration of Finnish-rite lodges.
[Suurmestari Juhani Vuoren puhe Donatus 174:n ja Igelsta 175:n vihkimistilaisuudessa. Koilliskulma 1/2015, p. 10.]
See also
*
Swedish Rite
*
Le Droit Humain
The International Order of Freemasonry ''Le Droit Humain'' is a global Masonic Order, membership of which is available to men and women on equal terms, regardless of nationality, religion or ethnicity.
History
The Order is founded on the an ...
References
External links
The International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Women ''Le Droit Humain''
*
ttps://frimurarorden.se/ Swedish Masonic Order
{{Freemasonry in Europe