Grande Loge Nationale Française
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The Grande Loge Nationale Française (GLNF) is a French Masonic Grand Lodge. It was founded in 1913, by two lodges, "Le Centre des Amis" Lodge splitting from
Grand Orient de France The Grand Orient de France (GODF) is the oldest and largest of several Freemasonry, Freemasonic organizations based in France and is the oldest in Continental Europe (as it was formed out of an older Grand Lodge of France in 1773, and briefly ab ...
and "L'Anglaise" lodge, an independent lodge based in Bordeaux. GLNF is based on monotheism and the 1929 precepts of regularity issued by the United Grand Lodge of England. The all-male
Grande Loge traditionnelle et symbolique Opéra Grande means "large" or "great" in many of the Romance languages. It may also refer to: Places * Grande, Germany, a municipality in Germany *Grande Communications, a telecommunications firm based in Texas * Grande-Rivière (disambiguation) * Arr ...
split from the GLNF in 1958, as did the National French Lodge in 1968, and more recently the Grand Prieuré des Gaules.


Rites

Following an influx of a large number of brethren from the
Grande Loge de France Grande Loge de France (G∴L∴D∴F∴) is a Masonic obedience based in France. Its conception of Freemasonry is spiritual, traditional and initiatory. Its ritual is centred on the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. It sees itself as occupying a ...
breaking away in protest of that obedience's treaty with the
Grand Orient de France The Grand Orient de France (GODF) is the oldest and largest of several Freemasonry, Freemasonic organizations based in France and is the oldest in Continental Europe (as it was formed out of an older Grand Lodge of France in 1773, and briefly ab ...
, 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 ...
became the most prevalent rite, even in the
blue lodge A Masonic lodge, often termed a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also commonly used as a term for a building in which such a unit meets. Every new lodge must be warranted or chartered ...
degrees. Following the research of a number of the brethren into the history of the Rectified Scottish Rite, interest grew in restoring 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 ...
to regular freemasonry in France. This led ultimately to a patent being obtained in 1989 from the Supreme Council of the Modern Rite for Brazil, which traced its ancestry back to France from before the Great Schism of 1877, and which had always remained regular. The French Rite has grown considerably in the GLNF in the last 20 years and is now practised by about 15% of its lodges. Recently, lodges have been added that work the Standard Scottish Rite, bringing to six the total number of rites worked in the jurisdiction.


Crisis from 2009

In December 2009, Grand Master François Stifani faced down a rebellion by members of his own Grand Lodge about the expenditure of €17 million on political subscriptions. The rebels went to the courts. In January 2011 Mlle Monique Legrand was designated by French legal authorities to manage the Grand Lodge, deepening a major internal crisis, and bringing international repercussions. Following the publication of the suspension of relations by most of the "Regular" European Grand Lodges, 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 T ...
voted on 14 September 2011 to suspend relations with the GLNF, with several US Grand Lodges subsequently doing so as well. On 10 June 2012, in the Basel Declaration the five Grand Lodges of Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Germany and Luxembourg jointly withdrew recognition from Grande Loge Nationale Française, declaring the damage irremediable. The declaration encouraged Grande Loge de France to take the lead in rebuilding a basis for regular Freemasonry in France, offering assistance if it would sever its links with irregular obediences. The declaration also offered support to the ordinary brethren who simply want to continue their masonry. On 12 September 2012, the United Grand Lodge of England followed suit, citing the schisms within GLNF, and stating that it was not in control of its own affairs. Shortly afterwards, Stifani resigned, being replaced in December by Jean-Pierre Servel. Legrand promptly handed back the administration of the order to Servel, leaving the organisation once more in charge of its own affairs. Servel suspended, then expelled Stifani. Documents showed Stifani had pledged the allegiance of his Grand Lodge to
Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. Born in Paris, he is of Hungarian, Greek Jewish, and French origin. Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Se ...
as early as January 2008. Repercussions of the dispute continued to isolate GLNF. Servel denied the legitimacy of the Basel Declaration, claiming the five Grand Lodges had no right to criticise or interfere with the internal affairs of another Grand Lodge. A statement from UGLE in September 2013 acknowledged that progress had been made in GLDF, but made it plain that there was still much to do, and that UGLE had no immediate plans to re-recognise it; the UGLE statement also intimated that it would be taking no part in GLNF's centenary celebrations. Finally, following their Quarterly Communications meetings held in each jurisdiction in June 2014, the United Grand Lodge of England, the
Grand Lodge of Ireland The Grand Lodge of Ireland is the second most senior Grand Lodge of Freemasons in the world, and the oldest in continuous existence. Since no specific record of its foundation exists, 1725 is the year celebrated in Grand Lodge anniversaries, as ...
, and the
Grand Lodge of Scotland The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland is the governing body of Freemasonry in Scotland. It was founded in 1736. About one third of Scotland's lodges were represented at the foundation meeting of the Grand Lodge. Histor ...
issued a joint statement recognizing "that the actions taken by the current leadership of the GLNF have actively and comprehensively addressed the problems which led to the withdrawal of recognition ... and that peace and harmony have now been restored," and accordingly each jurisdiction had moved resolutions "to restore recognition to the GLNF, which resolutions were accepted."
Quarterly Communications, June 2014, Joint statement on Grande Loge Nationale Française (GLNF) Thursday, 12 June 2014


Gallery

File:IMG 20180111 194014329 glnf franc maconnerie.jpg, Masonic symbols File:Pupitre rituel franc maçon.jpg, Throne in the largest temple of the Paris headquarters File:IMG 20180111 194243873 glnf franc maconnerie.jpg , Half of temple 12 (the largest temple) at the GLNF headquarters, rue Christine de Pisan, Paris


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grande Loge Nationale Francaise Grand Lodges, France Freemasonry in France 1913 establishments in France