The Symbolic Grand Lodge of Spain (Gran Logia Simbólica Española as per Spanish) is one of the main grand obediences (federations of several masonic lodges) in Spain. It is one of a group of obediences included in CLIPSAS, and can be defined as a mixed or egalitarian, liberal and non-dogmatic Grand Lodge.
The GLSE belongs to the French or continental tradition of world Masonry. It differs from the English tradition, itself called âÂÂregularâÂÂ, in that the latter obliges Masons to believe in a revealed god and in soul immortality; also, access by women is forbidden. As with many other Masonic organisations around the world, the GLSE does not embrace any of those two conditions.
An egalitarian organization, it accepts men as well as women to become members of its lodges, without any difference either in rights or in duties.
The organization embraces no dogma. GLSE members are not forced to be theistic or deistic; on the contrary, the GLSE considers that religious beliefs, or the lack of them, are part of every single mason's privacy. Therefore, the GLSE embraces the secularism, meaning that no one can impose their faith on the others and considering that defending a common and civil cohabitation space, a space in which all these beliefs, or the lack of them, may live together with equality, full freedom and with no privilege for anyone, is a critical matter.
The GLSE is liberally governed. There are no positions for life, and every representative is freely chosen by all Masons for a fixed period which is only to be renewed once.
GLSE belongs to CLIPSAS as well as the Masonic Mediterranean Union (MMU), the European Masonic Alliance (EMA), the Contribution des Obédiences Maçonniques Libérales et Adogmatiques àla Construction Européenne (COMALACE). It is a founder of the Espacio Masónico de España (EME).
After the end of the Francoist dictatorship, Freemasonry was pronounced legal again in Spain by a National High Court's judgement of 19 May 1979. This judgement set aside a decision of the Ministry of Interior (ruled by Rodolfo MartÃÂn Villa) intended to keep Freemasonry underground.
The Symbolic Grand Lodge of Spain was established the next year, on 15 May 1980. Its headquarters was built in Barcelona, at Avinyó Street. Its name comes from another Obedience established in Catalonia in 1920. The GLSE was created as a federation of lodges for men, as custodian and as representative of the identity signs and archetypes from Spanish historical freemasonry, since the GLSE embrace Spanish Grand Orient principles (a federation virtually extinguished after its persecution during Francoist Dictatorship).
Just as it had happened in London 263 years before, the GLSE included lodges which started out in secrecy even before FrancoâÂÂs death. A number of GLSEâÂÂs sponsors became from European and American exile. Some of the first lodges were Minerva i Lleialtat, in Barcelona, Spain, founded in February 1977; Justicia, also in Barcelona, and shortly afterwards Hermes-Tolerancia, in Madrid. The first GLSEâÂÂs Grand Master (1980-1987) was Rafael Vilaplana Fuentes. From its beginnings, GLSEâÂÂs official masonic rite was the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, although some years later French Rite was embraced too. In August of 2018 two more rites were incorporated: the Ancient and Primitive of Memphis-Mizraïm and the Emulation rite, of English origin.
Shortly afterwards, in 1983, GLSE was welcomed in the Centre of Liaison and Information of Masonic Powers Signatories of Strasbourg Appeal of 22 January 1961, or CLIPSAS. CLIPSAS is the world great liberal Freemasonry organisation. The closest international relationships were held, from the beginning, with the Grand Orient of France, the Belgic Droit Human Federation, the Grand Orient of Belgium and the Grand Lodge of Italy. Close relationships were also held with the Lusitanian Grand Orient (LGO), in Portugal, from 1986 to today.
In 1990 the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Spain agreed to declare secularism as one of the key values.
Another decisive moment in GLSE history took place in 1992, under the command of the second Grand Master, Roger Leveder Le Pottier.https://elpais.com/diario/1998/07/03/agenda/899416803_850215.html In 1990, the discussion about âÂÂmixticityâÂÂ, or women's admission, had already begun. This discussion was concluded at the General Assembly of 27 June 1992, held in Barcelona under the approval of a key amendment of the organisation's regulations. The GLSE has allowed, since then, mason women as members with full right and completely equal to mason men. This was called the âÂÂtriple optionâÂÂ. The first woman entering in a GLSE's lodge was Josefina Saló. She was introduced in the Respectable Lodge Justicia #7, in Barcelona, on 14 November 1992.
In 2000, the first woman (Ascensión Tejerina) was appointed as a Grand Master. In 2012, Nieves Bayo, from Aragon, was also appointed as a Grand Master. Both of them were reappointed for a second command.https://glse.org/nieves-bayo-reelegida-gran-maestre-por-tres-anos/
In 1986, three years after being admitted to the organisation, the GLSE hold the CLIPSAS's Yearly General Assembly in Madrid, Spain, which led to the recognition of the Spanish masonsâ international effort by world freemasonry. However, ultimate support to that effort came in 1998, when CLIPSAS met again in Spain (then, in Barcelona) and the fourth GLSE's Grand Master was appointed its president, Javier Otaola Bajeneta, Basque writer and lawyer. Otaola led CLIPSAS between 1997 and 1999.
Since then, the GLSE went on enhancing its relations with other obediences and masonic organisations all around the world. Currently, the GLSE maintains mutual recognition relations with 43 masonic obediences from Europe, Africa, Asia and America, and its footprint has reached every major forum in world freemasonry. In April 2005, the GLSE hold the Masonic Mediterranean Union (MMU) Meeting in Tarragona, Spain; and the GLSE did it again in Toledo, Spain, in 2016. Today, the UMM includes representatives from ten coastal countries and it works promote the dialogue, cohabitation and collaboration among all these countries.
On the 9 May 2009, during the Grand Master Jordi Farrerons's command, the GLSE was involved in the Espacio Masónico de España (EME) foundation, coordinating the four major freemasonic obediences with a footprint in Spain âÂÂthe GLSE, Le Droit Humain, the Feminine Grand Lodge of Spain and the Grand Orient of France. On the 1 October 2016, the new GLSE's headquarters was established at Vallès Street, in Barcelona. The old temple in Avinyò Street was abandoned.
On October 29, 2019, Grand Master Xavier Molina presided the inauguration of the new and extensive Madrid headquarters, owned by the GLSE and located on the Belianes Street, in whose temples works Lodges of several Masonic organizations.
As of 2022 the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Spain includes 64 active lodges in four countries (Spain, France, Belgium and Sweden), in which more than 900 men and women work.
The Symbolic Grand Lodge of Spain is affiliated with the following masonic organisations:
The Symbolic Grand Lodge of Spain signed Treaties of Amity and Mutual Recognition with the following masonic organisations:
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Malta: