"ISIS" is Grand Orient Freemasonry

Loge Bonaparte, Paris 1811

Ebla Lodge No.1, Syria

Prince Murat Lodge No.1, Turkey

The Washington Monument is located on 15th street which is 5+5+5 , and is precisely 555 feet (or 6660 inches) tall.

Freemasonry in Egypt

Freemasonry first appeared in Egypt in around 1798, introduced by French Masons in Napoleon’s conquering armies. We do not know if Napoleon was a Freemason but he certainly used the Craft to befriend the people by first showing every respect for their religion and then mixing with them socially in an international brotherhood. He wasted no time in flooding the country with circulars about respecting the Moslem religion and in founding the Isis Lodge, into which several eminent people were initiated.

The name “Isis” was adopted after the mysterious rites of the Priests of Isis, sister and wife of Osiris, a prominent figure in Egyptian mythology. It practised the so-called “Memphis Rite”, named after the place where the fraternity of priests met and which was the great school of wisdom and mysteries of the Egyptians. There appears to be no historical warrant for this rite which claimed to continue the hermetic and spiritual teachings of the ancient Egyptians. The rite is known to have practised some 90 degrees, each with their respective secrets and ceremonies.

Isis Lodge appears to have prospered under its first Master, General Kleber, until he was murdered in 1800. At this time, following the withdrawal of the French, Freemasonry seems to have lost its popularity or gone underground.

In 1830, some Italians formed the Carbonari Lodge in Alexandria. This Lodge was altogether political and, as its activities were closely watched by the Government, its meetings were held in complete secrecy. It proved popular, however, and a further Lodge, “Menes”, working the Memphis Rite, was founded which also prospered.

One of the most active members, a Samuel Honnis (sometimes spelled Hanas), a Memphis Rite Freemason, founded a number of French Lodges in Alexandria, Ismailia, Port Said, Suez and Cairo, including the Al Ahram in Alexandria in 1845. 

This was “recognized” by the Government and many senior officials were initiated into it, including the famous Emir Abd el Gazairi, who fought the French in Algeria and, whilst exiled in Syria, gave refuge to and saved hundreds of Christian families during the Damascus massacres. Another famous Initiate was Salvatore Zola who became Grand Master of the Grand Orient and Grand Lodge of Egypt. He also founded the first Italian Lodge to work the Scottish Rite in Alexandria in 1849.

In 1836, the Supreme Council of the Memphis Rite of France issued a Warrant for a Provincial Grand Council in Egypt and several more Lodges were founded in Egypt under the Italian jurisdiction and others up to 1862, all of which worked in perfect harmony with the French Provincial Grand Lodge.

However, Egyptian Masons who found themselves working under such varied Constitutions, decided to have one of their own. In 1864, a Provisional Warrant (confirmed in 1866) was granted by the Grand Orient of Italy creating the Grand Orient of Egypt to work the higher Degrees and a National Grand Lodge of Egypt to work the first three Degrees.

This eliminated the state of anarchy which had existed between the many rites and Constitutions and this Masonic Authority gradually became recognised worldwide. Prince Halim (an Initiate of Bulwer Lodge of Cairo) was made Supreme Grand Commander and was succeeded by Salvatore Zola.

The Khedive Ismail, one of the greatest figures in 19th century Egypt, although not a Mason, patronised the order as a prominent humanitarian organisation and allowed his son Tewfik to be initiated.

In 1881, The Khedive Tewfik Pasha became Grand Master and held sway over more than 500 Lodges working in English, French, Greek, Hebrew, Italian and Arabic, and obtained recognition for the Grand Lodge of Egypt from most of the recognised Grand Lodges of the world. Bro. Mousa Sindaha’s research shows that The Khedive Tewfik in fact assigned his duties to Hussein Fakhry Basha, the Minister of Justice, and that the number of Lodges was nearer 56 than 500. In 1891, The Khedive Tewfik Pasha ceded his Office to Idris Bey Ragheb.

English Freemasonry in Egypt W. Bro. Mishellany’s notes refer to the first English Lodge in Egypt as being founded in 1860 at the Suez Hotel. This was known as Oriental Lodge and met at the premises then known as the Suez Hotel but there is no record of Oriental Lodge at the United Grand Lodge of England.

There is, however, an Oriental Lodge, No. 472, warranted at Suez by the Grand Lodge of Scotland on 5th August 1867 and it is possible that confusion has arisen over time. This Scottish Lodge became dormant in 1881.

Freemasonry being extremely popular then, English Masons were not far behind the other nations. Between 1862 and 1871 they formed eight Lodges directly under the United Grand Lodge of England, namely St. John, No. 919, 1862 - 1877, Hyde Clark, No. 1082, 1865 - 1869, St. John and St. Paul, No. 1154, 1867 - 1872, Zetland, No. 1157, 1867 - 1956, Albert Edward Lodge, No. 1291, consecrated in 1969, all in Alexandria; La Concordia, No. 1226, 1868 - 1890, working in Italian in Cairo; Bulwer Lodge of Cairo, No. 1068 in 1865, Grecia, No. 1105 in 1866, both in Cairo and still working, and Kawkab el Sharq, (Star of the East) No.1355, 1871 - 1956, also in Cairo.

These Lodges, being under the control of the United Grand Lodge of England and Egypt being part of the Ottoman Empire, were subject to the Inspection of the District Grand Master of Turkey, R.W. Bro. Sir Henry Bulwer, later Baron Dalling & Bulwer, after whom our Lodge is named.

In 1867, the Grand Master agreed to the creation of a District Grand Lodge of Egypt and installed Prince Halim as R.W. Bro. District Grand Master of Egypt whilst he was in London. A year later, Prince Halim was exiled from Egypt and he appointed as his Deputy Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul, R.W. Bro. R. Borg (probably the first initiate of Bulwer Lodge of Cairo and its Worshipful Master in 1871), who continued in the Office until 1878, when the District Grand Lodge of Egypt was dissolved.

The District Grand Lodge was created because the National Grand Lodge of Egypt had lost its recognition by the United Grand Lodge of England as it patronised Lodges working several rites not recognised by the UGLE, including the Memphis Rite. Although the individual Lodges under the District met frequently, the District Grand Lodge met only three times in the seven years of its existence, on 24th June 1871, 3rd April 1873 and 2nd April 1874 with R.W. Bro. Borg presiding on each occasion.

Salvatore Zola, who wanted the Egyptian Grand Lodge recognised worldwide, summarily eliminated all the irregular and unrecognised Lodges and enforced strict adherence to the recognised Ancient and Established Scottish Rite. He made it known to the United Grand Lodge of England that the National Grand Lodge of Egypt was working regularly. The Warrant issued to Prince Halim was withdrawn and the English Lodges were instructed to work with the National Grand Lodge. A sort of agreement was reached that no new Lodges would be formed under the United Grand Lodge of England in territory covered by the Egyptian Constitution.

Several Lodges were, however, formed by English residents under the Egyptian Constitution, including Idris, Corinthian, Ragheb, Rising Sun and Breda Lodges. They worked in English, on English principles and according to English Constitution and Ritual but under the authority of the National Grand Lodge of Egypt from whom they obtained their Charters.

In 1889, the Grand Mastership was entrusted to Idris Bey Ragheb, an extremely wealthy notable. Being a keen Freemason, he devoted all his energies and considerable sums of money to further the cause of Egyptian Freemasonry, keeping careful control over the workings of Lodges and Chapters and their relations to the English Lodges for 25 years.

When his fortune declined, having been entirely spent on Masonic projects, his control weakened and some of his retinue began trafficking in Masonry and committing irregularities. Being in need, Idris himself obtained money by overlooking their actions and Masonic Honours were sold to the highest bidder. The English Brethren could not tolerate these irregularities and, after several meetings with Idris Bey, complaints started to reach the United Grand Lodge of England which resulted in the creation of the District Grand Lodge of Egypt and the Sudan in 1899, with R.W. Bro Lord Kitchener of Khartoum as first District Grand Master. All future Lodges were formed under the District, beginning with Khartoum Lodge No. 2877, then Sir Reginald Wingate Lodge No. 2954; Pelusium Lodge, No. 3003; Delta Lodge, No. 3060; Lotus Lodge, No. 3296 and others in later years.

"The Freemason Fraternity has a great history in the Middle East. It has started with the practical fraternity, i.e. with our Greatest Master, Hiram Abif until the establishment of the first Symbolic Freemason Lodge in the late 18th century when Napoleon came to Egypt in 1798. The Lodge worked under the name of Isis under the patronage of the French Memphis Lodge. After that, many Freemason Lodges were launched under the patronage of Italian, French and British Orients, especially after the British entrance to Egypt in 1882.

In Lebanon, the first Freemason Lodge was established in 1862. The Freemasonic Movement had eras of nourishment and some periods of depression, especially in the 20th century with all the wars and turbulences in the region. Freemasonry flourishes and progresses with the concepts of Justice, Democracy and Peace. It works for it and fosters it. On the other hand, our Movement is negatively affected by Tyranny, Dictatorship and Oppression.

Lebanon is considered the oasis of the Arab world. It is rich with democratic movements and interactions between the civic society, political parties and associations, in which the Lebanese Freemasons played a vital role in empowering this experience. In addition, our movement has played an important role in supporting charitable and human endeavors to strengthen the pillars of virtue and goodness.

The Lebanese Freemasons cordially invite all our brethrens all over the world to visit Lebanon, a beautiful country that is rich with Freemason sites and features that are inspired by the Architect of this Great Universe and where in the southern city of Tyr, Our Greatest Master Hiram Abif rests in peace."

MW Bro. A.A., MHC

Senior Grand Officer of Lebanon