M.W. Gheorghe Comanescu, 33°
I need not recount the Nazi persecutions of Freemasons–the history of their seeking out and confiscating or destroying Masonic treasures and records, of their destruction of Masonic Temples, of the internment and murder of Masons in concentration camps. I need only say that Romania did not escape their fury, for none of our enemies could tolerate a fraternity which taught freedom, the dignity of the individual, and the right of each man to think for himself. Thus, the Light of Freemasonry dimmed in my country by February of 1937 when the Fraternity was officially dissolved by Sovereign Grand Commander Jean Pangal, both Grand Lodge and Supreme Council. Our Grand Master, Prince Bibescu, was in Central America at the time. But he returned to Romania and stated in official correspondence dated October 30, 1937, that "the National Grand Lodge of Romania and its Lodges still existed, waiting for future possibilities to meet. The Grand Secretary keeps his office activity." According to the Grand Secretary, Masonic work resumed in the autumn of 1944 and again began to prosper until 1948 when Masonry’s Light was again suppressed in Romania. Then, in 1990, 110 years after the first Romanian Grand Lodge was formed, Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe and Masonic Light was rekindled in Romania. Three Lodges were restarted through the kind efforts of the Grand Orient of Italy and the Grand Lodge of California. On January 24, 1993, the National Grand Lodge of Romania was officially reconstituted in Bucharest. Later in 1993, the Commission on Information for Recognition of the Conference of Grand Masters of North America reported that our Grand Lodge had been regularly established and met the standards for recognition. Currently, 26 Grand Lodges in North America and Grand Lodges of Argentina, Brazil (13), Bulgaria, four of the Grand Lodges of Canada, Colombia (3), France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Paraguay, Portugal, Puerto Rico, and Turkey have officially recognized the National Grand Lodge of Romania. Altogether, 59 Grand Lodges throughout the world have recognized us, and we have friendly negotiations with the Grand East of The Netherlands, Grand Lodge Alpina of Switzerland, Grand Lodge of Austria, Grand Lodge of the State of Israel, Grand Lodge of India, Regular Grand Lodge "Yugoslavia," and with many other Grand Lodges from the United States and Canada. To re-establish the Scottish Rite in Romania, members of our Grand Lodge were initiated into the Rite and received degrees through the 32°. In October 1993, in Washington, D.C., Romanian Brethren holding the 32° were crowned with the 33°. Directed by the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., (Mother Council of the World), these Brethren reinstituted the Supreme Council of Romania, with Brother Constantin Iancu, 33°, elected as Sovereign Grand Commander. The Supreme Council of Romania has the full support of the National Grand Lodge of Romania. I extend warm fraternal greetings on behalf of the Romanian Brethren and cordially invite you to visit my country. There is much to see, both of natural beauty and of ancient civilization. And, on behalf of the Masons of my land, I thank American Masonry for the contributions to Romanian Freemasonry. You have helped the Light return. |
The Light of
Freemasonry came to our country in 1880. Membership in the Craft grew rapidly
until November 1916 when our leaders and members were called to serve in
World War I. After the war, the surviving Master Masons reopened Lodges in
Romania, and regular Freemasonry again began to prosper. But then World War
II engulfed us.