1. Masons
~A beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols~

2. What is masonry?
Freemasonry or Masonry is a worldwide system of fraternal organisations.
The first signs of it’s existence are traced in the end of the 14th century.
It now numbers approximately 5 million members.

3. Historical Note
According to the masonic mythology, the whole organisation started much earlier than we think, when the Temple of Solomon was constructed.
The most realistic theory is that this brotherhood represents the evolution of the operative lodges of the archi-techts (αρχι- «τέκτονες»)of the Middle Ages.
It is recorded that from the 14th century, stonemasons were gathering in venues, which used to be referred as lodges.
That’s the origin of the word mason.

4. Lodges They are the core of the tectonic organisation.
Every new lodge must be controlled by a Grand Lodge or Grand Orient regionally
Nobody controlls all the lodges of the world, as each one operates independently.
Normally the members are defined as the lodge, the body of the organisation.

5. Lodges
Every year a Master, two Wardens, a secretary and a treasurer are elected and appointed to every lodge.
Each Lodge operates based on some ancient principles, known as Landmarks of Freemasonry.
The biggest lodges are the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Orient of France.
In order for the members of a lodge to be able to visit other lodges, they must be in amity.

6. Beliefs, principles and practices
The basic symbol of masonry is the architectonic symbol of the tools of stonemasons.
In every lodge there are always the symbols of the Protractor and the Diabetes.
Everything they do is blessed by a Divine Creature
They focus on doing charities.

7. How to become a mason
To become a mason, on must fulfil these requirements:
To be an adult male (or in some cases female as well)
To believe in the existence of some Supreme Being.
To be at least 18 to 25 years old (in Greece the limit is 21 years).
To be moral, virtuous and of good reputation.
To be physically and mentally healthy.
To be a freeman
To have being offered a place by at least to other masons-guarrantors.

8. Degrees, orders and obligations
There are 3 basic degrees : The Apprentice, the Journeyman and the Master Mason.
These are divided into 33 degrees.
Every member has individual duties based on oath he gave.
One must always protect his fellow brothers, even if he has to lie on the court.

9. The peculiar things of Masonry that trigger our imagination
No one knows for sure what masons do.
The meaning of their symbols and rituals is highly classified.
Their handshake is unique.
Guess what: They are full of mystic codes that even they don’t know the whole meaning!
They are obsessed with the sun and the east
Their symbol appears on the American dollar.
They conquered the Moon!

10. Theories about the truth
Many believe that Masons are of Jewish descent and that their aim is to control the sociopolitical developments of the world.
All of them are extremely powerful and wealthy.
The belief in a Divine spirit is just a cover up for their true purposes.
The church is strongly opposed to this organisation.

11. Famous masons
These theories aren’t so far fetched if one sees a list of some well known masons:
George Washington
Buzz Auldrin
Benjamin Franklin
Anders Breivik
Ιωάννης Καποδίστριας
Ελευθέριος Βενιζέλος
Ιωάννης Μεταξάς
Θεόδωρος Κολοκοτρώνης
Οι πρωτεργάτες της Φιλικής Εταιρίας
Δημήτρης και Αλέξανδρος Υψηλάντης
Νίκος Καζαντζακης

12. Thank you!