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Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) [1] [2] [3] or simply Masonry includes various fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 14th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients.
Freemasonry in the United States is the history of Freemasonry as it was introduced from Britain and continues as a major secret society to the present day. It is a fraternal order that brings men together (and women through its auxiliaries) to gain friendship and opportunity for advancement and community progress.
Freemasons often say that they "are not a secret society, but rather a society with secrets". The secrets of Freemasonry are the various modes of recognition – grips (handshakes), words (akin to modern passwords), and signs (hand gestures) that indicate one is a Freemason.
Members of the Order of the Eastern Star are aged 18 and older; men must be Master Masons and women used to need to have specific relationships with Masons, however this was changed at General Grand Chapter in 2024. [citation needed] Originally, a woman would have to be the daughter, widow, wife, sister, or mother of a Master Mason.
The Vatican has confirmed a ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons, a centuries-old secretive society that the Catholic Church has long viewed with hostility and has an estimated global membership ...
Masonic lodge in the City of Brussels, Belgium. A Masonic lodge, also called a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry.. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings.
This page provides links to alphabetized lists of notable Freemasons. Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation which exists in a number of forms worldwide. Throughout history some members of the fraternity have made no secret of their involvement, while others have not made their membership public.
Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic society.Founded in 1872 in New York City, it is headquartered in Tampa, Florida and has over 200 chapters across nine countries, with a global membership of nearly 1.7 million "Shriners". [1]