Traditional Grand Lodges

Traditional Freemasonry is made of Masonic bodies which are not in full compliance with the United Grand Lodge of England’s regular Landmarks because of ritual or gender reasons. There are obviously several Grand Lodges which are rigorously and seriously working but which are not following all of the Landmarks.

The following can be considered as traditional Grand Lodges which meeting traditional standards. :

• The presence of the Square, Compass and the Volume of the Sacred Law in Lodge,
• The oaths are taken upon the Volume of the Sacred Law,
• The invocation of the Grand Architect of the Universe and the Belief in a Supreme Being,
• Political and religious discussion is strictly forbidden in Lodge,
• The Masonic Body has been constituted by at least 3 lodges duly constituted.
• The use of rules, codes and rituals which are older than the birth of the United Grand Lodge of England (1813)

In France, several Masonic Bodies meet these criteria. Some of them have chosen to work as an entire system – using a masonic rite from the 1st to the last degree of the rite without a real independent set of blue lodges, the system being managed by the higher degree Masons.  Others have chosen to be feminine or mixed.

• The Initiatic and Traditional Order of the Royal Art (OITAR)
• The Symbolic Grand Lodge of France (GLSF)
• The Grand Priory of Gauls (GPDG)