Welcome to the website of Grand Lodge in BiH
Dear visitors of the website of the Grand Lodge of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Freemasonry represents a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated with special symbols.
We sometimes say it more succinctly – we are an organization that makes good men even better. The core values respected by every regular Grand Lodge of Freemasons are liberty, equality and fraternity, following and respecting all the old charges and ancient landmarks of our order, which stretch back centuries.
The Grand Lodge of Old, Accepted and Free Masons of Bosnia and Herzegovina is an integral link in the fraternal chain of the oldest fraternal system in the world. Our Grand Lodge is completely regular and recognized by all relevant foreign Grand Lodges, and above all by the mother lodge of all Freemasons, the United Grand Lodge of England. In this way, every Freemason becomes a member of a global, cosmopolitan community, and I deeply believe that Freemasonry in Bosnia and Herzegovina is an important part of the worldwide fraternal chain, because it originates from a country in whose foundations from ancient times the basic principles of tolerance, brotherly love and charity have always been embedded.
Contrary to certain prevalent prejudices, you should know that the fraternity of Freemasons is not a secret association and it operates completely legally on the territory of the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the only regular grand lodge in our country and with exclusive masonic jurisdiction on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Every free man in good standing can become a member of our fraternity, and every Freemason has the duty and obligation to respect all the laws of his country by living on the basis of one of our fundamental principles – “Laws make us free”.
I sincerely hope that the information you find on this page will encourage you to become one of the seekers after what we all strive for as free men in good standing – enlightenment, knowledge and advancement.
The Grand Master of GLBiH
Active lodges in BiH
FAQ
What is the essence of the fraternity of Freemasons?
Freemasonry is based on the guiding ideas of fraternal community and the symbolic experience. Freemasons thus stand for humanity, brotherhood, tolerance, peace and social justice. This is the main reason why Freemasonry can never become obsolete or old-fashioned. As a place of gathering for people connected in a “chain of brotherhood”, the lodge represents a workshop where the guiding idea is constantly revived and re-contextualized, so that it is constantly adapted to modern times and given circumstances. The work that goes on in the lodge goes towards strengthening the chain of brotherhood, primarily through the framework of ritual working, which is unimaginable without its symbolic aspect and which can only be experienced, but not transmitted. This is exactly what could be called the “masonic secret”. Every Freemason can thus find what best suits his own preferences and ideas during the lodge work. Some are attracted by the living spiritual dimension of Freemasonry, some on the other hand see the essence of the lodge in the human community that reigns supreme within it, while others see the essence of Freemasonry in its symbolism. However, true Freemasonry is realised only in the entanglement of all its elements.
What is spiritual work?
Freemasonry has no agenda according to which it operates. Freemasonry also does not take part in any sectarian or political discussions. In the lodge, every Freemason prepares and trains himself for responsible personal action in society by constantly working on himself while jointly considering various phenomena with other brethren. Freemasons manifest their work in enlightenment of others primarily by overcoming prejudices and injustices, by constantly developing a sense of current problems in society, and by constantly searching for the truth. As such, lodges offer orientation in their working, but also continuously continue to question criteria upon which we base our principles. Questioning reality in the context of humanity, fraternity, tolerance, peace and social justice also offers benchmarks for understanding said reality.
Freemasons do not know what a perfect world would look like, because they consciously refrain themselves from formulating any socio-political utopias. However, humanity and tolerance as guiding principles offer them
What is a lodge?
The fundament of all Masonic activity is the Lodge. The lodge is a place of gathering, exchange, spiritual work, which is to say, work on oneself. The lodge is also the place where every Freemason departs from the outside or the profane world, leaving it behind and enters into the symbolic world of Freemasonry. Prerequisites for this are honesty, as well as the constant support and sincere behaviour among all brethren. A successful working in the lodge demands that we approach a brother in all life situations, to understand his character traits and to help him in his time of need. At the same time, Masonic tolerance does not by any means mean a disinterested attitude towards the so-called other and the different, but requires a constant effort in order to understand the other in its uniqueness and to respect it. Any self-centred modes of acting, which can be encountered, are tried to be overcome by conversation, instruction and exemplary behaviour. It is, in fact, the subject of constant Masonic labour.
What is the masonic world-view?
Freemasonry is not a religion nor a religious community. Freemasonry brings together people of completely different religious beliefs and members of all religious groups, based on those common values shared by all. That is where our language of symbols plays a key role in all our work of Freemasons. Freemasonry recognises no dogma and allows each and every individual to represent his individual beliefs, as long as they do not endanger anyone else’s. Freemasonry is also not a substitute for belonging to any religious denomination, nor is it a competitor to them, but rather it strives towards finding a common language for members of all religious groups.