Grand Orient of Brazil
History of GOB
Although it had, Brazilian Freemasonry, began in 1797 with the Lodge Cavaleiros da Luz, created in the village of Barra, in Salvador, Bahia, and also with the Union Lodge, in 1800, succeeded by the Lodge Meeting in 1802, in Rio de Janeiro, only in 1822, when the campaign for the independence of Brazil became more intense, is that would be created its first Obedience, with national jurisdiction, exactly with the task of carrying out the process of political emancipation of the country.
Created on June 17, 1822, by three Lodges of Rio de Janeiro – the Commercio e Artes na Idade do Ouro and plus the União e Tranquilidade and the Esperança de Niterói, resulting from the division of the first – The Brazilian Grand Orient had, as its first representatives José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, Minister of the Kingdom and of Foreigners and Joaquim Gonçalves Ledo, First Watcher. On October 4 of the same year, already after the declaration of independence of September 7, José Bonifácio was replaced by the then Prince Regent and, soon after, Emperor D. Pedro I (Brother Guatimozim). The latter, faced with the instability of the first days of an independent nation and considering the political rivalry between the groups of José Bonifácio and Gonçalves Ledo – who stood out, alongside José Clemente Pereira and Canon Januário da Cunha Barbosa, as the main leader of the Freemasons – ordered the suspension of the work of the Grand Orient, on October 25, 1822. Only in November 1831, after the abdication of D. Pedro I – which occurred on April 7 of that year – did the Masonic works resume strength and vigor, with the reinstallation of the Obedience, under the title of Grand Orient of Brazil, which never again suspended its activities. Installed in the Masonic Palace of Lavradio, in Rio de Janeiro, from 1842, and with Lodges in practically all provinces, the Grand Orient of Brazil soon became an active participant in all the great social achievements of the Brazilian people, causing its History to be confused with the History of Independent Brazil itself. Through men of high public spirit, placed in important chests of human activity, especially in opinion-forming segments, such as the Liberal Classes, Journalism and the Armed Forces – the Army, more specifically – The Grand Orient of Brazil would have, from the middle of the nineteenth century, a remarkable performance in various social and civic campaigns of the nation. Thus, he distinguished himself in the campaign for the extinction of black slavery in the country, obtaining laws that were gradually slaughtering slavery; among them, the "Euzébio de Queiroz Law", which extinguished the slave trade in 1850, and the "Viscount of Rio Branco Law", of 1871, which declared free children born to slaves from then on. Euzébio de Queiroz was a graduated Freemason and a member of the Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree; the Viscount of Rio Branco, as head of the Ministerial Cabinet, was Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Brazil. Masonic work only stopped with the abolition of slavery on May 13, 1888. The Republican Campaign, which intended to avoid a third reign in Brazil and put the country in the same situation as the other Central and South American nations, also counted on intense Masonic work to disseminate the ideals of the Republic, in the Republican Lodges and Clubs, spread throughout the country. In the final hour of the campaign, when the republic was implanted, there was a Freemason leading the Army troops with his prestige: Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca who would become Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Brazil. During the first forty years of the Republic – a period called "Old Republic" – the participation of the Grand Orient of Brazil in the national political evolution was notorious, through several Masonic presidents, besides Deodoro: Marechal Floriano Peixoto Moraes, Manoel Ferraz de Campos Salles, Marechal Hermes da Fonseca, Nilo Peçanha, Wenceslau Brás and Washington Luís Pereira de Souza. During the 1st World War (1914 – 1918), the Grand Orient of Brazil, from 1916, through its Grand Master, Admiral Veríssimo José da Costa, supported Brazil's entry into the conflict, alongside friendly nations. And even before this entry, which took place in 1917, the Grand Orient already sent financial contributions to French Freemasonry, intended for the relief of the victims of the war, as indicated by the correspondence, which, from France, was sent to the Grand Orient of Brazil at the time. Even with a split, which, arising in 1927, originated the Brazilian State Grand Lodges, momentarily weakening the Grand Orient of Brazil, it continued as the spearhead of Freemasonry, in several national issues, such as: amnesty for political prisoners, during periods of exception, with a state of siege, in some governments of the Republic; the struggle for the redemocratization of the country, which had been subjected, since 1937, to a dictatorship, which would only end in 1945; participation, through the European Masonic Obediences, in the dissemination of the democratic doctrine of the allied countries, in the 2nd World War (1939 – 1945); participation in the movement that interrupted the escalation of the extreme left in the country in 1964; combating the subsequent distortion of this movement, which generated the authoritarian regime too long; struggle for the general amnesty of those affected by this movement; I work for the return of direct elections, after a long period of rulers imposed on the country. And in 1983, he invested in youth, creating his greatest social work; the Youth Paramasonic Action, nationwide, aimed at the physical and intellectual improvement of young people – of both sexes, children or not children of Freemasons. Present in Brasilia – capital of the country, since 1960 – where it settled in 1978, the Grand Orient of Brazil has, today, a considerable heritage, and in several states, in addition to Rio de Janeiro, and in the Federal Capital, where its headquarters occupies a building with 7,800 square meters of built area. With approximately 2,000 Lodges, about 61,500 active workers (31.12.1999), recognized by more than 100 regular Obediences in the world, the Grand Orient of Brazil is, today, the largest Masonic Obedience in the Latin world and recognized as regular and legitimate by the United Grand Lodge of England, according to the terms of the Treaty of 1935.
Created on June 17, 1822, by three Lodges of Rio de Janeiro – the Commercio e Artes na Idade do Ouro and plus the União e Tranquilidade and the Esperança de Niterói, resulting from the division of the first – The Brazilian Grand Orient had, as its first representatives José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, Minister of the Kingdom and of Foreigners and Joaquim Gonçalves Ledo, First Watcher. On October 4 of the same year, already after the declaration of independence of September 7, José Bonifácio was replaced by the then Prince Regent and, soon after, Emperor D. Pedro I (Brother Guatimozim). The latter, faced with the instability of the first days of an independent nation and considering the political rivalry between the groups of José Bonifácio and Gonçalves Ledo – who stood out, alongside José Clemente Pereira and Canon Januário da Cunha Barbosa, as the main leader of the Freemasons – ordered the suspension of the work of the Grand Orient, on October 25, 1822. Only in November 1831, after the abdication of D. Pedro I – which occurred on April 7 of that year – did the Masonic works resume strength and vigor, with the reinstallation of the Obedience, under the title of Grand Orient of Brazil, which never again suspended its activities. Installed in the Masonic Palace of Lavradio, in Rio de Janeiro, from 1842, and with Lodges in practically all provinces, the Grand Orient of Brazil soon became an active participant in all the great social achievements of the Brazilian people, causing its History to be confused with the History of Independent Brazil itself. Through men of high public spirit, placed in important chests of human activity, especially in opinion-forming segments, such as the Liberal Classes, Journalism and the Armed Forces – the Army, more specifically – The Grand Orient of Brazil would have, from the middle of the nineteenth century, a remarkable performance in various social and civic campaigns of the nation. Thus, he distinguished himself in the campaign for the extinction of black slavery in the country, obtaining laws that were gradually slaughtering slavery; among them, the "Euzébio de Queiroz Law", which extinguished the slave trade in 1850, and the "Viscount of Rio Branco Law", of 1871, which declared free children born to slaves from then on. Euzébio de Queiroz was a graduated Freemason and a member of the Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree; the Viscount of Rio Branco, as head of the Ministerial Cabinet, was Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Brazil. Masonic work only stopped with the abolition of slavery on May 13, 1888. The Republican Campaign, which intended to avoid a third reign in Brazil and put the country in the same situation as the other Central and South American nations, also counted on intense Masonic work to disseminate the ideals of the Republic, in the Republican Lodges and Clubs, spread throughout the country. In the final hour of the campaign, when the republic was implanted, there was a Freemason leading the Army troops with his prestige: Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca who would become Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Brazil. During the first forty years of the Republic – a period called "Old Republic" – the participation of the Grand Orient of Brazil in the national political evolution was notorious, through several Masonic presidents, besides Deodoro: Marechal Floriano Peixoto Moraes, Manoel Ferraz de Campos Salles, Marechal Hermes da Fonseca, Nilo Peçanha, Wenceslau Brás and Washington Luís Pereira de Souza. During the 1st World War (1914 – 1918), the Grand Orient of Brazil, from 1916, through its Grand Master, Admiral Veríssimo José da Costa, supported Brazil's entry into the conflict, alongside friendly nations. And even before this entry, which took place in 1917, the Grand Orient already sent financial contributions to French Freemasonry, intended for the relief of the victims of the war, as indicated by the correspondence, which, from France, was sent to the Grand Orient of Brazil at the time. Even with a split, which, arising in 1927, originated the Brazilian State Grand Lodges, momentarily weakening the Grand Orient of Brazil, it continued as the spearhead of Freemasonry, in several national issues, such as: amnesty for political prisoners, during periods of exception, with a state of siege, in some governments of the Republic; the struggle for the redemocratization of the country, which had been subjected, since 1937, to a dictatorship, which would only end in 1945; participation, through the European Masonic Obediences, in the dissemination of the democratic doctrine of the allied countries, in the 2nd World War (1939 – 1945); participation in the movement that interrupted the escalation of the extreme left in the country in 1964; combating the subsequent distortion of this movement, which generated the authoritarian regime too long; struggle for the general amnesty of those affected by this movement; I work for the return of direct elections, after a long period of rulers imposed on the country. And in 1983, he invested in youth, creating his greatest social work; the Youth Paramasonic Action, nationwide, aimed at the physical and intellectual improvement of young people – of both sexes, children or not children of Freemasons. Present in Brasilia – capital of the country, since 1960 – where it settled in 1978, the Grand Orient of Brazil has, today, a considerable heritage, and in several states, in addition to Rio de Janeiro, and in the Federal Capital, where its headquarters occupies a building with 7,800 square meters of built area. With approximately 2,000 Lodges, about 61,500 active workers (31.12.1999), recognized by more than 100 regular Obediences in the world, the Grand Orient of Brazil is, today, the largest Masonic Obedience in the Latin world and recognized as regular and legitimate by the United Grand Lodge of England, according to the terms of the Treaty of 1935.