Grand Orient of the United States

The Grand Orient is the place where old friends meet and lifelong friendships are formed.

Freemasonry is about friendship and brotherhood. No matter where a Mason travels he discovers new friends and brothers awaiting him in the local Masonic lodge. For centuries Freemasonry has been the gateway to vast social networks of honorable people, all joined together for a noble purpose: the brotherhood of all mankind. Grand Orient Freemasonry promotes freedom of conscience, tolerance, democracy, and human rights. Many of the greatest men and women throughout history have been Freemasons because they believed that human beings could better the world through science, reason and understanding. America is a nation built upon the foundations of Masonic principles.

Many scholars now believe that the Age of Enlightenment had its roots in the Masonic lodges of the early eighteenth century. The concept of Masonic Light and the ideas put forth by philosophers such as Thomas Jefferson and Voltaire are one and the same. It was these ideas that gave birth to the modern western world and the founding documents of the United States of America.

The Grand Orient of the United States is a continuation of the cosmopolitan ideals of Masons such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and the Marquis de Lafayette. Our Masonic lineage can be traced back through the Grand Orient of France to the Grand Lodge of England that was first established in 1717.

Grand Orient Freemasonry is a fraternity that is open to all people regardless of their personal beliefs. Many Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Non-Believers are Freemasons. The fraternal aspects of Freemasonry are to be found in its ancient rituals and festivities. The rituals are a way to connect the past with the present and future. Since 1717 every Mason has been initiated into the fraternity in the same way. For some it is a rite of passage, while for others it’s a connection to the roots of the United States and its founding fathers.

When our fraternity began, our Lodges were open to both men and women but due to the moral constraints of society at the time it became limited to only men. At the end of the Victorian period society began to change and today Freemasonry is once again open to both sexes. The ability to petition a Lodge for membership is not limited by gender, race, disability, system of belief or non-belief.

The Grand Orient of the United States promotes continuing education in science, natural philosophy, ethics, humanism, the environment, critical thinking, mathematics, business and other related subjects. Many lodge meetings are specifically dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.

Many people confuse Grand Orient Freemasonry with that practiced by the American Grand Lodges. There are several distinguishing characteristics that differentiate them.

Grand Orient Freemasonry is...