Men dressed in black suits, wearing aprons, white gloves and sashes, accompanied by symbols of compasses, triangles and the all-seeing eye, gathered in mid-June at the International Masonic Peace Conference in Belgrade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the invitation of the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia (RVLS), the host of the event, Freemasons from five continents assembled to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1926 peace gathering, when German and French Freemasons embraced here for the first time after the Great War. Due to their discretion, Freemasons are often criticized for operating under a veil of secrecy. Throughout history, they have brought together some of the greatest minds, which has led many to describe them as controversial power brokers working behind the scenes. During the conference, the Belgrade Peace Declaration was signed and a pyramid-shaped monument was unveiled in New Belgrade, according to Srpskainfo.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grand Masters of various lodges from around the world sent messages of peace and laid wreaths at the Monument to the Unknown Hero on Mount Avala, a work by sculptor Ivan Me\u0161trovi\u0107, whom they refer to as a brother. While there are estimated to be between two and six million Freemasons worldwide, the Serbian brotherhood numbers around 2,000 \u201cinitiated people of good standing,\u201d according to its official website. Within the RVLS, women cannot be members of lodges together with men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The previous major international gathering in Belgrade took place on June 22, 2019, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in Zagreb on June 9, 1919, only six months after the creation of the state bearing the same name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among those present in Belgrade at that time were senior officials of Grand Lodges from across the world, led by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who also serves as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, RVLS announced. The United Grand Lodge of England is considered the \u201cmother of all lodges,\u201d while the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia regards itself as the legitimate successor of the Grand Lodge of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which later changed its name to the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia, following the state itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The modern French tradition, established in the 19th century, is known as co-Masonry and accepts both men and women, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WHO ARE THE FREEMASONS IN SERBIA?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Freemasonry first appeared among Serbs in the final decades of the 18th century, and some of the best-known Freemasons of that era included Dositej Obradovi\u0107 and Prince Aleksa Nenadovi\u0107, according to the RVLS website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first lodge on the territory of present-day Serbia was founded in 1785 in Petrovaradin under the name \u201cProbitas,\u201d then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Among the most prominent Freemasons in the region before 1918 were Sima Milutinovi\u0107 Sarajlija, Stevan Mokranjac, Stevan Sremac, Svetomir Nikolajevi\u0107, Jovan \u0110aja and Lazar Pa\u010du.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A brief history of Grand Lodges in Yugoslavia and Serbia:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the establishment of the Supreme Council of Serbia in 1912 and later the Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, \u0110or\u0111e Vajfert, owner of mines and breweries and twice governor of the National Bank of Serbia, served as Grand Master. Vajfert hosted the major Masonic peace conference in 1926.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later members reportedly included Vladimir \u0106orovi\u0107, Gustav Krklec, Ivo Andri\u0107 (who was later expelled), Risto Stijovi\u0107 and Milo\u0161 \u0110uri\u0107. King Alexander Kara\u0111or\u0111evi\u0107 the Unifier was allegedly a Freemason in France, though this has never been confirmed. Prince Paul Kara\u0111or\u0111evi\u0107, educated at Oxford, was often described as an English Freemason. The RVLS website lists him as a Freemason, although written proof has never been found, according to the book One Century of the Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Yugoslavia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After centuries of secrecy, Freemasons today maintain websites and occasionally appear in the media. They say that members of the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia are ordinary people encountered every day in stores, workplaces and on the streets. However, apart from their own names, they do not reveal the identities of fellow members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are a brotherhood of good men of good standing who pay taxes, care for their families and neighbors, and strive to make daily life radiate beauty, wisdom and strength,\u201d Tahir Hasanovi\u0107, businessman and Grand Secretary for International Relations of the RVLS, once told Politika.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The organization is led by Grand Master Lukas Rasuli\u0107, a neurosurgeon at the Clinical Center of Serbia and a professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Belgrade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n