The Moscow Times (independent writing) Anonymous, March 27, 2025
Moscow Times retains the anonymity of the author of this article due to the fact that it remains in Russia.
History of Russia is simply a list of celebrated masons, from Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Kutuzov to the Tsars of Peter III, Alexander I and Paul I. Despite this heritage, it was a favourite destination of the Russian state and Orthodox Church. That's the way it is today.
The world's oldest fraternity was banned respective times in Russia, and its members routinely were exiled, arrested, harassed and accused – falsely – of everything, from Satan's cult to global domination. The mysterious nature of the organization has made it widely suspected in a country that is cyclically hostile to imports from the West. Many mistakenly assumed that the masonry was hiding sinister motives. During the 1991 coup attempt, nationalist groups distributed conspiracy theories about the Mason-Jewish conspiracy to overthrow the USSR from within.
The Brotherhood inactive has enemies in modern Russia. In 2017, the nationalist politician Vitali Milonov called on the FSB to initiate investigations about the Masons. Milonov falsely claimed that the Masons were "internal enemies" active in illegal political activity and accepting money from abroad governments.
Today, however, the Masonry may be 1 of the safest independent civilian groups in Russia. Grand Master of the large Lodge of Russia (UGLR), Andrei Bogdanov, saysthat the organisation has no problems with action in Russia. There's not much indication that he's lying. Men, mostly over 50 years old, smoking cigars in the elegant surviving area of the home lodge close the Savelyovskaya Metro station, avoided labels of extremists, undesirables or abroad agents. Political force barely exists.
Masonery has been practiced since the mediate Ages and was brought to Russia in the 1830s by British, French and German immigrants. Masoneria has no coherent ideology or doctrine, but only a commitment to self-improvement and brotherhood among members.
Her past and beliefs are rooted in ancient quarrying, and symbols and practices offer life lessons of morality. Many of them come from the allegory concerning the building of King Solomon's temple, by her chief architect, Hiram Abiff. Like ancient stonemasons, the Masons identify each another and their level of championship through secret handshakes. They wear aprons and gloves and usage circumstantial tools, specified as zirciel, charcoal and hammer.
In early Europe, guilds took care of their employees and eventually, financially motivated, began to receive non-masons. Members of the guild earned more than representatives of most another professions due to the fact that the guild helped set wages and working conditions for its members. They besides acted as social clubs for men, gathering in inns and taverns to survey mathematics, measurements and geometry.
In the 17th century, membership consisted almost exclusively of aristocracy. The Masons were now looking for moral lessons on the outskirts of conventional spiritual doctrines and modern science. They discussed everything, from discipline and esoteric currents to the judaic cabal and gnostic reading of the Bible. There were another laymen, unpartisan and egalitarian.
In Russia, the masonry was first practiced in the inhabited districts of Moscow, and then spread to a tiny number of Petersburg aristocrats. Among them were number Yakov Bruce and Archbishop Feofan Prokopovich.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Peter Elagin became the authoritative Masonic leader in the country. Since then, the Russian masonry has imitated the practices of English beds. According to historian Andrei Zorin, many bored nobles saw masonry as a form of Europeanization that would lead to enlightenment and distance them from the backward Russian peasant culture.
Russian Masons have done a lot for education and wellness care. They opened a philological seminary, a library, respective schools, a free pharmacy and a hospital. However, their influence among the nobles, courtes and foreigners afraid Empress Catherine the Great. Prominent Masons were sent to Siberia, and the activities of all secret societies were banned among government officials. It was forbidden to belong to the Masonry twice more, in 1825 after the revolt of the Decabrists and in 1918 after the Bolshevik overturn.
The Orthodox Church besides despised those who swore oaths to another organizations, reasoning that symbols of the Temple of Solomon could not be worshipped at the expense of Christianity and the authority of the church. He accused Masons of practicing rituals that openly condemned God and Christ and neglected the actual way to salvation.
The invisibility of the Masons now provides them with safety. It is estimated that there are 1,300 masons and 53 lodges in Russia, mainly middle-aged men in Russia's largest European cities. UGLR maintains an exceptionally low public profile. The large Master is the only Mason allowed to talk to the Russian press.
On May 9, freemasons lay wreaths on the grave of an unknown soldier, and on May 24 flowers under the monument of the authors of Russian literature, Cyril and Methodius. It gives them, along with singing the national anthem at banquets, a patriotic surrounding.
Furthermore, most of them keep their membership secret to avoid discrimination and the Grand Master never reveals the names of the members. Common blur the faces of members on social media and leave fewer digital footprints. However, UGLR is present on all major platforms, although social media Bogandova are practically
.
The Kremlin besides appreciates their unpartisanness. The discussion of politics and religion is prohibited in Masonic lodges. The organisation and its members shall not comment publically on any political issues.
UGLR says besides that its members are not politicians, high-ranking businessmen or artists (although Bird rapper briefly joined it). The only known political figure is Bogdanov, who founded his own organization and ran unsuccessfully for president in 2008. Critics claimed that his start was to give the election false legitimacy and divide the liberal opposition that challenged Dmitri Medvedev.
However, the deficiency of dangerous ideas or polarizing characters builds immunity. The public image of the masonry remains clean, and the Kremlin has nothing to attack. If individual like Alexey Navalny or even Sergei Lavrov were a associate of the Masonry, public opinion and the state would have different feelings.
In fact, the Kremlin quietly tries to woo the Masons. Bogdanov was officially invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of president Vladimir Putin in 2024. He besides participated in the analogous ceremony of Dmitri Medvedev. fewer have noticed this and no 1 has made a fuss about it.
Of course, masonry inactive has its problems. The insults and conspiracy theories persist on the Internet, and there are known cases of breaking into bed and disrupting meetings. In 2017, Bogdanov said that the Russian masonry must be completely self-financing from membership contributions and donations in order to "help [us] avoid designation as abroad agents".
However, a tiny number of members means limited funds. Expanding is equally difficult. The acquisition of a fresh lodge is not only costly, but it can attract unwanted publicity. Local owners and government officials must approve the plans and can easy make confusion. Any massive or abrupt increase in the number of members may besides alert safety services.
The Kremlin and Russian Masons achieved common understanding. They are happy to leave themselves alone and keep a distant, almost secret relationship. There's nothing to gain by rocking this boat. possibly any things are best kept secret.
The views expressed in the opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of The Moscow Times.
read more:
See also:
