Grande Loge de France splits from the Grand Orient de France

Background. The Grand Orient de France is the oldest of several Freemasonic organizations based in France and the oldest in Continental Europe, having been formed out of an older Grand Lodge of France in 1773. By 1894, many lodges had split off in protest, forming the Grande Loge de France. This new obedience was revived in 1894 when the Scottish Rite masonic streams were unified.

Constitutional Founding. The first Constitution of the revived Grande Loge de France was based on the Declaration of Principles from the Convent of Lausanne of 1875. It defined Freemasonry as a universal alliance based on solidarity, aiming at the promotion of emancipatory evolution of Humanity, distinguishing its principles from the Grand Orient.

Growth and Structure. The Grande Loge de France grew from 3,000 members in 1894 to 8,400 in 1912, according to the passage's account of its early-20th-century growth. Today, the obedience operates in respect of fundamental principles of traditional Freemasonry, refers to the motto Ordo Ab Chao of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and is governed by a Federal Counsel of 33 members elected by representatives of its lodges.