OMTI Constitutions PDF

Ordine Massonico Tradizionale Italiano – THE COSTITUTIONS and the forty principles of the Free Mason
FIRST SECTION
The general principles
Chapter I: Of the Freemasonry, of the Freemasons, of the Order.
1. Freemasonry is an association of men and women who believe and profess the principles of freedom,
equality, brotherhood; it hopes for peace, Charity, tolerance, binds its followers to respect the opinions
of others, the laws and Constitution of the State, prohibiting them, during the Lodge’s works, any
political or religious debate. In this way it avoids dealing with what can divide, since its intention is to
exalt the much that unites and to banish the little that divides the human context. In this way
Freemasonry aims to propose itself as a permanent center of fraternal union in which there is perfect
harmony of thought. Freemasons are subject only to their own conscience and are committed to
practicing the ideals of association.
2. The Masonic Communion, having as its finality the moral and spiritual perfection of humanity, endows
itself with a philanthropic nature that it manifests by spreading and teaching its values and principles
through the symbol, the allegory, the example.
3. If the aim of the Masonic institution is the perfection of humanity, it is imperative that the Freemason
practices an authentic morality that presupposes the basic criterion of "not doing to others what you
would not have them do to you". He must therefore be fair, human, sincere, beneficent to all men and,
above all, good father/mother, good son/daughter, good brother/sister, good partner, good citizen.
4. Since the purpose of the Institution is the perfection of humanity, the Freemason uses all material and
spiritual resources to achieve it.
5. The bonds of fraternity and the duties that derive from the stated principles require that the Freemasons
of any jurisdiction assume, among themselves, the title of Brothers/Sisters and, both in and out of the
Lodge, preserve a true fraternal affection.
6. All Freemasons are equal, no one, in his/her role and position, can claim to have special prerogatives and
honors. This does not prevent the Freemasons from showing particular admiration and respect for those
Brethren in whom they recognize greater virtues and doctrine.
7. The Freemason, considering as profane all those not recognized as Brothers/Sisters, must be cautious not
to reveal to them, or make them understand the works, the drawings or the labor of the institution, even
though the latter does not have secret or hidden purposes. Always remember that discretion is a basic
and essential characteristic of the Freemason. Discretion means sensitivity, measure, criterion, balance,
moderation, respect and this is what the Freemason must adhere to. It is also an extremely negative habit
to provide telephone numbers or sensitive data of Brethren even to subjects belonging to the Order,
without first obtaining the authorization of the interested parties. This last rule does not only refer to
confidentiality, but also and above all to the principles of education and respect.
8. A similar caution to that stated in the previous article should be used with regard to Brethren of a lower
degree.
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9. The Freemasons gather in particular places, called "temples", in order to work there ritually with zeal
and dedication. They admit into their families only men and women of full age, with a good reputation,
people of proven morality, loyal and discrete, worthy from all points of view of being defined Brothers
and Sisters.
10. Freemasons learn in temples to love their homeland, humanity, to respect the laws and to work to
change them, according to the procedures laid down in the Constitution, when they consider them
unjust and unfair.
11. The Freemasons consider work as an essential duty for man. Work ensures dignity and makes people
better, therefore, it must be honored with words, with example, with writings. Working is, however,
considered an art and therefore should never be an oppressive, alienating or even less humiliating
activity.
12. Freemasonry is not a secret association and fosters an absolute internal transparency; it defends,
however, confidentiality and discretion, considered values. It believes, in fact, that adherence to a system
of ideas as well as to a religious faith are related to freedom of thought and that this cannot and must not
be exposed to the judgment of others, but must be respected in its singularity and specificity.
13. The so-called "Masonic secret" is, by its nature, incommunicable since it consists in the alchemy of
feeling and perceiving the self and that other from oneself that springs from the intimate of every
Freemason. Such a transformation varies from subject to subject and often acts in such a discrete way
that even the person concerned does not grasp it on the spot. The OMTI - Italian Traditional Masonic
Order - adopts the definition of Masonic secret given by Giacomo Casanova: The mystery of Freemasonry
is by its very nature inviolable: the Freemason knows it only by intuition, not by having learned it. He
discovers it by frequenting the Lodge, observing, reasoning and deducing. When he has known it, he takes care
not to communicate the discovery to anyone, even the best friend Mason, because if he has not been able to
penetrate the mystery, he will not even be able to take advantage of it if he learns it from others. The mystery
will always remain a mystery.
14. Freemasons consider Charity an absolute value that must be defended and cultivated. Every Freemason
must be in Charity with his Brother, help him, protect him, meet him as often as necessary. It must be
specified, however, that:
a. Charity is always mutual;
b. Charity in favor of a subject cannot imply damage, even an induced one, to a third party,
whether Freemason or profane;
c. Charity cannot be invoked when it involves impropriety or, even worse, an action that is
contrary to the law and morals;
d. Charity cannot lead to demands for money. Loans, even gracious ones, are excluded at any time
and, requesting as granting them, implies a major masonic crime;
e. Charity does not mean to presume to use, free of charge, the professionalism or work of another
brother or sister or to be able to use it for illegal purposes.
15. Freemasonry considers other values of primary importance: tolerance, reflection, self-control, discretion,
courage.
16. The Freemasons, of whatever country they are from, are members of a single and large family, as one is
the species to which they belong, one is the place they live in, one is the nature they contemplate.
17. The great Masonic family is divided into Communions that are identified with a specific geographical
area or with a particular latomistic tradition; the life of each Communion is regulated by a set of rules
called Statute or Constitutions.
18. The present Constitutions regulate the Italian Traditional Masonic Order which recognizes three
initiatory degrees: Apprentice, Companion and Master. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order is
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divided into Lodges which are autonomous and sovereign societies, subject to the respect of what is
established in the present text.
Chapter II: of the Traditional Italian Masonic Order
19. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order was born at the East of Florence on the day of the Winter
Solstice of the year 2016 E.V. and is regularly established as a Masonic Communion at the East of Lecce
on the Summer Solstice of the year 2017 E.V. It settles in Rome in July of the same year.
20. The aims of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order are those common to the Universal Freemasonry, as
explained in articles 1, 2 and 3 of these Constitutions, which are based on the following documents and
founding and normative texts:
§ Anderson's Constitutions of 1723 and the subsequent drafting of 1738,
§ the Masonic Code of the United and Rectified Lodges of France, approved at the Convent of
Lyon in 1778,
§ the General Statutes of the Society of Freemasons (Naples 1820),
§ the General Statutes of the Serenissima Gran Loggia Nazionale Italiana, published in Rome in
1922,
§ the ancient Landmarks, meaning not those written by Albert Gallatin Mackey in 1858 or the
other reworkings due to different authors, but the Landmarks never written, to which Anderson
referred to indicate an initiatory tradition, which was handed down from generation to
generation of initiates, to which we now connect, so that the interiority of the Brothers/Sisters is
illuminated by the anteriority of our fathers.
21. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order defines itself as Communion and not Obedience, since it
considers that this last term is no longer intended as adhesion to a precise normative corpus and a well-
defined latomistic tradition, but, on the contrary, that it appears to indicate a mere subjection to the
hierarchies, therefore it considers that this aspect is in antithesis with the spirit of the true Freemasonry
which defends to the full the autonomy of thought, the brotherhood, the freedom of conscience and
judgment.
22. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order defends and promotes the initiatory process, the symbolic
language and the traditional scope of the specific latomistic, believing that these are the characterizing
traits of the Freemasonry and its method.
23. Communion considers the Lodges as fundamental organisms of Masonic society, and they are
autonomous and sovereign. They administer the three levels of the Order, initiate profane, affiliate and
regularize, impart salary increases, have their own administration, exercise Masonic justice in relation to
the crimes deemed light, adopt their own Regulations and Rituals.
24. The Lodges are bound to respect the present Constitutions, the Association Statute and the provisions
issued by the Government of the Order and approved by the Grand Assembly.
25. The main task of the Lodges is the encouragement of man, meaning by this:
§ full realization and defense of human values such as: freedom, equality, brotherhood, tolerance,
respect for others, Charity, justice;
§ rejection of all discrimination;
§ the development of the dynamics of listening and dialogue and understanding;
§ the search for truth, through the application of methodological doubt;
§ promotion and stimulation to the depths of the initiation process.
26. Another fundamental task of the Lodges is the deepening of the initiatory path, based on the massive
method that consists of: exegesis of the iconological symbol, dynamic and narrating, didactics of silence
and speech.
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27. The Lodges' point of view is progressive, since they consider man and society as dynamic subjects, in
continuous evolution, so it is their task to always update their horizons, starting with that of tolerance,
which must turn towards the appreciation of the other.
28. The Communion supports and develops the work of the Lodges and acts in the outside world with a
view to transparency and comparison. In particular:
a. It promotes culture, believing that this is the best weapon to combat social ills such as ignorance,
prejudice, discrimination and tyranny.
b. It promotes both internal and external Charity, considering it the operational transposition of
the Brotherhood.
c. It promotes the values of Freemasonry.
29. Another task of the Communion is the defense of Freemasonry, sometimes opposed and discredited by
ignorance, prejudice, the culture of intolerance and defamation.
30. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order considers laicity an indispensable value, inspired by the
principles of freedom, pluralism, tolerance, dignity and autonomy of each person.
31. Secularism is not a philosophical system, it is not an ideology, but it is a method to allow the coexistence
of different positions of thought and, therefore, is the only suitable procedure to survive the specificity of
each culture. Laicity also means respect for sacredness in all its many cultural, religious and spiritual
forms, considering, in particular, human life as sacred, from its manifestation to its disappearance, and
its relationship with nature as sacred, taking it away from any form of commodification.
32. Laicity means methodological doubt, demystification, self-criticism, the ability to believe in one's own
values without the presumption of excluding others, critical independence and autonomy of responsible
choice.
33. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order considers the latomistic path concluded with the third degree. It
accepts the systems of High Degrees, called Rites, and considers them important as initiatory, cognitive
and formative itineraries, but considers them different from the specific and original Masonic project.
34. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order does not allow its affiliates to be members of other Masonic
Orders in terms of membership and dues, but it does allow them to adhere to it with the title of
honorary.
35. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order allows its Lodges to be honorary members, full members of other
Masonic Communions.
36. There are no reasons or causes for incompatibility between the simultaneous registration to the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order and that to other traditional and non-Masonic initiatory associations, such
as those inspired by Martinism, Rosicrucian or neo-templar. It is forbidden, however, to proselytize
during the works for the traditional and initiatory association to which one belongs. Belonging to
counter-initiatic associations, according to the definition of René Guenon, implies, instead, the
immediate expulsion from the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
SECOND SECTION
The Regulation
37. The organs of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order are:

a. peripheral: the Lodges, the Triangles, the Easts;
b. national: the Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge, the Grand Lodge General, the Grand
Council of the Order, the Grand Master, the Grand Master Deputy Vicar, the National
Authority of Masonic Justice.
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The participation of the Brothers/Sisters in these bodies is free of charge. Any kind of compensation is
excluded, even as a refund.
Part One
Chapter I: of the Lodges
38. The Lodges represent the fundamental organism of Communion, they are autonomous in organization
and administration; they are independent because they exercise self-government and have their own
regulations and rituals, they are sovereign in the initiation of lay people, in the affiliation and
regularization of Brothers/Sisters. Each Lodge is characterized by its distinctive name, serial number and
the East to which it belongs.
Each Lodge may have one or more Triangles in its dependence. The Triangle is an elementary Masonic
authority, consisting of three or more Brothers / Sisters of which at least one Master. The purpose of a
triangle is double: it serves to ensure a minimal Masonic presence in a Valley without Lodges and to lay
the foundations for founding a new Lodge in perspective. In the territory where the Triangle operates, it
ensures the reception of any visiting Brothers/Sisters and promotes the proselytism of lay people and the
approach of irregular Brothers/Sisters who will then be initiated or regularized by the Lodge on which
the Triangle depends. The Triangle is not autonomous and always responds to the Worshipful Master of
the Lodge on which it depends.
39. The Lodges are convened under the auspices of St. John the Evangelist, are led by a Worshipful Master.
They have their own regulations and rituals, they can be mixed, formed by men and women.
Chapter II: The Masonic House and the Temple
40. The Masonic house is the place where the Freemasons meet to carry out their work. When choosing a
suitable place to build a Masonic house, the need for confidentiality must be taken into account; a site of
Freemasons must be, as much as possible, hidden from the curiosity of the profane. "Hiding from the
curiosity of the profane" means protecting the initiatory dignity of the Lodges, but such an expression,
taken from ancient Masonic statutes, does not imply the concept of "secrecy" that is banned from
Communion. Therefore, where conditions permit, it is appropriate that the Lodges indicate with a plate,
the presence of a seat of the Traditional Italian Masonic Order or, at least, the local association to which
the site is headed.
41. A Masonic house to house the works in the three symbolic degrees, must include three distinct
environments: the chamber of reflection, the lost way, also called "hall of lost steps", the temple.
42. The chamber of reflection or meditation is placed in an appropriate place and must always be provided
with the inscriptions and furniture prescribed by the rite.
43. In the vestibule or lost street are located the cabinets for the storage of papers and utensils of the Lodge
relating to the three symbolic degrees, as well as the clothes and emblems of the Brothers/Sisters.
44. The temple is a quadrilinear room. The four sides are the four cardinal points of the world. The room
must have no other opening than the entrance door. The windows never open, if they offer access to
profane glances.
45. The temple must have:
¨ the blue vault sown with stars, representing the firmament;
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¨ the throne placed to the east on a shelf of three steps which, in turn, is placed on a first shelf of four
steps;
¨ a red canopy, fringed with gold, is placed above the throne;
¨ in front of the throne is placed the chair of the Worshipful Master on which are placed: a three-light
candelabrum, placed on the same level, the statue of Athena, depicting wisdom, the flaming sword
(with the serpentine blade);
¨ In front of the throne there is an altar with the plane, preferably in the shape of an equilateral
triangle, illuminated by Solomon's lamp (a 7-light candelabrum, all placed on the same level); on
the altar there is the book of the sacred law or of the wisdom, which can be the Bible or a book with
white pages, a compass and a square;
¨ The entrance door, possibly with two shutters, is located to the west in front of the throne;
¨ inside the temple, at the sides of the entrance door there are two columns, of different style
(Doric/Tuscan, Ionic/Column);
¨ the floor must be in black and white chess, or covered with a carpet so made that it ends where the
first shelf with four steps marks the beginning of the East; the part of the temple with the checkered
floor said quadrilong;
¨ two stones: a rough one, the other polished (cubic or pyramidal), are laid on the border between the
quadrilinear and the east;
¨ the chair of the Senior Warden is placed to the west at the head of the northern column and rests
on a platform with two steps; on the level of the chair is placed a two-light candelabrum, placed at
the same level, and the statue of Heracles, depicting strength;
¨ the chair of the Junior Warden is placed to the west at the head of the southern column and rests on
a simple platform with a single step; on the floor of the chair is placed a candelabrum with a single
light and the statue of Aphrodite depicting beauty;
¨ the chairs of the Orator and the Secretary are placed to the east, on the fourth step, their position
with respect to the Worshipful Master, depends on the ritual adopted;
¨ The place occupied in the temple by the other Lodge Officers is indicated by the articles that specify
their functions;
¨ to the south and north are the stalls occupied by the other Brothers/Sisters;
¨ to the north and to the south behind the stalls, suitably arranged, in order not to be dangerous,
swords must be placed, possibly in the same number as the stalls: the swords have only a symbolic
value, therefore, they must have non-sharp blades and blunt points;
¨ To the east, on the sides of the Worshipful Master, are placed the sun and the moon, their position
depends on the ritual adopted by the Lodge;
¨ the chain of union or the knots and jagged cord, starts from the east, surrounds the north, west and
south walls and returns to the east;
¨ along the north and south walls are located the symbols of the zodiac signs.
Chapter III: of the composition of a Lodge
46. In order to be regular, a Lodge must be composed of seven ordinary members, of whom at least three
must have the rank of Master. To be perfect it must have nine members, five of whom must be Masters.
47. You can only be an ordinary member of one Lodge.
48. The hierarchy of the Lodge is composed of three Dignitaries and three classes of Officers.
49. The three dignitaries also called the three lights or the three columns of the Lodge, are: the Worshipful
Master, the Senior and the Junior Wardens.
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50. The first-class officers are the Orator, the Secretary and the Treasurer. In case of need, the positions of
Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same person.
51. Second class officers are the Archivist, Seal Guard, Expert and Master of Ceremonies. In case of need,
the attributions of Archivist and Seal Guard, and those of Expert and Master of Ceremonies can
accumulate in the same person.
52. Third class officers are: Architect Decorator, Almoner, Hospitaller, Bursar, Home Master, First Deacon,
Second Deacon, Banner Holder, Herald or Sword Bearer, Interior Cover, Exterior Cover, Five Second
Experts for the functions of Tiler, Trainer, Terrible, Sacrificator and Censor, Master of Ceremonies
added, Librarian.
53. The above functions can be combined or divided according to the number of Brothers/Sisters.
54. The Honorary Brothers and Sisters are part of the Lodge and are registered in the catalogue of the
Lodge.
Chapter IV: of the Worshipful Master
55. The Worshipful Master is not a chosen by the Great Architect of the Universe, but a Master whom his
brethren have considered suitable to lead the Lodge, so he is only the primus inter pares.
To hold such a position, no particular characteristics are needed, if not balance, moderation, availability
and time. The Worshipful Master is like a good father or mother: he must be attentive, caring, close to
everyone, considering them important in the same way. He should facilitate dialogue, correct without
offending, involve the Brothers and Sisters, make them feel like members of a single large family. If a
Brother/Sister Master does not have sufficient time, renounce this office, which is fundamental for the
good functioning of the Lodge.
56. The Worshipful Master of a Lodge must be awarded the rank of Master.
57. The Worshipful Master is the President of the Lodge. He convenes ordinary and extraordinary sessions
and directs their work. He also calls for extraordinary sessions only in cases of urgency and necessity.
58. In the absence of the Worshipful Master, or if he is late, the Past Worshipful Master takes his place. If
this is not the case, the Senior Warden or, in his absence, the Junior one will take it and, in the absence
of all of them, it will be taken by the First Expert.
59. The deputy of the Worshipful Master shall have all the honors and prerogatives but may not convene
extraordinary meetings. If special affairs oblige the Worshipful Master to absent himself from the East or
prevent him from attending the works, he does not fail to inform the Secretary and to hand over the
tasks to those who are to replace him.
60. The Worshipful Master keeps in the Masonic house the charter for the constitution of the Lodge, the
regulations, the rituals, the register of matriculations, the book of minutes, the register of inventories. It
also keeps one of the keys to the door of the Masonic House. He must hand it over to his successor, the
Brother/Sister, when the elections for the dignitaries take place. He cannot refuse it to the Master of
Ceremonies who needs it in the performance of his duties.
61. The Worshipful Master gives the floor to the Brothers/Sisters; he proposes the questions to be
apologized for; he assigns the works; he appoints the members of the Deputies and Commissions; he
signs all the acts, the expeditions and the correspondences deliberated in the Lodge.
62. The Worshipful Master is an ex officio member of any commission but may dispense with it. If he is a
member of the committee, he is its chairman.
63. Only the Worshipful Master has the right to convene extraordinary sessions and to allow another
Brother/Sister to convene them in his place.
64. It is the Worshipful Master's right to question the proposals made by the Brothers. It cannot exempt
itself from this when the vote of two-thirds of the Brothers/Sisters requires it.
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65. The Worshipful Master has the right to close the works also in the course of a discussion, when good
order, prudence or other just reason suggest it to him. However, he does not have the right to cancel,
without justified reasons, the ordinary sessions scheduled for the resumption of the Masonic works or
for the beginning of the calendar year.
66. The Worshipful Master has the faculty to have the temple covered by any Brother or Relator of the
Lodge and also by a visitor, when he has a reasonable reason.
67. The Worshipful Master proposes clearly the items on the agenda, regulates their discussion and,
summarizing the result of the opinions expressed, proposes the deliberations.
68. If the Worshipful Master arrives in the Lodge when the work has begun, the one who replaces him
orders that it be received with the honors prescribed by the ritual; in handing over the mallet to him, he
gives an account of what has been previously done.
69. The Worshipful Master must manage the Lodge with wisdom and prudence; he must always keep in
mind that each Freemason has his own dignity and sensibility. If the behavior of a brother does not seem
adequate to him, before judging him try to understand the reasons and always applies the unwritten
rule: “praise in public, reprimand in private”. Such attention and prudence should not be confused with
laxity, everyone is required to respect the rules and to have attitudes appropriate to the temple, to
brotherhood, to respect for others, the Worshipful Master, therefore, corrects, where there is error
without becoming a censor. Correcting with due manners, he is correct, understandable, polite and
always explains what the presumed mistake consisted of, reminding the interlocutor that error, if
understood, is an important teacher.
70. The Worshipful Master, when the conditions of the Lodge allow it, can come to the aid of some
Brother/Sister in financial difficulties, exempting him/her, with extreme discretion from the payment of
dues or capitation.
71. The Worshipful Master always mediates disputes that arise between the Brothers/Sisters, so in
Freemasonry that outside. He imposes silence on equivocal intentions and does not allow the crimes
against the reputation of a Brother/Sister to go unpunished.
72. The Worshipful Master cannot, unless there are serious reasons, interrupt the Brothers/Sisters, nor show
impatience. One must tolerate the Brothers/Sisters with their defects, inseparable from human nature.
73. The Worshipful Master, like all the Brothers/Sisters, has only one vote at his disposal, but in cases of
parity his vote is worth twice as much.
74. It is a good rule that in case of doubt the Worshipful Master consults his predecessor.
75. The Worshipful Master may convene the council of the Lodge of which he is president. The council of
the Lodge is made up not only of the Worshipful Master, but also of the Senior and Junior Warden, the
Orator, the Secretary and the Treasurer. It is the right of the Worshipful Master to extend the Council
of the Lodge to any Master of the Lodge.
76. The council of the Lodge has only consultative value, but the record of its work must always be drawn
up and signed by the Worshipful Master, the Orator and the Secretary.
77. The Worshipful Master lasts two years in office and is eligible for re-election. It is up to the Lodge to
determine in its Rules whether the Worshipful Master is re-eligible for one or more consecutive terms.
78. The elections of the Worshipful Master, as of the other Lights and Officers of the Lodge, take place in
the first useful session following the celebration of the Winter Solstice.
79. If a Worshipful Master passes to the eternal East or resigns from office because he is unable to carry out
his mandate, he is replaced by the Former Worshipful Master or, in the absence or refusal of the latter,
by the First or Junior Warden who assumes the office of "Acting pro tempore function".
The pro tempore function decays from its office when, after the first useful session after the Winter
Solstice, elections for the renewal of offices are held.
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Chapter V: of the Past Master
80. The Worshipful Master who, as a result of new elections, ceases to be worthy, retains for two years the
title of Past Master.
81. The Past Master cannot be destined for any other dignity or office unless the scarcity of the
Brothers/Sisters or the particular trust of the Lodge invites you to do so. In this case he shall hold, if he
so desires, an office not inferior to that of Hospitaller, without prejudice to his rights as a former
Worshipful Master.
82. The Past Master sits at the East at the right-hand side of the throne; in the absence of the Worshipful
Master, he replaces him.
83. The Lodge considers the Past Master the first dignitary after the Worshipful Master.
84. Only the Past Master has the right to speak, when he deems it necessary, right that cannot be denied to
him.
85. In order to have the qualities and prerogatives of a former Worshipful Master, one must have been
Worshipful Master for at least one year in a continuative manner.
86. After his or her term of office, the Past Master will return to the ordinary Brother/Sister class.
Chapter VI: of Wardens
87. The Wardens must be Masters and assist the Worshipful Master in the conduction of the Lodge.
88. The Senior Warden can never exercise the functions of the Second.
89. After the Worshipful Master, the Wardens are the principal authorities of the Lodge, and they substitute
the Worshipful Master if he is absent and the Past Worshipful Master is missing. The Wardens may
replace the Worshipful Master in any function except in the initiation of profanes, at least that they have
not been Worshipful Masters for at least one year.
90. The Wardens announce in their respective columns the works proposed by the Worshipful Master;
communicate to the Worshipful Master what is done inside and outside the Temple; maintain silence,
decency, as well as the accuracy and uniformity of the works, and warn the Worshipful Master when a
Brother/Sister asks for the floor. The Wardens call the attention of the Master of Ceremonies to the
honors due to the Brothers/Sisters of the Lodge or to Brothers/Sisters guests according to their rank and
dignity.
91. The Wardens must call to order those Brothers/Sisters who digress into observations extraneous to the
object in question and use non-Masonic terms or modes. They can never, however, replace the
Worshipful Master or overrule him.
92. The Wardens cannot leave their place without the permission of the Worshipful Master and without
being immediately replaced.
93. Only the Worshipful Master has the right to correct and call to order those Wardens who commit a
failure during the work.
94. If a Warden comes to the Lodge after work has begun, all the Brothers/Sisters, invited by the
Worshipful Master, stand up and place themselves in order.
Chapter VII: of the Orator
95. The Orator is the first officer of first class; he must have the rank of Master, unless the Lodge, not
provided of Brothers/Sisters of that rank, is forced to entrust to a Companion such task. The function
of Orator must be conferred on a Brother/Sister who has the gift of speech and a just and impartial
spirit, because it is he who, at the end of the work, draws the conclusions. In addition, the Orator must
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have a thorough knowledge of the Constitutions of the Order, the Rules of the Lodge, the Rituals and
have a good preparation, especially on the symbolism and history of Freemasonry.
96. The Orator calls for the observance of the Constitutions of the Order and the Rules of the Lodge and,
during the work of the Lodge, he must keep both before himself so that he can consult them at any
time.
97. The Orator has the faculty to interrupt the reading of an architectural Tablet not drawn according to
the spirit of Freemasonry. If the mood carries one or more Brothers/Sisters beyond the limits of
decency, he may request the closure of the works.
98. The Orator may ask for the floor and intervene like any Brother/Sister on any subject dealt with,
reserving the right to draw conclusions as provided for in his office.
99. Requested by the Worshipful Master, the Orator summarizes the opinions, presents and clarifies the
questions and expresses his opinion on them. When there are several opinions, proposals and motions,
he tries to summarize them and present them, so that the lodge can deliberate with ease.
100. After the Orator's conclusions, no one is allowed to speak.
101. The Orator should also express his opinion on the reports of the Lodge commissions.
102. At the end of an initiation rite or an elevation round to the second or third degree, the Orator gives a
welcoming speech during which, addressing the neophyte, he illustrates the symbolic meanings, values
and behavioral aspects proper to the degree.
103. The Orator must be able to weave the praise of the Brothers/Sisters passed to the Celestial Lodge,
illustrating their lives and remembering their human and Masonic virtues.
104. On the occasion of the annual meeting called to celebrate the foundation of the Lodge, the Orator
gives an address, dealing with and developing some important Masonic subject, and also summarizes
the work done by the Workshop during the year. To carry out this last point, he can ask the Brother
Secretary and the Brother Archivist for documentary material.
105. When examining a Tablet, the Orator' s opinion is limited to verifying whether the work has been
carried out according to the rules, principles and language proper to Freemasonry. Not being a censor,
the Orator cannot express judgements on the thought of a Brother/Sister.
106. The Orator, together with the Worshipful Master and the Secretary, signs the minutes of the Lodge,
once these have been approved.
107. In the absence of the Orator, the functions are exercised by the Assistant Orator, who, if the titular
Orator arises during a discussion that has already begun, must continue until he has given his
conclusions even in the presence of the titular Orator.
108. The Orator' s place may be either at the head of the north column or at the head of the south column;
this depends on the ritual adopted by the Lodge.
Chapter VIII: of the Secretary
109. The Secretary, who is the second Officer of the first class, must be a Master, except in the case already
contemplated for the Orator in article 95. His office is of extreme responsibility, since he is in charge of
all the papers, registers and documents of the Lodge.
110. All the cards, registers and documents referred to in the previous article must be kept in a closet located
in the Masonic house. Only the current registers may remain with the Secretary, so that he can record
at ease the deliberations on the register of minutes.
111. The Secretary, on the order of the Worshipful Master, sends the convocations of the sessions of the
Lodge. Such callings must always be made in writing, never by phone. The means by which they are
carried out (post, e-mail, social) must be established by the Lodge, which is obliged, in order to
preserve the privacy of the Brothers, to opt for the safest possible way.
Draft translation 10
112. The agenda must always be indicated in the convocations and it must be specified whether there are
any votes during the meeting.
113. It is up to the Lodge to decide with what notice to send the convocations for ordinary and
extraordinary meetings.
114. The convocations for ordinary and extraordinary meetings must bear the signature of the Worshipful
Master and the Secretary or the Secretary's signature alone, if the Worshipful Master so permits. If this
is the case, the Secretary must specify that the convocation is sent by order of the Worshipful Master.
115. The Secretary, provided that he receives papers, letters or anything else concerning the Lodge, must
inform the Worshipful Master or his substitute as soon as possible. If it is a closed letter addressed to
the Worshipful Master, he cannot open it without the authorization of the latter.
116. When a committee or deputy is appointed, the secretary is obliged to attend each of the members with
the names of the colleagues and of the president, the object of the mission, the time and place where
they are to meet to carry it out.
117. The Secretary shall sketch out all the work to be done in the Lodge. If a discussion takes place, he is
obliged to mention the first motion, the various remarks, the conclusions of the Orator, the voting
method, the number of voters and the resolution.
118. In closing the proceedings, if the Rules of the Lodge so provide and if the Worshipful Master deems it
appropriate, the Secretary reads the draft aloud, makes the corrections that are deemed necessary. The
draft, read and corrected, is encrypted by the Worshipful Master and the Orator.
119. In the following session the Secretary reads the Tablet of the previous works. The act of editing begins
A\G\D\G\A\D\U, in the name of St. John the Evangelist and under the auspices of the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order today ... (insert the Masonic date and the vulgar one) the Respectable
Lodge with the distinctive title [...] at the East of [...] in the Valley of [...] number [...] has regularly
met for ordinary (or extraordinary) convocation under the geographical point known only to the sons
of the Widow (here is engraved the name of the Dignitaries and Officers present or that of their
substitutes, not that of all the Brothers / Sisters present at the meeting). Then: The Worshipful Master,
after having provided for the safety of the temple, opens the works in the degree of [...] This is followed
by a detailed exposition of the works starting from the reading made of the minutes of the last works
and its approval. Then the Brothers Sisters present are listed, the absent justified or not, the possible
visitors with their Masonic qualities. Therefore, the eventual works of reception, the reading of Tablets,
the interventions of the Brothers/Sisters, the catechism, if contemplated, the circulation of the sack of
the propositions and of the Widow’s Trunk, the motions aimed at the good of Freemasonry in general
and of the Lodge in particular take place. The minutes thus end: The Worshipful Master, paid and
sent back the workers happy, after the invocations and used batteries, closes the work at midnight
sharp.
120. Altering a report approved by the Lodge is major crime.
121. In the session following that of the renewal of the offices, the Secretary presents in duplicate the
catalogue of the members of the Workshop with the indication of the name, surname, rank, age, civil
and Masonic qualities, country and domicile.
122. The copies referred to in the previous article are signed by the Worshipful Master, the Orator and the
Secretary, one of which remains in the Lodge and is archived, the other goes to the Government of the
Order.
123. Changes to the catalogue of the Lodge which occur during the year are immediately notified to the
Government of the Order by the Secretariat of the Lodge.
124. Once approved, the minutes of the Lodge meetings are collected in volume or in a special container by
the Secretary. After two years, it must pass to Brother Archivist.
125. The Secretary keeps a copy of the Constitutions of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, a copy of
the Rules of the Lodge, a copy of the Rituals and all communications received from the Government of
the Order.
126. When it has been decided to call a ritual agape, the Secretary ensures the number of contributing
Brothers, communicating it to the brother House Master.
127. The Lodge may elect an Assistant Secretary to replace the owner when the latter is absent and assists
him in his ordinary and extraordinary work.
128. The Secretary sits in front of the Orator. His deputy is by his side.
Chapter IX: of the Treasurer
129. The Treasurer keeps in deposit all the funds of the Lodge, of any nature, except those that come from
the Widows' Trunk.
130. The Treasurer shall pay all expenses authorized by the Lodge, on behalf of the Worshipful Master and
in accordance with the rules laid down in the Lodge Regulations.
131. The Treasurer shall keep a register of accounts in chronological order, with income and expenditure.
The reasons for each must be indicated.
132. The Treasurer shall file all supporting documents and receipts for payments.
133. The Treasurer shall collect from the Brothers/Sisters the ordinary and extraordinary payments decided
by the Lodge and shall issue to the Brothers/Sisters a receipt for the payment made.
134. The Treasurer keeps the accounts of the Lodge and every year within the month of April, on a date set
by the Worshipful Master, presents the final balance which must be approved by the Workshop. If the
Lodge Regulations so provide, before the end of the calendar year, the Secretary shall present, in the
same manner as in the previous paragraph, the budget forecast.
135. The Treasurer shall sit in the Lodge next to the Secretary or Deputy Secretary, if there is one.
Chapter X: of the Archivist
136. Each Lodge has an archive entrusted to the custody of a Brother/Sister who should not have a lower
rank than Master. The position of Archivist can be combined with that of the Supervisors, of the
Secretary or of the Seal Guard.
137. The archive is usually kept in the Masonic house, unless otherwise decided by the Lodge. All writings
and pieces of architecture concerning the Lodge and Communion are deposited in the archive.
138. What is kept in the archive can only be consulted by those who are authorized by the Worshipful
Master.
139. The Worshipful Master and the Orator (provided that the latter is Master) always have the right to
consult the archive.
140. All that is in the archive must be inventoried in an orderly manner and made easily available for
consultation. The Archivist must compile and update the catalogue of the archive.
141. In the Lodge the Archivist sits near the Treasurer.
Chapter XI: of the Seal bearer
142. Each Lodge should have a stamp and a wax seal. The seals may also be of different sizes, both bear the
distinctive title of the Lodge, the East to which they belong, the frieze of the Workshop and possibly
the catalogue number and the year of its foundation.
143. There should be different seals for each grade, if possible.

144. The stamp and the seal are entrusted to the custody of Brother Seal Guard with the express condition
of returning them at any request of the Lodge. They should be kept in the Masonic house, unless
otherwise decided by the Lodge.
145. Stamps and seals should be affixed only at the express request of the Worshipful Master.
146. The Seal Guard sits next to the Archivist.
Chapter XII: of the Experts
147. In the numerous Lodges, there may be six Experts, i.e. one starting Expert and five additional Experts,
also called second Experts. These experts, whose functions can, in case of need, be combined all or in
part in the same person, take the name of Preparer, Terrible, Sacrificer, Censor and Coverer.
148. Experts lend their work at the invitation of the Worshipful Master, both inside and outside the temple.
Chapter XIII: of the first Expert
149. The First Expert is responsible for checking the accuracy of the Masonic garments, friezes appropriate
to the grades and positions of each Brother/Sister. Before the opening of the works he checks that there
is no visitor, nor any Brother/Sister of the Lodge of a lower grade than the one in which the works are
opened.
150. The First Expert verifies the Masonic qualities of the visitors through signs, touches and words.
151. The First Expert sits next to the Orator, and his deputies follow him on the line, except for Brother
Coverer who is in charge of supervising the safety of the temple.
Chapter XIV: of the Preparatory Expert
152. The Preparatory Expert leads the initiators with due caution into the chamber of reflection; prepares
them in general terms for the path they wish to follow; invites them to meditate on the objects that
surround them; presents them with their will; withdraws it duly completed and signed and returns it to
the Lodge.
153. When the Worshipful orders that the rite of initiation begin, the Preparer goes from the beginning and
stripped of all sorts of metals, bringing them to the throne with the necessary regard, so that nothing is
lost or damaged, then prepares the profane as prescribed by the rite and presents it to the door of the
temple.
154. Upon entering the temple, the Preparatory Expert hands over the initiation to the Terrible Brother; he
then offers his assistance in the execution of the journeys.
155. The Preparer sits in the Lodge as per article 151.
Chapter XV: The Terrible Brother or Great Expert
156. The Terrible Brother is that Brother/Sister to whom the Preparer entrusts the initiation at the door of
the Temple. The Terrible takes care of the initiation throughout the entire Rite of Initiation, until the
candidate asks for the light of the East for him.
157. The Terrible guides the candidate in the journeys, removes the bandage, brings him back into the
vestibule, has him recomposed, returns the metals, brings him back into the temple and hands him
over to the Master of ceremonies at the moment of proclamation.
158. The Terrible Brother agrees with the Worshipful Master on the type and quantity of rehearsals to be
given to the candidates and arranges for them to be given.
159. The Terrible Brother, when he presents himself to the profane and in the Temple, wears a red hood
during the Rite of Initiation.
Chapter XVI: The Expert Sacrificer
160. The Sacrificing Expert Brother assists the Terrible Expert in the temple in the exercise of his functions.
161. In particular, the Sacrificing Expert places in the Temple the obstacles that make the first journey of
the candidate difficult; he also prepares the cup of the libations with the relative liquids, the water
basin and spirit lamp for purification with water and fire.
162. The office of the Sacrificing Expert and that of the Terrible Expert can be combined in the same
person.
Chapter XVII: Expert Censor
163. In secret ballots, Brother Expert Censor numbers the voters, distributes the balls or ballot papers,
collects the votes, pours them from the sack on the altar in front of the Worshipful Master and attends
the count.
164. The Expert Censor is responsible for excluding from the secret ballots the Brothers not entitled to vote,
that is, the Honorary Brothers / Sisters and the visiting Brothers / Sisters.
165. In the case of secret ballots to be carried out with white, black and red balls, he will remind the voters
of the meaning of the three colors and, in accordance with the Worshipful Master, will not deliver red
balls when abstention is not allowed, as in the case of a ballot.
166. Once the ballots have been taken, the Censor withdraws the spheres and places them neatly in their
containers.
167. In the case of votes with ballots, once the ballot has been carried out and the result of the consultation
has been recorded, having obtained the consent of the Worshipful Master, the Expert Censor will burn
the ballots.
Chapter XVIII: of the Inner Guard
168. The Inner Guard must be a Brother/Sister Master of proven experience, he is entrusted with the
security of the Temple.
169. The Inner Guard sits near the door of the Temple next to Brother Senior Warden.
170. The Brother Inner Guard understands from the way of knocking whether at the door of the Temple
there is a profane or an initiate and in the latter case, whether he has a degree appropriate to the Work
in Progress.
171. The Inner Guard keeps the temple door locked or unlocked at all times.
172. If you knock masonically, the Inner Guard will immediately give a low voice warning to the Senior
Warden, so that the warning to the Worshipful Master may come in the manner used.
173. Having been ordered to grant entry to some Brother/Sister of the Lodge or other Workshop, the Inner
Guard do not allow anyone who does not have the necessary Masonic clothing to pass through.
174. If the Lodge is engaged in work that requires silence and attention, the Inner Guard, feeling knocked
on the door, responds from within with a single blow, to warn that no hearing can be given at that
moment.
175. The Inner Guard cannot leave his place until the work of the Lodge is finished.
Chapter XIX: The Tiler
176. The Tiler can be a Brother/Sister Master and, if necessary, a Brother/Sister Companion.
177. The Tiler has the function, under particular conditions, to supervise the room of the lost steps and,
above all, the door of the Masonic house.
178. The Tiler welcomes first any visiting or lay Brothers/Sisters about to be initiated. In this case, he
immediately informs the Preparatory Expert that he must take care of the profane.
179. The Tiler informs the Inner Guard of the request to enter the temple by knocking on the door.
180. The Tilers usually do not wear Masonic clothing.
Chapter XX: The Master of Ceremonies
181. The Master of Ceremonies is always provided with a baton or a ceremonial ruler, depending on how
much the Lodge has deliberated. In the case of a ruler, it must be two meters high, covered with a red
cloth, with golden inserts. The baton can be black with a white apple, or a simple tree branch or even a
more complex ceremonial object, obtained by weaving together two tree branches.
182. The Master of Ceremonies sits with his back against the Secretary's back. His deputies follow him in
the same line. In the agapes, the Master of Ceremonies sits in rejection of the Worshipful Master, but
outside the U-shape of the Tablet.
183. The Master of Ceremonies may be assisted by one or more additional Master of Ceremonies.
184. The Master of Ceremonies and/or the Master of Added Ceremonies shall ensure that each
Brother/Sister occupies the prescribed place in their respective degrees, dignity and offices.
185. The Master of Ceremonies acts as an Expert in the event of his absence.
186. The Master of Ceremonies introduces visitors to the temple, announcing their degrees, titles, Lodges
and Easts of residence.
187. The Master of Ceremonies guides each walk in the temple. No one can move in the quadrilongum if
he is not accompanied by the Master of Ceremonies, who is always in front of those who must
accompany him.
188. The Master of Ceremonies performs the batteries by knocking down the baton or the ruler.
189. When a Brother/Sister asks to cover a battery, the Master of Ceremonies accompanies him by
knocking down the baton or the ruler.
190. The Master of Ceremonies, together with the First Architect, the Intendant Decorator, the Master of
the House and the Brother Bursar, takes care of the setting up of the temple, depending on the degree
of work or the type of session (initiation, salary increase, recognition of union, funeral, ritual agape).
Chapter XXI: of the Deacons
191. The First Deacon sits to the right of the Worshipful Master, and the Second to the right of the Senior
Warden for the functions indicated in the Ritual. In the agapes the First Deacon sits against the
Worshipful Master in the concave part of the U-shape Tablet.
192. In the chain of union, the First Deacon always stands at the right side of the Worshipful Master.
193. On the occasion of feasts, both Deacons assist and accompany the Worshipful Master, in that way and
in those places where he believes it is convenient for the circumstance of going.
Chapter XXII: of the Standard bearer
194. The Standard bearer ensures that, during the work, in any degree, are placed to the right of the throne
the national flag and the flag of the European Union and to the left the labar of the Lodge.
195. The standard or labarum is blue and shows the frieze, the distinctive title, the name and the catalogue
number of the Lodge, it can also show other Masonic symbols, according to the wishes of the Lodge.
The rod that supports it is possibly made of brass and is surmounted by a five-pointed star with the
letter G in the middle.
196. If the Worshipful Master must move from his place to perform particularly solemn ceremonial
functions, his brother Standard-bearer precedes him with the raised banner.
Chapter XXIII: of the Herald or Sword bearer
197. During particularly solemn meetings, the Herald or Sword Bearer stands to the left of the Worshipful
Master and if he is to descend from the throne, the Herald will accompany him carrying the flaming
sword. Once the Worshipful Master has ascended the throne, the Herald returns his sword.
Chapter XXIV: of the Brothers Architects
198. The First Architect expresses his opinion on all the economic operations of the Lodge and reports on
the balance sheet drawn up by Brother Treasurer. The report of the First Architect is read and
approved in the Lodge at the same time as the budget.
199. The Assistant Architect assists the First Architect in the functions of auditor of the financial statements
and replaces him in case of absence.
200. The place occupied in the Lodge by the First Architect and the Deputy Architect is on the southern
column.
Chapter XXV: of the Intendant Decorator
201. Brother Intendant Decorator oversees the decorations, furniture, warehouse and all the tools of the
Masonic house.
202. The Intendant Decorator draws up an inventory of what is owned by the Lodge and gives a copy to
the Worshipful Master and to the Brother Bursar.
203. The Intendant Decorator is not responsible for the maintenance of the Masonic House.
Chapter XXVI: of the Bursar
204. The Bursar is responsible for the maintenance of the Masonic house and the furnishings contained
therein.
205. If repairs or purchases are necessary, the Bursar, having obtained the consent of the Worshipful
Master, provides for them.
206. The Brother Bursar is responsible for the easily consumable material needed by the Lodge (candles,
paper, water, incense).
207. The Brother Bursar receives from the Treasurer, duly authorized, the necessary advances for purchases
and hands over to the Treasurer the receipts for the expenses incurred.
Chapter XXVII: The Master of the House
208. The Master of the house provides for the agapes, procuring the food, drinks, crockery and all that is
necessary, after having been duly instructed by the Worshipful Master.
209. The Master of the house, before each agape, must deliver to the Worshipful Master the detailed
estimate of the costs of the agape itself and obtain the authorization to proceed.
Chapter XXVIII: of the Almoner
210. Brother Almoner is the depositary and distributor of all funds intended to help those in need, whether
they be Brothers/Sisters or lay people.
211. In all the assemblies he circulates the Widow’s Trunk and verifies in the presence of the Brother
Orator and the Brother Architect the sum obtained, communicating the amount to the Worshipful
Master, who will have the figure transcribed in the minutes.
212. Brother Almoner keeps a register of charity, signed on each page by the Worshipful Master, on which
he reports the entries and exits. Entries are due to the collection of the Widow’s Trunk or to the
donations of Brothers / Sisters, the expenses always consist of acts of Charity.
213. The acts of Charity are decided by the Lodge, but the Worshipful Master, for reasons of opportunity,
can dispose autonomously when the object of Charity is a Brother/Sister in serious economic
situations. In this case, the name of the beneficiary will remain secret, but it will remain known in the
register of the Almoner. Furthermore, the Worshipful Master warns the Treasurer and the First
Architect that they are bound by respect for privacy.
214. The Worshipful Master may come to the aid of a Brother/Sister in difficulty, exempting him from any
payment. In this case, the Worshipful Master informs the Treasurer, the Secretary and the First
Architect that they are bound by the respect of privacy.
215. Each request for assistance must be made by means of the bag of propositions accompanied by all the
necessary clarifications. Brother Almoner, to whom the request must pass, assumes the necessary
information; he reports to the next session and expresses his opinion in total respect of privacy. The
Lodge decides.
216. If the charity fund cannot cope with ordinary and extraordinary assistance decreed by the Lodge itself
in the manner and precautions of its particular Regulations, recourse may be made to the ordinary
fund, which, in these cases, anticipates the amount required.
217. The Almoner reports on the Charity fund and on the activities carried out at the same time as the
Treasurer, during the meeting in which the financial statements are presented and approved.
218. The positions of Treasurer and Almoner may be combined.
Chapter XXIX: of the Hospitaller
219. The office of the Hospitaller is of great relevance, since he is the one who must concern himself with
the state of health of the Brothers/Sisters and bring them comfort and help on behalf of the Lodge. He
must therefore have particular human and moral characteristics and, if possible, adequate preparation.
220. The Lodge, informed of the infirmity or other serious affliction of one of its members, instructs the
Brother Hospitaller to visit him, comfort him, and bring him help and assistance.
221. The Hospitaller visits the sick Brother/Sister, ascertains his state of health, understands his needs and
requirements, then relates the Worshipful Master and agrees with him on all interventions of Charity
in his favor.
222. The Brother Hospitaller, with the consent of the Worshipful Master, reports in the Lodge on the state
of health of the sick Brother/Sister, being careful not to damage the privacy.
223. The Hospitaller organizes the visits of the Brothers/Sisters of the Lodge to the sick Brother, taking care
that these do not bring difficulties or burdens.
224. The Hospitaller, when requested by the interested party, carries out commissions and disengages
practices for the Brother / Sister sick free of charge. Any expenses are covered by the charity fund and
when this is not sufficient to cover them from the Treasury of Lodge.
225. In the event that a Brother/Sister passes to the Celestial Lodge, the Hospitaller contacts the family and
makes himself available for any need. He then reports to the Worshipful, who will arrange it.
226. The Hospitaller informs the Worshipful Master about the funeral of the deceased Brother/Sister and
after hearing the family, he informs the Worshipful Master how to participate in the mourning.
227. The Brother Hospitaller, in the event of a funeral procession in honor of a Brother/Sister who has
passed to the Celestial Lodge, on the order of the Worshipful Master, invites his relatives to participate
in it and, in the event that they accept the invitation, accompanies them to the Masonic house,
assisting them and assisting them at any time.
228. The Hospitaller, on behalf of the Worshipful Master, follows and helps, as arranged by the Lodge, the
orphans, the widow or widower, the companion or companion of the Brother/Sister who has passed to
the eternal East.
229. The Hospitaller sits in the Lodge near the Almoner.
Chapter XXX: of the Librarian
230. The Brother Librarian must be a particularly cultured Brother/Sister and lover of reading.
231. The Brother Librarian keeps the library of the Lodge, which is located in the Masonic House, and
increases it with purchases authorized by the Worshipful Master and covered by the treasure of the
Lodge. He catalogues and updates the books in the library and, before the meetings, lends the books to
the Brothers/Sisters and ensures that they are returned on time and in good condition.
232. The Librarian provides guidance and bibliographical advice to the Brothers/Sisters of all levels and
levels who request it.
233. The Librarian, when the Worshipful Master deems it appropriate, intervenes in the Lodge to illustrate
some recently published works, especially those of Masonic or esoteric interest.
Chapter XXXI: of the Intendant to the Column of Harmony
234. The Intendant to the Column of Harmony must be a Brother/Sister who is an expert in music and
knows the Masonic rituals well, so that he can harmonize the chosen pieces with the ceremonial
moments.
235. The Intendant to the Column of Harmony can be a Brother/Sister Master or Companion, in this case
he must be replaced for the third-degree meetings.
236. The office of Intendant at the Column of Harmony can be cumulated with another office, provided
that there is compatibility between the exercise of one and the other.
Chapter XXXII: of the Honorary Brothers
237. Each Lodge may, at its option, assign honorary membership to any regular Brother/Sister belonging to
another Workshop.
238. Such a choice must fall upon Brothers/Sisters who have lent themselves to the Lodge, or upon
illustrious Freemasons, appreciated by all the Brothers/Sisters of the Workshop.
239. Only Master Brothers/Sisters may be appointed as honorary members.
240. Before being voted in the Lodge, the Brother/Sister proposed as an Honorary Member must accept the
candidature by writing a short note.
241. The proposal for the appointment of a Brother/Sister of another Lodge as an Honorary Member must
be voted on in the Workshop by secret ballot and must obtain at least three-fourths of the votes or
unanimity, depending on the provisions of the Lodge's regulations.
242. No honorary Member may be entered in the Lodge's catalogue of names unless he has first accepted
the filiation and taken the oath in due form.
243. Honorary Brothers/Sisters are exempted from the payment of capitations or other taxes.
244. Honorary Brothers/Sisters have the right to speak but not to vote.
245. Honorary Brothers/Sisters may, exceptionally and if requested, hold any position or office in the
Lodge, with the exception of that of Worshipful Master; even then, however, they have no right to
vote.
246. The dignity of honorary is for life.
Chapter XXXIII: of Methods of establishing a Lodge
247. When seven or more regular Freemasons, domiciled in the same East, want to erect a new Workshop,
they hold, under the presidency of the most senior in rank, or of the eldest among those of the same
rank, three preparatory assemblies in three different days. In the first, the grades of each present are
known to the other and the distinctive title of the new Lodge and its seal are fixed. In the second, the
election of the Dignitaries and Officers of the Lodge is made by secret ballot and with the rules
indicated below. In the third, their installation in the respective offices is carried out.
248. After the three preparatory assemblies, the new Lodge must apply to the Government of the Order for
a Charter or Constitutional License. This request is accompanied by two copies of the minutes of the
three preparatory assemblies and of the picture of the Brothers/Sisters, indicating their names and
surnames, country, domicile, age, civil and Masonic qualities, with the signatures of the same. The
Brothers/Sisters who participated in the three preparatory assemblies assume the role of founders.
249. If the Government of the Order considers it appropriate to accept the new Lodge in Communion, it
will require additional documentation concerning the individual Brothers/Sisters: certificates of the
criminal record and of pending loads, documentation on grades, registration with the profane Italian
Traditional Masonic Order, receipts of ordinary payments, releases for the treatment of privacy.
250. Once the provisions of the previous article have been received, the Government of the Order sends the
Worshipful Master the provisional constitution chart of the Lodge with its serial number and a copy of
the Constitutions of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
251. At the same time as the provisions of the previous article, the Government of the Order, inserts the
name of the Lodge in the register of the Workshops and the name of the Brothers / Sisters who
compose it, with the data concerning them in the general catalogue of the Freemasons of the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order. An information bulletin is also sent to all the Worshipful Masters where
the name of the Lodge, the East to which it belongs and the relative Valley, the name of the
Worshipful Master, are detailed.
252. Within one year from the granting of the provisional constitution chart or license, the Lodge must
send the Rules and Rituals of the Lodge to the Central Government. If the Government of the Order
considers that they do not comply with the general principles of Communion and/or these
Constitutions, the Government of the Order asks it to amend them, otherwise it will not grant the
definitive Charter of Constitution.
253. In the event that the Government of the Order does not grant the definitive chart or license because
the requesting Lodge has refused to make the required changes, as in the previous article, the Lodge
may appeal to the Great Assembly of Worshipful Masters. On this occasion, a representative of the
Lodge and a representative of the Government of the Order present their points of view, after which
the Grand Assembly decides definitively, by secret ballot. If the point of view of the Lodge prevails, the
Government of the Order must immediately issue the final constitution chart or license; if, on the
contrary, the point of view of the Government of the Order prevails, without changing the position of
the Workshop, it will be excluded from Communion.
Chapter XXXIV: the way to raise the Columns of a Workshop
254. A Lodge becomes part of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order only when it receives from the
Government of the Order the Chart of Constitution, signed by the Grand Master and the Grand
Secretary General and duly provided with stamps.
255. The Charter of Constitution is given to the Worshipful Master by a deputy of the Government of the
Order during a duly convened ritual session.
256. On the day established, in agreement with the Lodge, the Government of the Order sends a three-
member Deputation with special powers to install the Dignitaries and Officers of the new Workshop
and proclaim their solemn foundation.
257. The deputation, or delegation of the Government of the Order, is made up of the Grand Master and
two members appointed by him. The Grand Master may appoint his own representative to preside
over the deputation.
258. The members of the Deputation, including the President, must be either Grand Councilors of the
Order or Worshipful Masters or Past Masters.
259. The President of the deputation assumes the function of Worshipful Master and the other two
members that of First and Junior Warden. The President opens the work of the Lodge in the first
degree.
260. Once the works have been opened, the Secretary of the Lodge communicates the names of the three
members of the deputation, their grades, titles and Easts of origin. He then reads the following:
1st The three Tablets of constitution of the new Lodge;
2nd the name of the Brothers / Sisters founders;
3rd The catalogue of the names of all the Brothers/Sisters who make up the Lodge;
4th The list of the Dignitaries and Officers of the Lodge.
261. The President invites the Brother/Sister Secretary, through the Master of Ceremonies, to present him
with all the records of the Workshop for routine inspection.
262. Having checked that everything has been properly done, the president announces to the columns that
he will proceed with the installation of the new Lodge. Then, according to all the Brothers/Sisters
standing and to the order, he reads the foundation chart issued by the Government of the Order and
proclaims three times, in the name of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, that the Lodge is
consecrated to the glory of the Great Architect of the Universe, to the true virtue and to the diffusion
of the principles and values of the universal Freemasonry. The Senior and Junior Wardens repeat,
addressing their respective columns, the triple proclamation.
263. The rite continues with the oath and installation of all the Dignitaries and Officers of the Lodge. In
agreement with the Worshipful Master, the President of the Commission, can limit himself to
installing only the three Lights, delegating the Worshipful Master to the installation of the Officers in a
further meeting.
264. Once the installation is finished, the installed Worshipful Master proceeds to the closure of the works.
Chapter XXXV: of the duration of the duties and offices
265. As explained in articles 77, 78, of the present Constitutions, referring to the Worshipful Master, the
Lights and the Officers of the Lodge remain in office for a two-year period and it is up to the
Workshop to establish, through its own regulations, how many times they can be re-elected to the
same office.
266. If the Lodge wishes to attribute to an honorary Member or to a quotient an honorary office such as,
for example, that of Worshipful Master or Honorary Orator, this should be considered for life.
267. An honorary position does not imply any particular power or prerogative.
Chapter XXXVI: of the elections of the Dignitaries and Officers
268. At the time of the elections, in the first possible session after the feast of St. John the Evangelist, the
Worshipful Master on duty, after notice to all the Brothers/Sisters convenes the Lodge to renew the
dignitaries and officers of the Workshop.
269. To participate in the renewal of the offices of the Lodge, the Brothers/Sisters must have paid for all
sorts of capitations.
270. During the meeting in which the elections are to be held and after the works have been opened in first
grade, the Orator gives a speech on the importance of the meeting, which must be held in accordance
with the institutional norms. Then, at the invitation of the Worshipful Master, the First Expert and
the Expert Censor arrange a Tablet in the middle of the Workshop with the urn and the necessary to
write, remaining then armed with a sword on both sides of the Tablet, to prevent any irregularity.
271. The Worshipful Master on duty announces that the election of the new Worshipful Master is being
carried out. All Apprentices and Companions cover the temple.
272. The vote for the new Worshipful Master is carried out as follows: the Worshipful Master on duty,
accompanied by the First Deacon and the Master of Ceremonies, goes to the voting Tablet, writes
three names of Master Brothers/Sisters on the ballot paper that he places in the urn and returns to the
throne. Then the Master of Ceremonies leads to the vote of all the other Brothers/Sisters, starting with
the Wardens and then returning all to their seats, thus ensuring the absolute regularity of the vote.
273. When all the Brothers/Sisters have placed their vow in the urn, which identifies three Brothers/Sisters
as candidates for the office of Worshipful Master (trio), the Master of Ceremonies, and the Experts
place theirs. The Master of Ceremonies returns to his place, the Experts bring the urn to the throne.
The Worshipful Master, having found the number of the ballots to correspond to that of the voters,
read aloud, in the presence of the Experts, the names present on the ballots. The Secretary notes the
votes in favor of the candidates respectively.
274. The three names which, in accordance with the previous article, obtained the majority of votes from
the counting of the ballots, are shown on a separate ballot paper and, after the Apprentices and
Companions have been included, the Orator reads aloud the names of the three candidates, states the
number of votes for each one reported and requests that the ballot between these three be opened for
the appointment of the Worshipful Master. In the event that two Brothers/Sisters have received the
same number of votes, the one who has the most seniority of initiation shall pass. If the age of
initiation is identical, the Brother/Sister with a higher age will be chosen.
275. Voting is then done with the spheres. The sack will circulate between the columns only once and each
Brother/Sister is given a white sphere and two black ones. The first step is to vote on the candidate
who has gathered the fewest votes, then on the intermediate number, and finally on the most voted.
The one of the three who has obtained the greatest number of white balls is proclaimed Worshipful
Master. In these polls all the Brothers/Sisters of the Lodge, including the Apprentices and
Companions, have a vote, excluding the three candidates. Having appointed the new Worshipful
Master, the Worshipful Master on duty states: "My dear Brothers/Sisters, the Great Architect of the
Universe, the purest source of all perfection, has chosen the Brother/Sister [...] to direct the
architectural work in this Workshop and enlighten the devoted workers". This proclamation is
followed by a free battery.
276. The same method of voting by ballot papers is used for the election of all the other dignitaries and
officers up to and including the Hospitaller and the appointment is made by an absolute majority of
votes. The one who obtains this majority is immediately proclaimed: but if the absolute majority does
not result for anyone, the two Brothers/Sisters who have obtained the most votes (ballot) are
scrutinized with the black and white balls and the one who obtains the higher number of white balls is
elected.
277. If, after the ballot, the two candidates have received the same number of votes, the Brother/Sister with
the most seniority of initiation is elected. In the event that the candidates have the same Masonic age,
the one who has the age of majority will prevail.
278. For all offices beneath to the Hospitaller and for those added to the principal offices, the Lodge may
determine to use the same method of election, or that the Worshipful Master himself propose for
approval those Brothers/Sisters who deserve to be chosen.
279. At the end of each vote the ballot papers are burned, after the Worshipful Master has asked the
columns if there is any Brother/Sister who wishes to verify them.
280. Once the elections have been completed, the Worshipful Master invites all the Brothers/Sisters of the
Lodge to attend the installation of the new Dignitaries and Officers, which will take place according to
the norms established below.
281. Even if the newly elected were present at the election meeting, the Secretary must let them know the
office to which they are called with a special notice board, signed by the Worshipful Master and by
himself.
282. Should any office become vacant in the course of the year, it shall be replaced immediately by secret
ballot, and the Government of the Order shall be immediately notified.
283. If in the course of the year the position of Worshipful Master becomes vacant, the procedure is that of
article 79.
284. On the day of the installation of the new Dignitaries and Officers, which must be at least seven days
later than the day of their election, all the Brothers/Sisters must be notified by means of a special
convocation Tablet. The elected are particularly invited to present themselves in the Lodge, to be
installed in their respective offices.
285. Having opened the works, read the Tablet of the previous session and ritually introduced the visitors,
the Worshipful Master invites the Brother/Sister who is to replace him to cover the temple, delegates
three Brothers/Sisters Masters, if possible, to keep him company in the vestibule of the temple, and
orders that he/she shall be received with the honors attributed to the dignity of Worshipful Master.
286. A deputation of five brothers, armed with swords and equipped with stars, introduces the new
Worshipful Master who, passing under the steel vault, stops in front of the altar. The Worshipful
Master on duty, accompanied by the First Deacon, preceded by the Standard-bearer and followed by
the Herald, goes to meet him, embraces him and invites him to take the oath.
287. The Worshipful Master kneels down and, stretched out his right hand over the Gospel of St. John,
pronounces this oath aloud:
"In the name of the Great Architect of the Universe and of St. John, under the auspices of the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order and on the faith of Freemason, I swear to be a faithful observer of the
duties of my office, never to miss the work of which I am entrusted with the direction, except in the
case of insurmountable obstacle and to follow as far as I am concerned, the Constitutions of the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order and the Regulations of this Respectable Lodge, at the East of ... in the
Valley of ... So, the Great Architect of the Universe helps me".
288. Then the Worshipful Master on duty offers his hand to his successor, installs him in the place that
belongs to him, gives him the insignia of his dignity and presents him with the keys of the temple, on a
cushion carried by an Apprentice, saying: "I give you, my Brother/Sister, the keys of this sacred temple,
where only those men who, deprived of all vain secular distinction, lead themselves there solely for the
practice of virtue, will have to penetrate". He finally hands him the mallet and says to him, "This
mallet will serve you to carry out your orders. Let them be accepted by our Brothers/Sisters and
remember that you are only the first among your equals.
289. After that, the outgoing Worshipful Master orders a triple battery of jubilation, which the new
Worshipful Master covers in the usual manner.
290. It is in the new Worshipful Master’s authority to immediately put himself into operation, directing the
installation of the other dignitaries and officers himself, or to invite the Past Master to continue with
the installation.
291. The other elected Dignitaries and Officers, indicated by the Secretary and invited by the Orator, shall
take an oath to the altar, not dissimilar to that of the Worshipful Master. It must be specified, however,
that the Junior Warden swears obedience, submission and fidelity not only to the Worshipful Master
but also to the Senior Warden and that all the others swear obedience, submission and fidelity to the
Worshipful Master, to the Senior and to the Junior Warden. The Dignitaries and Officers, after having
sworn their oath, are accompanied by the Master of ceremonies in their place of competence, where
they acquire the insignia and instruments of their respective dignity or office.
292. Once the installation of dignitaries and officers has been carried out, the Past Master orders that the
entire Lodge take the oath of submission, obedience and fidelity to the Worshipful Master and to the
two Wardens, who hold their swords. All the Brothers/Sisters of the Lodge extend their right hand
towards the East during the reading of the oath made by the Brother/Sister Orator.
293. This is followed by triple batteries of jubilation for the newly established Brothers/Sisters and for the
Brothers/Sisters who have fallen out of office, the Brother Orator's speech and a chain of union.
294. The minutes of the installation are drawn up by the outgoing Secretary and signed by him and the
new Worshipful Master. It must describe exactly what took place during the meeting and must record
and verify the delivery of the registers, documents, books and the inventory of what is owned by the
Workshop.
Chapter XXXVII: of the Works of the Lodge
295. Each Lodge shall lay down in its Rules the number of ordinary meetings to be held during the month,
as well as the days and hours of the meetings. There must be at least one meeting a month.
296. Tickets or meeting Tablets must be sent at least seven days before the meeting and must always
include the agenda.
297. Seven Brothers/Sisters, three of whom are Masters, are sufficient to open the works of a Lodge.
298. All the Brothers/Sisters wear the dress of the order in the Lodge, according to their grade, and will be
decorated with the frieze of the Workshop; the Dignitaries and Officers bear their badges of office. The
catalogue of all the members of the Lodge must be affixed in the Chamber of the lost steps on the day
of the meeting.
299. Should the Worshipful Master be absent, he shall be replaced in the manner indicated in art. 58.
300. The Senior Warden, not present, shall be replaced by the Junior one, and these by the First Expert. In
the absence of Officers, the Worshipful Master shall choose the Brothers/Sisters who shall replace
them.
301. When the Worshipful Master announces with a mallet stroke that he is about to open the works, the
Inner Guard checks that there is no one at the door of the temple and during the work supervises the
safety of the Workshop.
302. After the opening of the works in the forms prescribed by the ritual, no one can speak, nor move from
the place he occupies without the permission of the Worshipful Master, who asks the Secretary to read
the Tablet drawn in the previous meeting.
303. During the reading of the above Tablet, neither visiting Brothers/Sisters, nor Brothers/Sisters
belonging to the Lodge but arriving late, may be admitted to the temple.
304. Each member of the Lodge, who, after the formalities of the rite, enters the temple after the beginning
of the work, remains between the columns and occupies his place only with the consent of the
Worshipful Master.
305. Once the reading of the Tablet drawn up in the previous meeting has been completed (minutes), the
Worshipful Master allows the Brothers/Sisters to make their observations and then invite them to
approve it.
306. Once the Tablet has been approved and signed by the Worshipful Master, the Orator and the
Secretary, the Worshipful Master invites the Expert to travel along the lost way to see if there are
visitors; in this case, the Brother Master of Ceremonies introduces the visitors to the temple with the
honors due to them.
307. If a Brother/Sister wishes to speak, he asks the Warden of his column to speak, extending his right arm
towards him. The Warden, after a mallet stroke, and announces to the Worshipful Master the request
of the Brother/Sister. The Brother/Sister who has taken the floor, rise with steps and first-degree penal
sign, always addressing the word only to the Worshipful Master, who, in case of need, can exempt him
from standing.
308. If the Worshipful Master participates in a problem or initiative in the Lodge, or if others participate,
he must order the Wardens to open the discussion on the columns, giving the floor to those who wish
to express their opinion on the matter.
309. In no case may the floor on the same subject be asked for more than three times, only the Worshipful
Master, in exceptional cases, can grant it for the fourth time.
310. It is not allowed to speak about religion or politics in the Lodge, unless the subject has historical value.
311. The Worshipful Master may invite the Orator to clarify or illustrate a topic that has been or is to be
discussed. The Orator should respond to this request, reserving the right to draw conclusions only after
listening to the interventions of the columns. The conclusions of the Orator put an end to each
discussion: after his final intervention it is no longer legitimate to discuss the theme that the
Worshipful Master asks to be voted on so that the Lodge can deliberate.
312. The vote of the Lodge is manifested by a show of hands. However, if the question is of any
importance and a Brother/Sister asks for the secret ballot, the Worshipful Master asks the Lodge for an
opinion and opts according to the will of the majority.
313. Resolutions concerning Brothers/Sisters or profanes should always be taken by secret ballot.
314. The Secretary shall faithfully record every vote taken in the Lodge.
315. Any deliberation taken by the Brothers/Sisters, not legally gathered according to the norms of the
present Constitutions, is irregular and nothing of its nature, consequently not obligatory in any way for
the Lodge.
316. Every Freemason must respect the deliberations of the Lodge. All will wait in silence for the result of
the ballot without controversy and without commenting on the final outcome.
317. The Brother/Sister present at the discussion cannot dispense himself from voting.
318. The Worshipful Master imposes to cover the temple to the Brother/Sister who disturbs the work of
the Lodge with disrespectful behavior to the Brothers/Sisters or contrary to the sacredness of the
temple.
319. During one of the sessions, the Worshipful Master, if he deems it appropriate, may invite the Junior
Warden to place the Workshop in recreation. Then each one can leave his place and speak freely and
informally with the Brothers/Sisters, while respecting the sacredness of the place.
To re-start the work, the Worshipful Master strikes his mallet and invites the Senior Warden to warn
the Brethren that the suspended work re-start with strength and vigor.
320. During the work, no dignitary or officer may leave his seat, unless he is replaced first. The act of
substitution, even if temporary, is always accompanied by the exchange of the reciprocal fraternal
embrace.
321. At the end of the work of the Lodge, the Worshipful Master orders that the Master of ceremonies
collect, through the appropriate sack, the tacit propositions. Each Brother/Sister places in the sack the
written questions or propositions he intends to ask. In order not to identify the person who posed the
propositions, all bystanders put their closed hands into the sack and withdraw them open.
322. Unsigned propositions are considered null and void and are to be trashed.
323. The sack of tacit propositions is emptied on the desk of the Worshipful Master. The Worshipful
Master counts the number of cards in the presence of the Master of Ceremonies and the Orator, then
communicates the number and, if deemed appropriate, the content to the Lodge.
324. If the proposition has as its object a request for affiliation, the Worshipful Master communicates it to
the Lodge; if it concerns requests for initiation or regularization, the Worshipful Master communicates
it to the Lodge and reserves the right to appoint informants commissioners; if the communication
concerns salary increases, he will be silent and will postpone the communication to the first meeting in
the required grade; if the proposal concerns a request for help it behaves according to what is
prescribed in the articles concerning Brother Almoner; if the communication is an indictment Tablet
or if it is reserved only for the Worshipful Master he puts it under the mallet; if, finally, it concerns an
institutional aspect, he sends it back to Brother Orator so that he can illustrate it during the first useful
meeting.
325. After the provisions of the previous article, the Worshipful Master circulates the Widow’s Trunk or of
charity; the Brother/Sister Almoner is in charge of this task. The sum collected is counted by the
Brother Orator, noted by the Secretary, communicated to the Lodge and given to Brother Almoner.
The Brothers/Sisters place their hands in the Widow’s Trunk, closed by fist and so they withdraw it so
that each one, if necessary, can also draw from the Widow’s Trunk. The Worshipful Master, in
exceptional cases, may omit the calculation and communication of the bricks collected; however, these
should be noted in the minutes of the Lodge. Always in exceptional cases, the Worshipful Master may
instruct the Almoner to collect the Widow’s Trunk at the exit of the Temple, after the closure of the
works.
326. The Worshipful Master then allows each Brother/Sister to make proposals for the benefit of the Lodge
and the Order in general but does not allow discussions to be opened on such matters.
327. The Brother Secretary, when closing or opening the works, makes the appeal of those present, noting
the justified absences and the unjustified absents. The latter may also justify themselves later and, if
their justifications are considered valid by the Worshipful Master, their names are passed from the list
of unjustified to that of justified.
All the absent Brothers/Sisters must pay the offering for the widow's trunk. Honorary Brothers are not
required to justify themselves and, if absent, they are not required to pay the offering for the widow's
trunk.
328. The obligation for the Secretary to read the draft of the minutes of the meetings is established by the
Rules of the Lodge.
329. If the Rules of the Lodge provide for the reading of the draft minutes, they shall be subject to the
comments and judgement of those present. Once approved, the draft will be signed by the Worshipful
Master, the Orator and the Secretary.
Chapter XXXVIII: of the Secret ballots
330. For initiations, affiliations, regularizations, elections of dignitaries or officers up to the office of
Hospitaller, for the revocation of decisions already taken, for wage increases, for decisions of a
disciplinary nature, for matters particularly important for the Lodge or for Communion, as a rule,
votes should always be made by secret ballot, using spheres or ballots.
331. In ballots with spheres, white balls indicate yes, black balls indicate no, red balls indicate abstention.
332. The majority of the black or white balls determine the vote of the Lodge. The majority of the red balls
require that the secret ballot be postponed until another date.
In case of absence of black balls and prevalence of white balls, the red balls will be associated with the
white balls and the decision will be taken unanimously.
333. In the event of a runoff, no red balls are allowed.
334. Revocation of a previous decision may be voted on only if the same number of Brothers/Sisters were
present as when it was taken and the revocation is valid only if approved by 2/3 of those present.
335. If a vote produces a draw result, it is repeated three times consecutively and, if it also produces a draw
result at the third consultation, it is postponed to the next meeting.
336. In the minutes of the meeting in which the votes are held, the Secretary records the votes in favor,
against and abstentions.
337. A Brother/Sister who enters late during the discussion prior to the ballot shall have the right to be
informed.
338. A Brother/Sister who enters late during the ballot may abstain from voting or vote if he is allowed to
know the subject of the consultation and the opinion of the Brother Orator.
339. When the vote concerns one or more Brothers/Sisters, they are excluded from the vote.
Chapter XXXIX: of the Initiation of profanes
340. The propagation of the order is the most important of the Masonic works, but the admission of a
profane into the order involves considerable risks, therefore those who knock on the door of the temple
must be carefully evaluated.
341. The age required to become a Freemason is eighteen (18) years.
342. The proposal for initiation of a profane must be made by a Brother/Sister of the Lodge, quoting or
honorary, through the sack of tacit propositions; the proposal must be signed by the proposer and
accompanied by the request of the profane. In such a request, the following must be specified: the
name and surname of the applicant, date and place of birth, profession, country, domicile, telephone
number, e-mail address. The application must be signed and dated.
343. The Worshipful Master reads out the proposition without naming the applicant, however, so that no
one should know who he is.
344. If the profane dwells in an East other than the one where the Lodge works, he must explain why he
did not request the Light in the East where he lives.
345. If the Worshipful Master considers the request to be acceptable and convincing, after 15 days from the
meeting in which it was sent, without any different written indication from the Brothers/Sisters, he
appoints three commissioners to inform him.
346. The names of the three tilers must be secret; only the Secretary is informed of this and he, in complete
confidentiality, will inform them of the task and give them crimes, without one knowing about the
other.
347. The tiler must be a Brother/Sister Master, of proven experience and Masonic maturity. There can
never be the proposer Brother or Sister among the commissioners.
348. The Brother/Sister tiler cannot be rushed. The work of tiling (recruiting) is by its nature delicate,
difficult, complex and the Brother/Sister in charge must be able to act freely, without any kind of
pressure. He must listen to a single voice: that of his own conscience. Therefore, he is given one
month's time, a period that can be extended if the profane resides in the other East.
349. The tiling must be deepened, accurate, and the result of careful observation; among other things, it
must be ascertained that the profanes adherence to Communion is fully conscious. Certain
commonplaces, ancient or recent myths must be accurately denied and the profane must be given the
duties, commitments and difficulties which a Freemason may encounter.
350. The qualities of a profane worthy of receiving Light can be summarized in this way: To practice true
morals, to have a concrete and precise vision of human rights and duties, to seek to be just, to be
endowed with great humanity, to be sincere and to keep one's word, to be beneficial to others, to be a
citizen in the fullness of one's rights, to be probe in name and in fact, to have a "regular" intelligence;
by this we do not mean that Freemasonry opens its doors only to "excellence", but, on the contrary,
that it is open to all "people enlightened by the light of intelligence, characteristic and prerogative of
man". Moreover, those who want to become Freemasons must be firm in their principles and character
and animated by a continuous desire to know and learn. There can be no physical impediment to
hindering the request, if the ability to understand the task to be performed and the intelligence of the
same are not affected. Therefore, people with disabilities can also be admitted.
351. Tilers should try to understand whether the profane is truly honest and responsible, whether he is
balanced and wise, whether he has a real desire to know, to learn, to discover and, finally, whether he is
led to lie, to boast credit, to exaggerate positively everything that concerns him.
352. It is essential that the tilers determine the actual desire of the profane to learn and improve himself. He
who believes himself to be the repository of knowledge can never become a good Freemason. Those
who praise themselves and fear no doubt, do not bear even a brick for the construction of the temple.
The Brother/Sister Freemason must be aware, throughout his journey, until he reaches the highest
ranks and always know that he does not know.
353. In addition, the tilers must ascertain the reasons that lead the profane to Freemasonry and what he
thinks he can find there.
354. After the scheduled time, the tilers, through the Secretary, hand over the signed and dated tiles to the
Worshipful Master.
355. The Worshipful Master is required to read the tiles in the Lodge without making any changes, but if
he considers them insufficient, incomplete or, in any case, unsatisfactory, he can order an additional
tile.
356. If all three tiles were negative, the Worshipful Master, after reading them out in the Lodge, always
keeping silent the names of the tilers, burns them and declares that the request of the profane is
rejected.
357. If two out of three tiles are negative, the Worshipful Master may, at his own discretion, proceed as per
the previous article or, if he deems it appropriate, order additional tiles.
358. If the tiles are in agreement or if there are two of three positive ones, the Worshipful Master shall
propose to the Lodge the first secret ballot and, in the absence of objection, shall have it carried out.
359. If the result of the first ballot is favorable, the second ballot shall be held and, if it is favorable, the
third ballot shall be held. The three ballots shall, however, be held at three successive meetings, unless,
for urgent reasons and for reasons formally recognized by the Lodge, it would not be appropriate to
hold two ballots at the same meeting.
360. The interval of at least three months must run from the day of the proposal to the day of admission,
however, for urgent reasons, the Lodge may reduce the minimum time provided at its own discretion.
From the profane, even if known to the Brothers / Sisters must always be required certificates of
criminal records and pending loads.
361. The Lodge cannot admit to the ballot a profane who has been refused by another Lodge, without first
knowing the reasons.
362. When only one black ball is produced, the Brother Sister who placed it, before the next session,
declares in writing to the Worshipful Master the reason for the opposition, so that it may be
communicated to the Lodge for its deliberations. If this declaration is not produced, the black ball shall
be considered as undated.
363. In the case of two black balls, the profane will be proposed again after three months.
364. In the case of three or more black balls, which are in any case less than one third of the voters, the
ballot shall be repeated after nine months.
365. If a third or more of the votes is against, or if the same profane, proposed again after nine months, has
again had three or more black balls, his request is definitively rejected, and the Worshipful Master
obligatorily notifies the Government of the Order.
366. In the event that the Lodge resides in an East where several workshops operate, the Worshipful
Master, before assigning the tiles, informs the other Worshipful Masters of the approach process
underway. They can take information about the profane and pass it on tacitly to the Worshipful
Master concerned. Each information must be engraved, dated and signed.
367. If the three ballots are favorable, the Worshipful Master asks the Government of the Order for
permission. The Government of the Order must reply within and no later than thirty days, if this does
not happen, the principle of silenced consent applies and the nulla osta will be considered as provided.
368. Any refusal of nulla osta by the Government of the Order must always be justified.
369. It is absolutely forbidden to lock up more than one profane in the same chamber of reflection.
370. The Lodge, at its own discretion, may start more than one layperson at the same time. However, their
number may not exceed three.
371. On the day of initiation, the Preparing Expert and the Terrible Expert go before the other
Brothers/Sisters to the Masonic house in order to best discharge their duties.
372. The uninitiated cannot avoid the trials prescribed by the rituals. The Lodge, however, may modify,
adapt or perform them symbolically in the event that the physical state or health of the profane so
requires.
373. If the three answers of the profane on the philosophical testament are not clear or raise doubts, the
Brothers/Sisters, with the consent and through the Worshipful Master, may ask for explanations.
Chapter XL: of Membership
374. Affiliation is the transfer of an active and quotient Brother/Sister, as an ordinary member, from one
Lodge of the Communion to another.
375. Those Brothers/Sisters are excluded from the request for affiliation under the judgement of the
National Masonic Justice Authority or under the judgement of the rigor chamber of their own
Workshop or are in arrears with the treasure of communion and/or are in arrears with the treasure of
their own Workshop and/or are in arrears with the treasure of the East when the latter is there to
support the Masonic house.
376. A Freemason who is not in the conditions referred to in the preceding article may apply for affiliation
to any Lodge of Communion, addressing it to the Worshipful Master, either directly or through a
Brother/Sister.
377. The Worshipful Master, subject to the provisions of the Lodge Regulations, having nothing against
the affiliation of a Brother/Sister who has made a regular application, gives notice in the Lodge
indicating the name and surname, date and place of birth, profession, residence and Lodge of origin of
the postulant, and then instructs a Brother/Sister of proven experience to take information about the
applicant.
378. The Brother/Sister who applies for affiliation, must accompany his request with a waiver, issued by the
Worshipful Master of the Lodge of origin. In the request for release, he must indicate the Lodge where
he applies for affiliation.
379. In the waiver, the Worshipful Master must certify that the applicant is on a par with the treasure of
the lodge, with the treasure of Communion, with the treasure of the East, if any, and that no Masonic
trials or disciplinary measures are pending on him.
380. The Worshipful Master must send the waiver within one month. If it is not possible to release it for
the reasons mentioned in the previous article, it must inform in writing the applicant and the
Worshipful Master of the Lodge where the affiliation has been requested.
381. If the Worshipful Master from whom the waiver Tablet has been requested does not issue it within the
prescribed month, nor does he explain, as per the previous article, the reason for his refusal, the
principle of silence applies.
382. The Brothers/Sisters of the Lodge where the request for affiliation was made, after the official
communication of the Worshipful Master, have fifteen days to oppose it in writing or to explain to the
Worshipful Master their doubts and perplexities.
383. If the Worshipful Master considers the communication received during the fifteen days to be
obstructive in terms of the number and seriousness of the arguments put forward, he rejects the
application for affiliation, notifying the Lodge and the person concerned accordingly, otherwise he will
proceed as follows.
384. In the first useful meeting, the Worshipful Master communicates what has been received in writing in
the previous days from the Brothers/Sisters of the Lodge but omits the name of the authors of the
notice. He has the Brother Secretary read the waiver engraved by the Worshipful Master of the Lodge
of origin of the postulant, then gives the floor to the Brother/Sister in charge of taking information
about him; asks if other Brothers/Sisters wish to intervene on the subject, and finally orders the Brother
Orator to draw his own conclusions.
385. After the conclusions of the Brother Orator, the vote on the request for affiliation is taken by secret
ballot. If the vote produces at least two thirds of the votes in favor, the affiliation is granted; if the
postulant obtains only a simple majority of the votes in favor, the vote is repeated in the same meeting
but, if the result does not change, the consultation is postponed to a subsequent meeting, to be held at
least three months later. If in this third ballot the postulant does not receive 2/3 of the votes in favor,
his application will be definitively rejected. The request shall be rejected forever even if, on the first or
second ballot, the applicant takes half or more of the unfavorable votes.
386. Once membership has been admitted, the Worshipful Master informs the Government of the Order
and informs the affiliate, through the Secretary, of the date of the next meeting.
387. At the first meeting, the Worshipful Master informs the Affiliate that the Lodge has expressed itself
positively on his request, then orders the Brother Orator to read the Rules of the Lodge and, if the
Affiliate has nothing to object to them, pronounces and signs the oath of affiliation to the Altar.
Chapter XLI: of regularization
388. The affiliation of a Brother/Sister belonging to a different Communion in a Lodge of the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order is called regularization.
389. It is also to be considered a regularization the awakening of a Brother/Sister in a Lodge of the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order after a period of dormancy of more than one year.
390. Before beginning the process of regularization of a Brother/Sister, the Worshipful Master must ask the
central government for the authorization.
391. A Brother/Sister who asks for regularization, like a profane who asks for initiation, must present to the
Worshipful Master the certificates of the criminal record and of pending loads.
392. For the regularization of a Brother/Sister the same rules as for a process of approaching a profane are
valid, however, the Worshipful Master appoints only two informer commissioners and, after reading
the tiles, the Lodge will vote only once on the admission of the regularization.
393. Voting is by secret ballot. If the ballot produces at least two thirds of the votes in favor, the
regularization is granted; if the postulant obtains only a simple majority of the votes in favor, the ballot
is repeated after three months. If, even in this second ballot, the postulant does not obtain 2/3 of the
votes in favor, his application shall be definitively rejected. The request shall be rejected definitively
even if, on the first ballot, the postulant receives half or more of the unfavorable votes.
394. Admitted to regularization, the Worshipful Master informs the Government of the Order and
communicates the date of the next meeting to the affiliate, through the Secretary.
395. In the first useful session, the Worshipful Master informs the Brother/Sister that the Lodge has
expressed itself positively on his request, then commands the Brother Orator to read the Rules of the
Lodge to him and, if the regularized has nothing to object to them, pronounces and signs the oath of
affiliation to the altar.
Chapter XLII: of leave
396. A Freemason who no longer wishes to be part of Communion must send a written declaration, dated
and signed by the Worshipful Master. On receipt of the letter of resignation, the Worshipful Master
forwards a copy to the Government of the Order.
397. To be discharged regularly, a Brother/Sister who no longer wants to be part of the Masonic Institute
must be on a par with the treasure of the Lodge, with the central treasure, with the treasure of the East,
when there is one and not have slopes with the Masonic justice of every order.
398. The Freemason who leaves the Communion if he has objects or documents belonging to the Lodge, of
which he was a member, or to Communion in his possession, must return them. Instead, it retains
everything that is its property.
399. A Freemason, who wishes only to leave one Lodge to move to another, must ask the Worshipful
Master of the Lodge of which he was a member, for the waiver, as per article 378.
400. Brethren who are regularly discharged from a Workshop may apply to return to the workshop within
one year of resignation, subject to all the formalities required for membership.
401. The Freemasons, who have been discharged from a Workshop for more than a year and have not, in
the meantime, entered another Lodge of Communion, may, however, apply for regularization, as per
article 388 and subsequent of these Constitutions.
402. A Freemason may apply to the Lodge for temporary leave which may last for a minimum of three
months and a maximum of one year.
403. A Freemason with temporary leave of one year, at the end of the same year, must immediately return
to the Lodge, otherwise it is considered in final leave.
Chapter XLIII: wage increases
404. Promotion in the Apprentice to Fellow Craft degree and Fellow Craft to Master degree, called wage
increases, must be justified by the following reasons:
1. Irreproachable Masonic conduct;
2. A good knowledge of the degree already achieved;
3. A course of a minimum time between degree and degree.
405. The Brother/Sister who desires a wage increase must apply for it by means of the proposition bag. The
proposal can be made by another Brother/Sister of Lodge and deposited in the bag. It is read by the
Worshipful Master at the next meeting, after the Brothers / Sisters in a lower grade than that for which
you are requesting the conferment have covered the temple. Only then does the Worshipful Master
read the proposal and, if there is no opposition, assigns the work for the wage increase to the applicant.
406. The work should cover subjects of the grade where the applicant is at the moment.
407. Once the work has been handed over to the Worshipful Master, the latter summons the Lodge in the
grade in which the passage is requested and, during the ritual session, the work engraved to obtain the
wage increase is read by the Brother Orator.
408. When the reading of the work is over, the Worshipful Master gives the floor to those present; then,
after the intervention of the Orator, the vote for approval is passed.
409. The secret ballot must express an overall evaluation that concerns, in addition to the work engraved,
the Brother / Sister extender. In particular, it should be considered his participation in the work and
his interest, his conduct as a Freemason, his preparation. For the Apprentice Brothers and Sisters,
frequency must be considered above all.
410. If the Lodge does not grant the wage increase, the Brother/Sister concerned, or whoever for him, may
resubmit the application after at least 3 months.
411. To be granted a wage increase, at least two-thirds of the votes cast by those present must be in favor.
412. Usually there must be an interval of six months between the grades of Apprentice and Companion and
twelve between those of Companion and Master. These terms may be shortened by one third at the
discretion of the Lodge.
413. A Lodge may give wage increases only to its active and quotient Brothers/Sisters.
414. The taxes to be paid for an increase in salary are the sole responsibility of the Lodge, which decides on
the amount. Nothing is due to the central treasury.
Chapter XLIV: of the Visitation
415. We intend VISITATION as the participation of a Brother/Sister at the work of a Lodge other than his
own, as a guest.
416. Visitation is a right and a duty of the Freemason, he should try to promote it and not hinder it.
417. Apprentices are excluded from the visitation but they can go to another workshop only if accompanied
by the Worshipful Master or by a Master delegated by him. In some particular cases the Worshipful
Master may, however, allow the Apprentices to go to another Lodge; in this case he must first consult
and make arrangements with the host Workshop.
418. Companions may attend other lodges only if the Worshipful Master allows it, but if he denies it, he
must justify the prohibition.
419. For the Master Brothers the visit is free; however, it is a good rule to always inform the Worshipful
Master or, if this is not possible, to inform him of the attended visit; it is necessary to be invited by a
Lodge and it is appropriate to avoid the request for visit when the Workshop where you want to go has
on the agenda "family business".
420. One cannot privilege visitation at the expense of participation at the work of one's own Workshop.
421. Visiting a Lodge on a personal basis does not mean representing one's own Workshop; consequently,
if the visitor does not have a mandate to represent his own Worshipful Master, he or she will sit
between the columns. On the contrary, he can, by invitation, occupy a place at the East as a
representative of the Lodge and, in this case, he can bring the greetings of his own Workshop or report
what the Worshipful Master has appointed him to report.
422. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order does not set limits to the visitation and considers all the
initiates to the Freemasonry Brothers / Sisters, without taking into account the possible presence of
treaties of friendship and collaboration with other Masonic powers.
423. It follows that it is the right of the Lodges to host Brothers and Sisters from other Communions, even
if not recognized by the Italian Traditional Masonic Order. It should be remembered, however, that
the Worshipful Master has a considerable responsibility; he has the duty to inform himself about the
qualities and characteristics of the guests and if there are doubts or uncertainties in him must inform
the Government of the Communion. He also has the duty to inform the Grand Master if there is a
high dignitary of a Masonic Communion among the visiting Brothers/Sisters.
Chapter XLV: of the Canonical and mandatory Rituals
424. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order adopts its own Ritual but allows each Lodge to have its own.
425. Each Lodge Ritual must be sent within one year of its adoption to the Government of the Order,
which must examine and approve it or indicate changes.
426. Any decision against a ritual by the Government of the Order (request for modification or resolution
of rejection) must be justified in detail.
427. If the Government of the Order does not approve the Ritual proposed by the Lodge, it may appeal to
the Grand Assembly, which shall take a final decision.
428. A Ritual at first instance cannot omit the following passages at the opening of the Works: assurance of
temple coverage, control that all those present are Freemasons, verification of the functions of the
Junior Warden, the Senior Warden, the Worshipful Master, verification of the aims of the
Freemasonry, verification of the time and age, opening of the sacred book, warning by the Worshipful
Master and the two Wardens of the imminence of the opening of the works and declaration of the
minimum rules of conduct during the course of the same, opening of the works by the Worshipful
Master with request of the sign and battery by those present; reading and approval of the minutes of
the previous meeting; introduction of the guests.
429. A Ritual in the first degree cannot omit the following passages at the closing of the Works: request for
possible interventions by the Brothers/Sisters aimed at the interest of Communion or the Lodge;
conclusions of the Brother Orator, circulation of the sack of tacit propositions and of the Widow’s
Trunk; verification of the functions of the First and Junior Warden at the closure of the works;
verification of the satisfaction of the Brothers/Sisters on the works completed, verification of the time
and age; circulation of the sacred word; closure of the sacred book; closure of the works by the
Worshipful Master with request of the sign and the battery; oath to keep secret the works completed.
430. In the initiation rite of a profane, the following passages cannot be omitted: preparation of the
candidate and introduction of the same into the chamber of reflection where he is to fill out and sign
his spiritual/philosophical will; reading and approval in the Lodge of the will of the profane;
introduction of the profane into the temple; request to the profane of his generality and why he asks
for initiation; communication to the profane of the fundamental principles of the Freemasonry;
questions to the profane about his concepts of brotherhood, freedom, morals, virtues and vice and a
statement of how Freemasonry defines these concepts; request to the profane to confirm his desire to
be initiated; oath taken on the cup of libations; the three journeys with the purifications of air, water
and fire; explanation of the trials suffered; symbolic proof of the oath of blood (it is absolutely
forbidden to perform it, even by spilling a single drop of the profane's blood); reading of the final oath;
assurance by the profane that he is ready to sign the oath; exit of the profane from the temple and final
decision of the Lodge on his admission; granting of half light to the profane; oath of the profane;
granting of full eastern light to the profane; investiture of the neophyte; instruction of the neophyte in
the hall of lost steps; dressing of the neophyte; proclamation of the neophyte as a full member of the
Lodge; return of metals to the neophyte; welcome and instruction speech by the Brother/Sister Orator.
431. The opening and closing rituals of Companion and Master follow the same liturgical rhythm as the
previous ones, even though they use the typical symbology of the degrees. In the rites of wage increase
to the second and third degree, the initiatory parameters of reference must be respected, which here
cannot be explained out of respect for the traditional path.
432. The installation of the Lights and the Officers of the Lodge and the ceremonial for the raising of the
columns of a new Workshop are to be considered part of the first-degree ritual.
Chapter XLVI: of the Additional or secondary Rituals
433. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order allows the use and practice of particular Rituals, called
additional or secondary, because the Lodges are not bound to receive and execute them.
434. These are additional or secondary rituals allowed by the Italian Traditional Masonic Order: Ritual for
the celebration of Winter Solstice, Ritual for the celebration of Summer Solstice, Equinoctial Rituals,
Agape Ritual, Funeral Ritual, Ritual of Recognition of Union, Ritual of Reception of Olive Trees.
435. The use of rituals other than those indicated in article 434 is not permitted.
436. The Ritual for the Solemnization of Winter Solstice celebrates hope and fraternal love, which come
alive after a reflection on one's own path and a recognition of Masonic values and method. The
symbols of the Winter Solstice are the spruce foliage and the holly branch.
437. The Ritual for the Solemnization of the Summer Solstice celebrates the victory of light over darkness;
it is a rite of thanksgiving and purification, during which the relationships of brotherhood are
strengthened and those elements that may have led to divisions, frictions and misunderstandings
between Brothers/Sisters are exorcised. The symbols of the Summer Solstice are the five-petalled rose,
the wheat ear and the parchment bearing the signatures of all the participants at the rite that is burned
in the fire of St. John.
438. The ritual agape is a ritualized lunch or dinner that exalts the brotherhood, given by the symbolic act
of eating at the same Tablet. The ritual agape is particularly indicated to celebrate the anniversary of
the foundation of the Lodge, but it can be celebrated at any time of the year.
439. The ritual agape takes place in an environment consecrated to a temple where the Tablets are arranged
in a U-shape. The Worshipful Master is located to the East at the central point of the convex part of
the Tablet; the two Wardens to the west facing the Worshipful Master at the two ends of the Tablet;
the visitors to the sides of the Worshipful Master, each to measure their rank; the Orator and the
Secretary on their respective columns, each following the visitors as in the temple: The Master of
Ceremonies, the Master of the House and the Inner Guard, sit at a separate Tablet, located to the west,
in front of the Worshipful Master, outside the U-shape Tablet; the Experts on the center of the sides of
the concave part; the First Deacon in front of the Worshipful Master, also on the concave side; the
Second Deacon to the right of the Senior Warden; all the other Brothers will soon occupy the same
location as in the Lodge, as well as outside as inside the U-shape Tablet.
440. In each ritual agape are a must the seven ritual fires (toasts). It is always the Worshipful Master who
orders the fires except for the one dedicated to him and commanded by the Senior Warden. The fires
can be grouped at a precise time of the agape or distributed along the course of the ceremony.
441. During the agape the Orator must give a speech suitable for the agape rite or for the recurrence
celebrated.
442. After the last toast, the Worshipful Master, as he opened them, closes the jobs in the Entered
Apprentice degree.
443. The ritual for the solemnization of the Autumn Equinox celebrates the resumption of the Works,
recalls the date of 20 September 1870, reflects on the ritual of sowing and on the parable of the seed,
invites each Brother/Sister to reflect on his own Masonic path. The symbol of the autumn equinox is a
tree foliage whose leaves begin to turn yellow.
444. The ritual for the solemnization of the Spring Equinox celebrates the triumph of life, the enthusiasm
of Aries, the light that from that moment on prevails over darkness. Being a sign that symbolizes the
beginning, Aries evokes the deep values of initiation and the ability to know how to go back from the
interiority to the anteriority, so, in correspondence with the Spring Equinox, many Lodges are used to
celebrate a funeral session to remember the Brothers / Sisters passed to the celestial Lodge. The symbol
of the Spring Equinox is a flowering branch.
445. The funeral ritual is aimed at remembering a Brother/Sister who passed to the celestial Lodge. The
funeral ritual is usually to be celebrated one month after the luttuous event. At the invitation of the
Worshipful Master, profanes, relatives and friends of the missing person may participate in part of the
funeral ritual. The symbols of the funeral ritual are fragrance-free red flowers (usually carnations) and
acacia branches.
446. The Ritual of reception of the olive trees, which derives directly from the Craft Freemasonry, is to
present to the Lodge sons and daughters of Brothers / Sisters. Only those who have reached the age of
twelve can be received in the Lodge as an olive tree. The Worshipful Master, before proceeding, must
have the written authorization of both parents or of those who hold the parental authority. The symbol
of the ritual of reception of the olive trees is a bouquet of wild flowers. The olive trees cannot
participate at the opening and closing of the works, nor in the initiation rites. They sit on the fourth
step leading to the East.
447. The rite of recognition of union has no sacramental ambitions, it does not claim to bind two people in
marriage; it is not an imitation of a civil or religious wedding. It is the acknowledgement by the Lodge
that two members of the Workshop or of two different Workshops, or a member of the Lodge and a
profane subject declare themselves united by a bond of love and therefore, mutually, one consecrates
himself to the other. This ceremony is an ancient legacy. In fact, it derives from the Craft Freemasonry,
where it was customary for a couple to present themselves in the Lodge so that they could be welcomed
and as such, and receive the paternal blessing of the foreman, symbol of the confraternity. Those who
ask for the recognition of union can also belong to the same sex, since the Italian Traditional Masonic
Order abhors all forms of discrimination. The symbols of the rite of recognition of union are white and
red flowers.
448. In every ritual of the Lodges belonging to the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, any invocation of
entities and divinities is forbidden, with the exception of the Great Architect of the Universe, who can
be called Great Architect of the Worlds or Most High.
Chapter XLVII: of the economic administration of a Lodge
449. For the initiation of a profane, for the affiliation of a Freemason and for each step to the next level, the
sum of money provided for by the Lodge's Regulations must be paid. It is at the discretion of the
Worshipful Master to evaluate the economic conditions of the profane or of the Brother/Sister and, if
the case requires it, to lower the amount of money.
450. Each active member of a Workshop is subject to a personal tax, which is paid monthly or quarterly to
the Lodge, the amount of which is fixed by the Workshop's regulations.
451. The change in the figures referred to in the previous article must always be approved by the Lodge in
ordinary session. All Brothers/Sisters are eligible to vote, regardless of their grade.
452. The payment of taxes or extraordinary capitations must be approved by the Lodge in the same way as
in the previous article.
453. Each Brother/Sister shall pay to the Communion one monthly capitation, to be paid quarterly. All
Brothers/Sisters who have reached the age of eighty are exempt from this payment.
454. Honorary Members are exempt from paying the Lodge any amount.
455. If a Brother/Sister, regularly notified by the Treasurer, allows a month to elapse without satisfying the
payments due to him, the Treasurer warns the Worshipful Master, who invites the Brother/Sister in
default to fulfil his obligations within fifteen days.
456. After this first period of time has elapsed, without the Brother/Sister having fulfilled his obligation to
the Treasury of the Lodge, covering at least half of the debt contracted and promising to pay it in full
within one month, the Worshipful Master invites him for the second time and in writing to honor
within fifteen days what is due.
457. After this second term has elapsed unsuccessfully, the Worshipful Master orders the debtor, by
registered letter or by PEC, to pay the sum due within fifteen days, under the precept of being banned
from the Workshop for default.
458. If the debtor does not pay the due amount within fifteen days, the Worshipful Master announces to
the Lodge that the Brother/Sister who is in arrears has incurred the penalty of cancellation for
insolvency, referred to in the previous article.
459. The Lodge shall decide on the proposal of expulsion for default, by secret ballot with a simple
majority. In the event that the consultation is successful, the Worshipful Master shall have the
Secretary take the catalogue of the Brothers/Sisters and, in the presence of the Orator, the First Expert
and the Master of ceremonies, cancel the name of the Brother/Sister in default, declaring to the East
and having the Senior and Junior Wardens declare to the Columns that the Brother/Sister debtor has
been removed from the Workshop for its default.
460. If the Lodge grants the debtor an extension, the Secretary writes him a Tablet of notice, notifying him
of the decision of the Workshop and inviting him, for the last time, to pay the amount due within
fifteen days. Once this term has expired, the Worshipful Master proceeds directly to the expulsion, as
per the previous article, without further resolution of the Lodge.
461. The Worshipful Master immediately informs the Government of the Order of the expulsion of the
Brother/Sister for default; the Government of the Order will write the name of the expelled person on
the red book of discipline.
462. The Brother/Sister who has been struck off for late payment may be readmitted to the Lodge or
regularized, if more than a year has passed since the time of the cancellation, subject to the satisfaction
of all previous debts and if the Workshop allows it, following a secret ballot with a majority of 2/3 of
the voters.
463. The Brother/Sister in arrears may be affiliated or regularized by another Workshop, subject to the
satisfaction of all previous debts to the Lodge to which he belonged, if the same allows you by secret
ballot with a majority of two-thirds of the voters.
Chapter XLVIII: of the absence to the Works
464. No Brother may dispense himself from attending ordinary and extraordinary sessions of his Lodge on
the days laid down in the Regulations.
465. Anyone who is unable to attend a meeting shall prevent in writing the Worshipful Master or the
Secretary, or other dignitary or officer of the Lodge, indicating the reason and sending or promising to
send the Widow’s Trunk. If due to unforeseen circumstances he cannot justify his absence in advance,
he shall then do so in writing, enclosing the widow's oblation.
466. That Brother/Sister, who is absent from three consecutive sessions without having made known the
reasons, is advised to present himself to the Works. Not appearing and not justifying a legitimate
impediment, he is written a second time. Persisting in not presenting himself, he is announced that the
Lodge considers his silence as resignation. If he does not respond to this third and final injunction, he
shall be banned for absenteeism in the manner provided for in Article 459 et seq.
467. A Brother who is to be absent for a long time from the East of his Lodge is obliged to prevent it
personally or by letter. During his time away he must at least every three months inform the Lodge of
the state and place in which he is. On his return, he shall inform the Secretary so that he can send him
the convocation notes.
468. The Lodge, for well-founded reasons, may dispense some Brother/Sister from taking part in ordinary
meetings, even if the Brother/Sister in question has not undertaken any travel or changed his East of
residence.
469. Frequent failures extend the intervals set for wage increases.
470. Any Workshop that voluntarily suspends its works and disbands must immediately notify the
Government of the Order.
471. Brothers and Sisters who belong to a disbanded Workshop may join within one year since self-
dissolution in another Communion Lodge. After this period of time, they can regularize themselves in
another Workshop.
472. A Lodge that does not comply with these Constitutions or the decisions of the Communion, is
excluded from the same, on the proposal of the Grand Council of the Order and resolution of the
Grand Assembly.
Chapter XLIX: of the Masonic Justice exercised in the Lodge
473. The governing authority in the Lodge is the Disciplinary Committee whose natural members are: the
Worshipful Master, the two Wardens, the Orator, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the first Expert. If
any of them were to be blamed, he would be replaced by another Brother/Sister.
474. The Disciplinary Committee is entitled to examine only the minor crimes. For serious misconduct,
the Disciplinary Board forwards the indictment Tablet to the National Justice Authority, alerting the
accuser and the accused.
475. The Disciplinary Commission convened by the Worshipful Master verifies the validity of the
accusations and if it has jurisdiction over them, as per article 474, sets the date of the Masonic trial,
communicating it to the accused and to the accuser.
476. The procedure in the Disciplinary Committee must guarantee the right of defense and the principle of
the adversarial process and must examine witnesses and any documentary evidence carefully.
477. The Disciplinary Committee is chaired by the Worshipful Master, the Brother Orator acts as
investigator, the Brother Secretary as chancellor.
478. The accused has the right to defend himself or to be sponsored by a Brother/Sister of his or another
Lodge, of a grade equal to or higher than his own, but he cannot be represented by a Brother
Apprentice.
479. At the end of the hearings, the commission, with the exception of the Brother Orator, withdraws to
the council chamber and issues the verdict, with the reasons for it, reading it to the accused and to the
accuser.
480. Since the commission has jurisdiction only over minor crimes, it may impose the following penalties:
oral admonition, simple written censorship, written censorship with transcription of the same in the
Lodge’s file, suspension from the work of the Lodge for a maximum of three months.
481. In exceptional cases, when the stay of the accused Brother/Sister in the Lodge may cause splitting,
division and lack of harmony, the Disciplinary Chamber may decide to expel him/her from the Lodge,
immediately notifying the Government of the Order.
482. The Worshipful Master may decide that the Brother/Sister sent back for trial shall be suspended from
the Masonic Works. The suspension may not last more than one month.
483. The Brother/Sister adjourned for trial but not suspended from the Masonic works by the will of the
Worshipful Master, is in any case deprived of the right to vote.
484. Written censorship, with transcription in the Lodge's file, implies a delay of three months in the wage
increase.
485. The sentences to admonition, simple censorship and censorship with transcription can be appealed to
the middle chamber which, ritually assembled, after hearing the parties, can decide the confirmation or
cancellation of the sanctions.
486. The suspension sanctions can be appealed within one month of the verdict by registered letter or PEC
sent to the First President of the National Justice Authority or to the Government of the Order, which
is obliged to forward it immediately to the First President.
487. The sanction of expulsion from the Lodge may be appealed to the National Justice Authority in the
same way as provided for in Article 486.
488. If, however, the Brother/Sister sentenced to expulsion does not appeal, he has the right to affiliate with
another Communion Workshop if on a par with the capitations. The Lodge that expelled him has no
right to oppose.
489. The file of each Masonic trial of the Lodge, whatever its outcome, is delivered sealed by the Brother
Secretary to the Brother Archivist.
Chapter L: of Masonic garments and emblems
490. Each Freemason wears in the Lodge the dress corresponding to his grade and decorates himself with
emblems or relative jewels, as in the Rituals of each grade.
491. It is a good practice that every Brother/Sister of any rank wears the emblem of his Lodge on every
occasion.
492. The Brother/Sister Apprentice wears a white leather or fabric apron with the triangular flap pointing
up and white gloves which may have Masonic emblems inherent to his rank. The back of the apron
must be black.
493. Brother/Sister Companion wears a white leather or fabric apron with the flap pointing down and
white gloves which may have Masonic emblems inherent to his rank. The back of the apron must be
black.
494. The Brother/Sister Master wears a leather or fabric white apron with a red border. A five-pointed star
is embroidered on the flap, radiating with a letter G in the center. On the apron, a capital letter M is
embroidered on the right side, followed by a capital letter B on the left side, followed by \
At the center of the page is embroidered a square and a compass in master’s degree braided with two
branches of acacia, the back of the apron must be black.
495. The Brother/Master Sister must also wear a blue scarf, edged in red from the right shoulder to the left
side. On the front side of the scarf must be embroidered in gold and in the following order from top to
bottom: three five-pointed stars, two acacia branches, a square and a compass in Master degree with the
letter M in the center, the letters J\ and B\ In the end of the scarf must be hung a rosette with the
Italian flag and the jewel of the rank that is a golden square and compass, in Master degree. The back
of the scarf is black with a skull and two crossed shins embroidered in silver at the center. The Master
wears white gloves that can be decorated with a Masonic emblem related to the degree.
496. The Dignitaries and Officers of the Lodge, during the Works beyond the dress and the emblem of
their grade and that of Lodge, wear suspended to a blue ribbon, as a necklace, the following emblems
of gold or gilded metal, inherent to their function: Worshipful Master a square, Senior Warden a level;
Junior Warden a perpendicular; Orator an open book, Secretary two crossed pens; Treasurer a key;
First Expert a sword; Master of ceremonies a double row on the cross of St. Andrew; Archivist two
columns; Seal bearer a medal with emblem and title of the Lodge; First Architect a row divided into
nine decimeters; Added Architect a compass; Almoner an acacia crown; Hospitaller a chalice: Bursar a
tied bag; Master of the House a cornucopia; Deacons a glove; Herald a spear; Inner Guard three
crossed keys.
497. If a Brother/Sister holds more than one position, he shows the emblem of the most important
position.
498. The emblems of the offices of Loggia are not personal but belong to the Workshop; they are worn at
the beginning of the works and, once they are finished, they are returned at the exit of the temple to
the Master of Ceremonies.
499. The Past Master or, in any case, a Brother who has held the position of Worshipful Master for at least
one continuous year, can wear the jewel of the Past Master, which consists in the demonstration of the
Theorem of Pythagoras, pinning it on the scarf.
500. When the Worshipful Masters do not work in their Lodge, they wear a brooch with the jewel of
Worshipfulness on the blue scarf.
501. A Grand Counsellor of the Order, when he is not working in his own workshop, brings back on the
blue scarf a golden jewel with the symbol of the Traditional Italian Masonic Order and the letters
G.C.O.
502. The Grand Master wears a white apron, in leather or fabric, edged with red and fringed with gold. On
the flap is embroidered a sun, on the apron are embroidered in gold, between two branches of acacia, a
square and a compass in Master degree, crossed with a trowel and a mallet at the bottom while the
corners of the apron are embroidered with a hive and an olive tree or cypress.
503. The Grand Master's clothing is completed by a red collar, fringed in gold, with embroidered love
knots alternating with square and crossed compasses in Master degree. A large golden jewel is hung to
the collar depicting a square and a compass in Master degree with a capital G. in the center. The square
and the compass are included in a laurel and olive wreath. Like all Brothers and Sisters, the Grand
Master wears white gloves.
504. The added Grand Master wears clothes identical to the Grand Master, but with a silver and fringing
instead of a golden one.
505. The Master Brothers are also authorized to wear medals or brooches of Masonic honors, such as:
distinctive emblems of Lodges of which they are honorary members, honors obtained for their seniority
of initiation, honorary titles of the premiere order of Communion provided for by these Constitutions,
honors awarded by other Communions.
SECTION TWO
Chapter I: of the Easts and East Coordinators
506. An East is defined as a geographical place where one or more Lodges reside, each East is located in a
Valley.
507. If only one Lodge resides in an East, the Worshipful Master is the natural Coordinator of the East, but
if he does not wish to hold this position or if the Brothers/Sisters, by a majority, wish to distinguish the
two positions, he elects an East Coordinator.
508. The East Coordinator must be a Brother/Sister Master and is elected by all the Brothers/Sisters. He
remains in office for two years and can be re-elected for an indefinite number of times. The East
Coordinator has the purpose: to organize the logistics of the Masonic house, to supervise its
maintenance, to post on the register of the Masonic house the balustrades addressed to all the
Brothers/Sisters, to hang on the register the convocations of the assembly of the members of the
association "Ordine Massonico Tradizionale Italiano" of which all the Brothers/Sisters are members, to
set up the polling station in case of elections on a district basis, of the Grand Councilors of the Order
and of the members of the National Authority of Masonic Justice. The East Coordinator does not act
as a link between the East and the Government of the Order, he has no right to honors, titles or special
prerogatives. The office of Coordinator of the East is compatible with any other office.
509. In the Easts where there are several Lodges and these meet in a single Masonic house, the
Brothers/Master Sisters of the Workshops must elect an East Coordinator as per the previous article.
The East Coordinator, where several Workshops co-exist, in addition to the tasks mentioned in article
508, also has the task of bringing together the Worshipful Masters to discuss matters of common
interest and to organize the calendar of the Lodges' meetings. In the event that several Lodges,
belonging to different Easts, meet in a common Masonic house, there will be only one coordinator of
the circumscription of Easts. He will be elected in the same way as provided in article 508 among the
Brothers/Sisters Masters of the East where the Masonic house is located.
SECTION THREE
Chapter I: National authorities
510. The National authorities are:
• the Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge:

• the General Grand Lodge;
• The Grand Council of the Order;
• the Grand Master;
• the Deputy Vicar Grand Master;
• the National Authority of Masonic Justice.
Chapter II: of the Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge
511. The Grand Assembly is the legislative authority of the Communion, is formed by the Worshipful
Masters of all the Workshops of the order. The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge may be attended
with the right to speak, but not to vote by: the Grand Councilors of the Order, the First President of
the National Court or his delegate, belonging to the same authority, the heads of the rites recognized
by Communion or their delegate.
512. Each Worshipful Master may delegate a Master member of his Workshop to represent him. Each
Worshipful Master or his substitute may carry the delegation of another Worshipful Master, without
geographical restrictions.
513. The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge is presided over by the Grand Master or, in his absence, by
the Grand Master Deputy Vicar. The Grand Master has the right to vote and in the event of a tie his
vote is worth twice as much.
514. The Deputy Grand Master Vicar, participates in the Grand Assembly even if it is presided over by the
Grand Master and sits in the East, to the right of the Grand Master. He has the right to speak but not
to vote. If, on the other hand, he replaces the Grand Master, he has the same prerogatives than the
Grand Master.
515. The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge is convened in ordinary session three times a year, in
conjunction with the Winter Solstice, the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. The convocation
is the responsibility of the Grand Master or the Deputy Grand Master Vicar, by delegation of the
Grand Master. The convocation must be forwarded one month in advance.
516. The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge may be convened in an extraordinary way whenever
necessary by the Grand Master or by the Deputy Grand Master Vicar, by delegation of the Grand
Master. In this case the convocation can be forwarded fifteen days in advance. The Grand Assembly
can also be convened in an extraordinary way by 15 members of the Grand Council or by a third of the
Worshipful Masters.
517. The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge's meetings are ritualistic and in third degree.
518. The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge elects from among its members by secret ballot and simple
majority:
- the Grand Senior Warden;
- the Grand Junior Warden;
- the Great Orator;
- the Grand Secretary;
- the Grand Treasurer-Almoner;
- the Grand Master of ceremonies;
- the Great Expert;
- the Great Sword Bearer;
- the First Great Deacon;
- the Second Great Deacon.
The above-mentioned charges are only rituals; the Lights, except for the Grand Master, have no right
to titles or particular prerogatives.
519. The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge, on the proposal of the Grand Council of the Order,
resolves definitively the granting of licenses for the definitive constitution of the new Workshops;
resolves, again on the proposal of the Grand Council of the Order, the expulsion of the Lodges from
Communion, ratifies the treaties of friendship and collaboration stipulated with other Communions,
approves and ratifies the initiatives of the Grand Council of the Order. In an extraordinary meeting,
specifically convened for this purpose, it modifies the present Constitutions by a privileged majority,
approves and ratifies any regulation or subsidiary legislation proposed by the Grand Council of the
Order. It is the responsibility of the Grand Assembly to decide, always in an extraordinary meeting in
conjunction with the Grand Council of the Order, on the indictment of the Grand Master and the
Deputy Grand Master as specified in Articles 686 to 687.
520. The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge ratifies the election of the Grand Master and Deputy Grand
Master Vicar elected by the Grand Council of the Order. If the Grand Master and Deputy Grand
Master Vicar or one of them fail to ratify, the elections must be considered null and void and must
therefore be repeated.
521. In the event of a regulatory or bureaucratic dispute between the Grand Council of the Order and a
Lodge, the latter may appeal to the Grand Assembly.
522. The Grand Assembly ratifies the work of the Grand Master every year during the ordinary winter
solstice meeting, confirming the Grand Master's office or otherwise.
Chapter III: of the General or Extended Grand Lodge
523. The General Grand Lodge or Extended Grand Lodge is the first-degree ritual session of all the
Worshipful Masters of Communion in which all the members of the Italian Traditional Masonic
Order and delegations or Grand Masters of other Masonic powers are called to participate.
524. The General Grand Lodge or Extended one is presided over by the Grand Master or, in his absence,
by the Grand Master Deputy Vicar. The other Lights and the Grand Officials of the General Grand
Lodge are those elected by the Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge.
525. The General or Extended Grand Lodge is convened exclusively by the Grand Master or by the Grand
Master Deputy Vicar, by delegation of the Grand Master, with a notice of at least two months.
526. The General or Extended Grand Lodge has only ritual purposes and purposes as per article 523; it
celebrates nationally the Solstices, the Equinoxes, or the beginning of the Masonic year, or it
commemorates, in a funeral meeting, the Brothers/Sisters passed to the Celestial Lodge.
527. During a meeting of the General or Extended Grand Lodge, the Grand Master hands over to the
Brothers/Sisters who have deserved them the honors of the Order of Communion.
528. The General or Extended Grand Lodge may be convened for international sessions, during which
relations of friendship, mutual recognition and collaboration with other Communions are established
or strengthened.
Chapter IV: of the Grand Council and the Grand Councilors of the Order
529. The Grand Council of the Order is the governing authority of the Communion; it consists of thirty
members, elected on a circumscription basis by all the Brothers/Sisters who have at least eighteen (18)
months of seniority of initiation. All the Brothers/Sisters Masters who have at least three years of
seniority in the grade of Master and who send their candidacy to the Government of the Order within
fifteen days before the date of the elections may aspire to the rank of Grand Councilor of the Order.
530. The Grand Council of the Order administers the Communion, grants the Lodges all permission for
initiations and regularizations, establishes the electoral districts, issues licenses or provisional
constitution charts for the new Lodges, proposes the expulsion of Lodges, promotes initiatives of a
cultural and Charity nature, takes care of the internal and external communication of Communion,
draws up a draft budget estimate to be sent to the board of directors of the association "Ordine
Massonico Tradizionale Italiano". It manages relations with foreign Communions and signs treaties of
friendship and collaboration with other foreign or Italian Communions.
531. The Grand Council meets ordinarily in the Capital but can also meet in another East if necessary.
532. The Grand Council of the Order meets in ordinary session six times a year according to a calendar
organized at the beginning of the calendar year and, in extraordinary session, whenever necessary.
533. The Grand Council of the Order is convened in the ordinary way by the Grand Master who is its
President or, on his behalf, by the Deputy Vicar Grand Master. Extraordinarily, by the Grand Master
or the Deputy Grand Master, by delegation of the Grand Master, or by self-call, at the request of at
least ten Grand Councilors of the Order. The work of the Grand Council of the Order is not ritual.
534. The Grand Council of the Order elects, in addition to the Grand Master and the Deputy Vicar Grand
Master, for which reference is made to the relevant heads: the Secretary of the Grand Council, the
Secretary for Foreign Relations, the Seal bearer, the Head of Finance, the Communications Expert.
Voting takes place by secret ballot and simple majority.
535. The Grand Councilors of the Order bear the title of Elected, with the distinctive sign shown in article
501. In their own Lodge and in the Lodges where they are honorary members, they have no right to
the East, whereas in the other Workshops they have the right to participate only as visitors, therefore at
the invitation of the Worshipful Master. They participate by right in the Great Assembly, where they
have the right to speak, but not to vote. In the Grand Assemblies, the Order's Grand Councilors sit
between the columns, in the stalls to the north-east and south-east.
536. No delegation is permitted in the Grand Council of the Order.
537. The meetings of the Grand Council of the Order are valid when at least half of its members are
present.
538. The rank of Grand Councilor of the Order is incompatible with that of Worshipful Master and Judge
of the National Court.
Chapter V: of the Grand Master
539. The Grand Master represents the head of Communion, exercises representative power and presides
over the Government of the Order, made up of the Grand Council of the Order. He is the guardian of
the initiatory and Masonic tradition, of the current Constitutions and of the ritualistic heritage of
Communion.
540. The Grand Master signs the constitution charts of the Lodges, which are countersigned by the Seal
bearer and provided with stamps and seals. It engraves balustrades that are sent to all the Worshipful
Masters, coordinates all the activities of the Communion, presides over the communication, promotes
both cultural and Charity initiatives aimed both inside and outside the Communion. It represents the
Communion in every national and international context. It promotes and encourages relations with
other Communions.
541. The Grand Master has the title of Most Serene, bears special insignia, referred to in Article 502.
542. Wherever the Grand Master is present in a ritual session, he is entitled to the honors of the steel vault
and the swing mallets. The national anthem is played at the entrance to the temple.
543. The Grand Master has the right to participate, without being invited, in the meetings of each Lodge of
the Communion. He sits in the East, in the first stall to the right of the Worshipful Master.
544. The Grand Master, taking part in the meeting of a Lodge, does not have the right to take the place of
the Worshipful Master in the conduct of the work, but if the latter, as a courtesy, gives him the mallet,
he can receive it conducting the works on his behalf.
545. The Grand Master must be a Grand Counsellor of the Order, have held the rank of Worshipful
Master with a continuity of at least one year and have a seniority in the rank of Master of at least five
years.
546. The Grand Master is elected by the Grand Council of the Order by secret ballot with a majority of at
least 2/3 of the voters; if such a quorum is not reached, the vote is repeated twice more. If this majority
cannot be reached even in these second ballots, the elections are updated to the following day and in
this case the ballot between the two candidates with the highest number of votes is proceeded. If the
ballot is equal, the one with the longest initiation period is elected; if this period is identical, the oldest
of them is elected.
547. If the Grand Master is at the head of a rite recognized by the Italian Traditional Masonic Order,
through the stipulation of a protocol of understanding, he must renounce this office or renounce the
rank of Grand Master. In case of renunciation of the rank of Grand Master, the elections must be
repeated with the exclusion of the candidate of the renunciate Grand Councilor.
548. The Grand Council, during the elections of the Grand Master, is presided over by the Grand Master
expiring or in his absence by the Grand Master Deputy Vicar or, in the absence of these, by the
Brother who has the highest Masonic seniority in the Grand Council.
549. The Grand Master remains in charge for three years and can be elected a second time, after which he
is ineligible for two consecutive triennia.
550. After being elected by the Grand Council of the Order, the Grand Master presents himself to the
Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge, gives a keynote speech and asks for the ratification of his rank.
The Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge ratifies by open ballot with the majority of those present.
551. If the election of the Grand Master is not ratified, it shall immediately expire and the Grand Council
shall repeat the elections, electing a different Grand Master. If this second election of the Grand Master
is not ratified by the Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge, the Grand Council lapses and new elections
are called to elect a new governing authority. In this case, the regency of Communion passes to the last
former Grand Master.
552. The Grand Master, every year in the Grand Assembly called to coincide with the Winter Solstice,
gives a speech illustrating the work done during the year, the difficulties encountered and the plans for
the future. The Grand Master's speech is voted by the assembly by open vote. If the address does not
obtain a simple majority of the votes, the Grand Master will cease to be valid and his place will be
taken by the Deputy Vicar Grand Master who, together with the Grand Council, will manage the
ordinary administration until the new elections are held within the following year. In the event of new
consultations, the entire Grand Council must be renewed, de facto challenged, and, subsequently, a
new Grand Master and a Deputy Grand Master Vicar.
553. In the event of Masonic charges for high treason, perjury or contempt for the Constitutions of the
Order, the Grand Master is subject to a procedure of indictment.
Chapter VI: of the Deputy Vicar Grand Master Deputy Vicar
554. The Deputy Vicar Grand Master assists the Grand Master in the management of Communion and
works on his behalf when he is commanded to do so.
555. The Deputy Vicar Grand Master replaces the Grand Master when he is prevented from performing
his function. In this case, he takes over all the powers until the Grand Master is again able to take over
his functions.
556. For prudential reasons, the Grand Master and the Deputy Vicar Grand Master may never travel in the
same vehicle.
557. The Deputy Grand Master has the title of Most Elected, bears special insignia, referred to in Article
504.
558. Wherever the Deputy Vicar Grand Master is present in a ritual session, he is entitled to the honor of
the steel vault.
559. The Deputy Vicar Grand Master has the right to participate, without being invited, in the meetings of
each Lodge of Communion. He sits to the East, in the first lane to the right of the Worshipful Master
if the Grand Master is not present, otherwise he sits to his left.
560. The Deputy Grand Master, participating in the meeting of a Lodge, does not have the right to replace
the Worshipful Master in the conduct of the work, but if the latter gives him the mallet, he can receive
it conducting the works in his place.
561. The Deputy Vicar Grand Master must be a Grand Counsellor of the Order, have held the rank of
Worshipful Master for at least one year and have at least five years' seniority in the rank of Master.
562. For the elective procedures, for the duration in charge and for the reasons for the forfeiture of the
Grand Master Substitute Vicar, the same procedures apply as for the Grand Master, as per article 539
et seq.
SECTION FOUR
Chapter I: Masonic justice
563. The Masonic justice, in addition to that administered within the Lodge, is devolved to the National
College of Masonic Justice and has as its aim the protection and safeguarding of the fundamental
principles of the Freemasonry and is inspired by feelings of brotherhood and fairness respecting the
rules of the contradictory, the right to defense and the double degree of judgment. It aims, however, to
understand human behavior, if necessary, orienting it, not to impose a punishment on those who make
a mistake. Masonic Justice is articulated and operates according to what is established in the following
articles.
Chapter II: of crimes and penalties
564. Masonic crimes can be divided into major and minor.

565. They are major crimes:
1. All criminal offences provided for by the Italian Penal Code, such as stalking, mobbing, violence,
theft, exercised against a Brother/Sister or a profane and other more serious crimes.
2. Perjury and betrayal, as well as complicity or cooperation in treason, against the Order in general
and against its own Workshop in particular.
3. The intentional non-compliance with these Constitutions, or with the provisions of the
Government of the Order ratified by the Grand Assembly, aimed at producing the schism or
destruction of the Order.
4. The intentional non-compliance with the internal rules of a Workshop, aimed at producing a
schism or destruction of the Workshop itself.
5. The infidelity of management in the financial or securities affairs of a Workshop.
6. The slander and defamation aimed at vilifying a Freemason both in the Masonic and profane
spheres.
7. The boastful credit, the corruption and the corrupting of oneself.
8. To reveal the name of Brothers/Sisters to a profane without having been authorized by them.
9. The disclosure of confidential matters concerning the Lodge or Communion to profanes.
10. To adopt discriminatory attitudes of a racial, sexual, religious or cultural nature towards
Brothers/Sisters.
11. Failure to respect the dignity of others.
12. The deliberate violation of the privacy of a Brother/Sister.
566. Minor crimes are those which give rise to a Judgement by the Lodge Commission as per art. 473 et
seq:
1. Rumors which in any way compromise the dignity of the Order, a Lodge, a Brother/Sister.
2. The formation of a faction, aimed at hindering the freedom to vote or at producing disunity and
discord among the Brothers.
3. Abuse of profane qualities to influence or impose one's will on Brothers/Sisters.
4. To take pictures of Brothers and Sisters without their permission. If these images were to be
disseminated on social networks or in any other way, there would be the serious crime provided
for in paragraph 12 of article 565.
5. Refusal to fulfill the duties imposed on the Lodge by one's rank.
6. The whispers and disturbances that are committed in the Temple.
7. The animosity between Brothers/Sisters.
8. The carelessness that makes the Workshop unable to use its tools and furniture to perform the
work regularly.
9. The intentional irregularity in the conduct of the Masonic works.
10. Unreasonable disobedience to the particular Regulations of one's own Lodge, and to the
authority of the three Lights during the performance of the works.
11. The stubborn refusal to the obligations inherent in the rank of Dignitary, Officer or member of
the Workshop.
12. Lack of discretion.
13. The deliberate disregard of the calls of the Worshipful Master or of the Senior and Junior
Warden.
567. Every indictment is called the Masonic charges.
568. Any written but anonymous accusation is not taken into account and is destroyed.
569. No indictment shall be made orally, but shall be written, dated, signed and sent to the Worshipful
Master. An indictment sheet must contain facts and circumstances and attach a list of evidence and
witnesses.
570. If the accused is the Worshipful Master, the Past Master must be informed, and in his absence the
Senior Warden. If the Past Master or the Senior Warden does not consider himself able to proceed
against the Worshipful Master, the indictment must be forwarded to the National Court for
examination.
571. No accusation, even of minor crime, may be made publicly in the lodge against a Brother/Sister, but
the rule prescribed in the previous article must be followed.
572. The penalties or sanctions that the National College of Justice may impose are as follows:
1. Suspension for up to one year of Masonic work, including any period of compulsory or
discretionary precautionary suspension.
2. Suspension up to one year from Masonic Work, in addition to the period of precautionary or
discretionary suspension.
3. Expulsion from the Order.
4. Indefinite expulsion from the Order (with burning among the pillars).
573. indefinite expulsion excludes the possibility of restoration.
574. The right of restorations belongs to the Grand Master who may grant it, at least one year after the
verdict of the last degree of judgment has been pronounced.
Chapter III: of the National College of Masonic Justice.
575. The Masonic Justice Body at the level of Communion is the National College of Masonic Justice
which has the task of judging the crimes for violation of the statutory and regulatory norms of the
Order and the behavior of the Sisters and Brothers contrary to the norms of the State and to the
Masonic morals referred to in art.566.
576. The National College is also the appeal body for justice in the Workshops.
577. The National College is made up of the Judges with a decisional function and the Investigators with
an assessment and investigation function in the various places of investigation. The ordinary Justice
Body is divided into 4 Sections, each of which is composed of 5 Judges, 3 standing judges and 2
deputies and 2 Investigators, to whom the procedures of territorial competence of reference are
assigned by the First President of the College of Justice. Two investigators shall be assigned to the
Grand Board and the Grand Board in joined sections. The Presidents of the Section Board are elected
by each of the Sections from among the acting Judges who, in turn, make up the Grand College of
Justice, within which the First President will be elected. It is also instituted, the Grand College to
Sections Gathered of which, for the judgments of competence, all the effective Judges of all the
Sections are part. The Presidents of the Board of Auditors may appoint a Secretary with administrative
tasks and the task of recording the sessions of the judgement. The First President, in agreement with
the other Presidents of the Section, fixes the seats of each College of Sections where the debates will be
held. When the conditions so require, precautionary measures may be adopted by the Masonic Justice
Body by means of a special procedure.
Chapter IV: of Responsibilities
578. Each Section Board, for the territorial sphere of competence, has the task of deciding on issues that
affect an entire Lodge or on issues that arise between the members of two Lodges and finally on issues
that arise between two different Lodges, concerning both crimes considered major and minor crimes. It
is competent to judge the degree of appeal on decisions issued within the Disciplinary Commissions of
the individual Lodges.
579. Each Section Board makes use, from the cognitive and investigative point of view, of an investigator
who will carry out his investigations with the Orients concerned by the reported case.
580. The Grand College of Justice is responsible for the first degree judgements on matters concerning a
Worshipful Master and the High Ranks of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, the members of the
Grand Council, the Grand Master, for which it avails itself, from the cognitive and investigative point
of view, of three investigators, appointed by the President of the Grand College from among those of
the sections, with the task of carrying out the investigations. The Grand College in joint sections is
competent to judge the degree of appeal on the decisions issued by the sections against which a
complaint has been lodged. The Grand College of Judges in joint sections is competent to judge the
degree of appeal on the decisions issued by the Grand College of Judges. The meetings of the Grand
College of Justice and the Grand College in joint sections are held at the headquarter of the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order. The Secretaries or Chancellors assist the works, with tasks of recording
and administration, they are appointed by the First President of the Grand College of Masonic Justice,
both for the sectional colleges and for the Grand College.
Chapter V: of Election and investiture
581. The judges are elected on a circumscription basis by all the Brothers/Sisters who have 18 months of
seniority of initiation, at the same time as the members of the Grand Council of the Order.
582. All Brothers/Sisters who have at least three years of seniority in the grade of Master and who, if
possible, have juridical competence, are eligible.
583. The office of judge or investigator is incompatible with that of Grand Councilor of the Order and
Worshipful Master.
584. If a Brother/Sister is elected to the office of Grand Counsellor of the Order and magistrate, he must
resign from one of them. There are no limits to the re-election of judges or investigators.
585. The National College is an independent body that regulates itself and is regulated by specific internal
regulations.
586. It is up to the National College, at its first meeting after the elections, to assign the sectional colleges
and to elect the section presidents and the first president of the College of Justice.
Chapter VI: of the discipline of the prosecutions
587. The following rules contain the discipline of the Ordinary proceedings to the Sections of the College
of Judges and of the appeals to the Grand College of Justice, as well as the discipline of the proceedings
against the Worshipful Masters and the high bodies of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
Chapter VII: of the Ordinary proceedings
588. The disciplinary justice procedure must begin with the sending to the First President of the College of
Justice of a written indictment Tablet containing, under penalty of decadence, detailed charges against
the accused and signed by the accuser. It shall be recorded in the general register of proceedings. The
sending is carried out by registered letter or PEC mail by the Worshipful Master when the matter
concerns the Lodge to which both accuser and accused belong and when the violation corresponds to a
serious fault.
589. If the matter raised with the indictment Tablet involves Brothers/Sisters belonging to more than one
Lodge, it will be sent by the respective Worshipful Masters. In the event that the indictment is directed
against a Worshipful Master, it will be forwarded directly and by the same means to the First President
of the College of Justice.
590. The First President of the College of Justice shall assign the judgement to the section of territorial
competence by order, no later than five (5) days from receipt of the indictment Tablet, whose
president shall inform as quickly, by registered mail, the Sister or the Brother against whom the
proceedings have been started including a copy of the indictment and its attachments. At the same
time, the President of the competent section informs the Worshipful Master of the Lodge concerned or
the Worshipful Masters if there are more than one Lodge.
591. The First President shall send a copy of the ordinance to the Government of the Order.
592. The President of the Section shall carefully examine the indictment Tablet and any documentation
attached to it and, if he considers that there is a basis in relation to the circumstances alleged and the
seriousness of the dispute, shall instruct one of the two Section investigators to carry out the necessary
investigations to ascertain the facts, take all the evidence he deems necessary in order to ascertain the
validity of the reasons for the accusation.
593. To this end, the investigator must first confront himself with the Worshipful Master and then with
the Lights of the Lodge and then listen, at his unquestionable discretion, also to the Sisters and
Brothers of the Workshop.
594. If the indictment Tablet implies the involvement of Sisters and Brothers of more than one Lodge, the
President of the competent section sends both investigators of the section who will share the tasks of
the investigation. The investigator(s) shall acquire all documentation that is deemed necessary for the
conclusion of the investigation.
595. The investigator(s) may ask the Worshipful Master for the collaboration of the Secretary of the
Lodge(s) in drawing up the minutes and obtaining the documentation.
596. At the end of the preliminary phase, the investigator(s) hands over the documents and documentation
acquired to the President of the section, who examines everything that has been transmitted to him
within a period of five days and convenes the College of Section Judges for a decisional hearing.
597. If a Judge of the three assigned to the Chamber is manifestly prevented from attending, the President
shall arrange for an alternate to be appointed for the whole of the proceedings.
598. During the meeting of the College, the President, with the assistance of the Section Secretary, having
read the indictment Tablet, examined the minutes delivered by the investigator(s) and any attached
documentation, may, where the conditions are met, propose that the proceedings be archived.
599. The Section College takes its decision by unanimous vote, of which the President promptly informs,
by registered mail, the accused, the prosecutor, the Worshipful Master of the Lodge(s) to which he
belongs and also notifies the Government of the Order.
600. Otherwise, at the meeting of the Chamber, the Judges may decide that the conditions for the
continuation of the proceedings are fulfilled, considering the questions raised in the indictment Tablet
to be well founded. In that event, the President of the Chamber shall, by registered mail, raise
objections and shall prescribe a period of not less than 15 days but not more than 30 days for the
accused to produce exculpatory counter-arguments.
601. Once these have been received, the President of the section shall convene the accused, if deemed
necessary by the accuser, the Worshipful Master of the Lodge(s) to a hearing and request the presence
of the Inquirer(s).
602. The secretary of the section assists the hearing with the task of recording the minutes.
603. At the fixed hearing, the Judging College listens to the accused, who can be assisted by a trusted
lawyer, or in his absence, proceeds in absentia.
604. The President may ask the investigator to specify certain points in the minutes produced.
605. In the event that the hearing is not considered sufficient to make a decision, a subsequent hearing will
be called within seven days, always in the presence of the same judges.
606. With a reasoned decision, the College of Judges, unanimously, can consider the accusations
unfounded and decide "not to proceed", while, if it considers the accusations in relation to the
preliminary investigation and the trial to be founded, it decides, again by unanimous vote, to apply the
sanction.
607. The decision is immediately notified, by registered mail, to the accused and communicated to the
Worshipful Master of the Lodge(s) to which he belongs for immediate execution, as well as to the
Government of the Order. The decision of first instance of the College of Section is transmitted
together with all the documents of the preliminary investigation and of the hearing to the First
President of the Grand College.
608. The sentence must be signed by the members of the College within seven days of the conclusion of the
hearing.
Chapter VIII: of the Appeals
609. The decision of the College of Section may be challenged before the Grand College of Justice
composed by the four Presidents of the Sections and two investigators.
610. The accused, under penalty of decadence, within thirty days of receipt of the parcel containing the
decision, must forward to the First President of the Grand College the deed of appeal, also drawn up
with the assistance of a trusted lawyer, which contains the reasons for grievance against the decision to
impose the sanction.
611. The Grand College usually decides on the basis of the proceedings of the first-degree procedure,
forwarded to the First President by the President of the section, and as perfect College must decide in
the presence of all the Presidents of the section and by unanimous vote.
612. The Grand College, with a special decision taken in the Council Chamber, may, in exceptional cases
and in relation to the complaints made in the appeal document, order the renewal of the investigative
acts and take new evidence, entrusted to the Investigator(s) of the First Section.
613. The First President shall schedule the hearing for the decision of the second degree, convening all the
Presidents of all Sections and giving notice by registered mail to the accused and to the Investigator(s).
614. The Secretary of the Grand Board assists the works with the task of recording the minutes.
615. At the hearing, the President of the section shall fully explain the reasons that led to the decision at
first instance, after which the First President shall give the floor to the accused, or, if assisted by a
trusted lawyer, to the lawyer who shall explain the grievances contained in the deed of appeal.
616. At the end of the hearing, the Grand College withdraws to the council chamber and takes the decision
of the second degree, whose device is immediately read.
617. With motivated deliberation, the Grand College, unanimously, can consider the accusations
unfounded and, reforming the decision of first degree, can order "the non-place to proceed", filing the
case, and reserving the right to proceed, if the conditions are met, against the undersigned
Brothers/Sisters of the indictment Tablet. On the contrary, if the accusations are considered to be well-
founded, also in relation to the preliminary investigation and the supplementary hearing, it decides,
again by unanimous vote, to reject the appeal of the decision of first instance confirming the
application of the sanction.
618. The decision with the reasons must be filed with the signatures of all the members of the Grand
College and countersigned by the Secretary of the College within fifteen days after the Council
Chamber.
619. The decision of the second degree must be notified to the accused and communicated to the
Worshipful Master of the Lodge to which he belongs and to the Government of the Order.
620. No recourse to Masonic justice is permitted against this sentence.
Chapter IX: of Procedure for the High Authorities
621. If the indictment is directed against a Worshipful Master or an entire Lodge, the competence in the
first degree belongs to the Grand College of Justice, composed of the Presidents of the section, which
makes use for the investigative tasks of the two investigators of the Grand College.
622. The Grand College of Justice is also responsible for proceedings against a member of the Order's
Grand Council.
623. The second instance proceedings are under the responsibility of the Grand College in joint sections.
Chapter X: Court of First Instance
624. The indictment Tablet addressed to a Worshipful Master or to an entire Lodge must be sent by
registered mail to the First President of the Grand College who quickly gives notice to the Grand
Master who will inform the Grand Council of the Order.
625. The First President of the Grand College invests the two investigators of the Sectional College of
competence for the enquiry. When proceeding against a Worshipful, they will take all the information
useful for the investigation through the acquisition of documentation and testimonial evidence,
listening to the Senior and Junior Warden and other Masters of the Lodge, if necessary.
626. When, on the other hand, proceedings are taken against one Lodge accused by another, the two
Investigators will listen to the Worshipful Master, recording his statements and will search in the
accused Lodge for the documentation needed to form evidence of the accusations made; then they will
move the investigations to the other Lodge of the East to which they belong.
627. With the help of the Secretary of an accusing Lodge, they will draw up a complete report of the
investigations and attach the acquired documentation, handing them over immediately by hand to the
First President.
628. Once received, the First President convenes the Grand College of Justice for a decisional hearing
within ten days.
629. The accused is notified of the scheduling of the hearing and may be represented by a trusted lawyer
and produce, in due time, defensive statements; it is also communicated to the accused. No less than
thirty days shall elapse between the date of the notice and the meeting.
630. The Secretary of the Grand College shall attend the meeting with the task of recording the minutes.
631. During the meeting of the Grand College, the First President, having read the indictment Tablet,
examined the minutes delivered by the Investigator(s) and any documentation attached to them, may
propose the archiving of the proceedings, if the conditions are met.
632. The Grand College of Justice, unanimously, takes the decision to "not proceed", reserving the right, if
the conditions are met, to open proceedings against the subscriber(s) of the indictment.
633. The decision is immediately notified, by registered mail, to the Worshipful Master or to the Lodge
under accusation and communicated to the Grand Master who will give notice of it to all the
Worshipful Masters of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
634. At the scheduled audience the Grand College of Justice listens to the Worshipful Master accused or
the Lodge under accusation, who can be assisted by a trusted lawyer, but in their absence proceeds in
absentia.
635. The First President may ask the investigators to specify certain points in the investigation carried out
and in the report produced.
636. In the event that the hearing is not considered sufficient to make a decision, the First President will
proceed to convene a subsequent hearing within seven days, always in the presence of the same
members of the Grand College. When the Grand Board considers the accusations to be founded also
in relation to the preliminary investigation and the trial, always by unanimous vote, it takes the
decision to apply the sanction in the council chamber.
637. The decision with the reasons must be deposited with the signatures of all the members of the Grand
College and the countersignature of the Secretary of the Grand College within fifteen days following
the council chamber.
638. The decision is immediately notified, by registered mail, to the Worshipful Master or to the Lodge
Worshipful Masters of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
639. The Grand Master will arrange for the immediate execution of both the Worshipful Master and the
Lodge accused.
Chapter XI: of Judgement of the members of the Government of the Order
640. The indictment addressed to one or more members of the Grand Council must be forwarded by
registered mail to the First President of the Grand College who quickly informs all the members of the
Grand Lodge, the Grand Council of the Order and the Grand Master.
641. The First President of the Grand College of Justice invests the two investigators of the Grand College
with the enquiry. When proceeding against the member(s) of the Grand Council, they will listen to the
accused on behalf of the defendant(s), recording the statements, and will take all the information
necessary for the investigation through the acquisition of documentation and evidence, executing, if
necessary, the other members of the Grand Council. They shall also take detailed evidence from those
who have signed the indictment form.
642. With the help of the Secretary of the Grand College, they shall draw up a complete report of the
investigations and attach the acquired documentation, handing them over immediately to the First
President of the Grand College.
643. The latter, after the delivery, will examine all the files, the minutes within twenty days will convene
the Grand College of Justice for the hearing decision.
644. The accused shall be notified of the scheduling of the hearing and may be represented by a trustworthy
lawyer and produce, in due time, defensive statements; it shall also be communicated to the accuser.
645. No less than sixty days shall elapse between the date of the notice and the meeting.
646. The Secretary of the Grand College shall attend the meeting with the task of recording the minutes.
647. During the meeting of the Grand College, the First President, having read the indictment, examined
the minutes delivered by the Investigators and the documentation attached to them, may propose the
archiving of the proceedings, if the conditions are met. The Grand College of Justice, by unanimous
vote, takes the decision of "no need to proceed", reserving the right, if the conditions are met, to open
proceedings against the subscriber(s) of the indictment.
648. The decision is immediately notified, by registered mail, to the member(s) of the Grand Council
Worshipful Masters and to the members of the Grand Council of the Order.
649. At the scheduled hearing, the Grand College of Justice shall hear the accused member(s) of the Grand
Council who may be assisted by one or more trusted lawyers, but in their absence shall proceed in
absentia.
650. The First President may ask the investigators to specify certain points in the investigation carried out
and in the report produced.
651. In the event that the hearing is not considered sufficient to make a decision, the First President will
proceed to convene a subsequent hearing within ten days, always in the presence of the same members
of the Grand Board.
652. When the Grand College considers the accusations founded also in relation to the preliminary
investigation and the trial, always with unanimous vote, it takes the decision to apply the sanction in
the Chamber of Council.
College, and the countersignature of the Secretary of it, within thirty days following the Chamber of
Council.
654. The decision is immediately notified, by registered mail, to the member(s) accused by the Grand
Council or to the Grand Master and communicated to the Grand Secretary - if not inquired - who will
inform all the Worshipful Masters of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
655. The Grand Master will arrange for immediate execution against the accused Grand Council
member(s).
Chapter XI: of Appeals
656. The decisions taken by the Masonic Grand College of Justice may be challenged before the Joint
Sections Grand College of Justice composed by the First President and the Presidents of the four
Sections and the effective Judges of the four Sections.
657. The accused, under penalty of decadence, within forty-five days of receipt of the parcel containing the
decision must forward to the First President of the Grand College and President of the Grand College
in joined Sections, the deed of appeal, drawn up also with the assistance of a trusted lawyer, which
contains the reasons for grievance against the decision to impose the sanction.
658. The joined Sections, as a rule, decide on the basis of the proceedings of the first instance procedure, in
the possession of the First President and, as a perfect College, they must deliberate with the presence of
all its members, taking decisions unanimously.
659. The Sections, by a special decision taken in the Council Chamber, may, in exceptional cases and in
relation to the censures made in the act of appeal, order the renewal of the investigative acts and take
new evidence, entrusted to one of the two Investigators of each Section.
660. The First President shall appoint them by decree.
661. He will schedule the audience for the decision of the second instance, convening all the members of
the Joint Sections and giving notice by registered parcel to the accused.
662. Secretary of the Grand College assists the works with the task of recording the minutes.
663. At the hearing, the First President shall fully explain the reasons that led to the decision at first
instance, after which he shall give the floor to the accused, or, if assisted by a trusted lawyer, to the
lawyer(s) who shall explain the grievances contained in the act of appeal.
664. At the end of the hearing, the Judges of the Joined Sections retire to the Council Chamber and take
the decision of the second instance, the provisions of which are immediately read out.
665. With a reasoned decision, they can unanimously consider the accusations unfounded and, reforming
the decision of first instance, order "the non-place to proceed", closing the case and reserving the right
to proceed, if the conditions are met, against the subscriber(s) of the indictment.
666. On the contrary, if the accusations are considered to be founded also in relation to the preliminary
investigation and to the new hearing, it decides, always by unanimous vote, to reject the appeal of the
decision of first instance confirming the application of the sanction.
College in joint Sections and countersigned by the Secretary of it within 45 days after the council
chamber.
668. The decision of second instance must be notified to the accused and communicated to the Grand
Master, in the case in which one or more members of the Grand Council have been prosecuted, who
will give the disposition to inform all the members of the Grand Lodge and the Grand Council so that
they may have appropriate knowledge of it.
669. No recourse to Masonic justice is permitted against this verdict.
Chapter XIII: of the Provision of compulsory suspension
670. If the Worshipful Master is informed that a member of his Lodge is subject to criminal proceedings,
he must inform the First President of the Grand College of Masonic Justice, who will inform the
Grand Master.
671. The First President shall immediately instruct the President of the competent Section to open,
through an Investigator of the same designated by the same, a rapid investigation to acquire all the
knowledge useful for the assumption of a possible precautionary measure.
672. If the seriousness of the procedure may lead to the danger that the Lodge and consequently the Order
may suffer negative consequences, the President of the Section, having simultaneously communicated
the results of the Inquisitor's investigation, requests the application of the suspension of the accused to
the First President.
673. The First President, having informed the Grand Master, will proceed with a monocratic measure to
apply the precautionary measure of the suspension, communicating it to the Worshipful Master of the
Lodge to which the accused belongs.
674. If the accused holds the position of Worshipful Master, of member of the Grand Council, the First
President of the Grand College confers the task to one of the Investigators of the Section to carry out a
rapid investigation at the end of which he will receive a documented report in a special file.
675. Immediately afterwards, he will meet, in the Council Chamber, the Grand College, which will take
the appropriate decision on the application of the precautionary measure of suspension.
676. The latter must be immediately applied by the First President of the Grand College when he has been
informed that the accused, whatever the position he holds including the Grand Master, is subject to
restriction of Masonic privileges and freedoms.
677. When the proceedings against the accused end with a sentence of acquittal and the final decision of
the disciplinary procedure has not been pronounced, the revocation of the precautionary measure of
the suspension from the same College that had imposed it will be pronounced in the Chamber of
Council. The President of the College or the First President will quickly inform the accused or the
Worshipful Master or the Grand Master of the revocation of the precautionary measure for the
respective procedures of competence, and they will provide to give the information of competence.
678. On the contrary, the final verdict will have to be taken into account in the disciplinary procedure still
in progress.
Chapter XIV: of the measure of discretionary suspension
679. In the event that first instance proceedings are initiated against a member of the Italian Traditional
Masonic Order, the Sectional Colleges of Justice, the Grand College of Justice may take, by decision
taken in the Chamber of Council, precautionary measures against the accused when the Investigator(s)
warns during the investigation of the possibility of pollution of evidence by the accused.
680. To this end, the Presidents of the Colleges or the First President of the Grand College, depending on
the proceedings within their jurisdiction, shall establish a Chamber of Council for the application of
the precautionary measure of the case.
681. At the end of the investigation by the Investigator(s), the President of the Board or the First President,
during the relevant procedure, after hearing the other Judges, shall order the revocation of the
precautionary measure.
682. Since it is an inalienable right for a trial to take place in due time, both mandatory and discretionary
precautionary suspension measures may have a maximum duration of six months; once the time limits
have expired, even if the trial process has not been completed, they will lapse.
Chapter XV: of the order of indictment of the Grand Master or the Deputy Grand Master Vicar
683. The Grand Master and the Deputy Vicar Grand Master, during their mandate, may be accused of acts
and behavior which, although not falling within the cases referred to in Article 565, may cause
irreparable damage to the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
684. The procedure for putting the Order on trial may be requested by means of a motivated indictment
Tablet supported by documentary evidence and witnesses signed by at least twenty Worshipful Masters
or ten Grand Councilors of the Order and addressed to the First President of the Grand College.
685. The latter, having examined the accusations and considered them to be congruent and documented,
shall convene the Grand College of Justice in Reunited Sections which, at the end of a hearing, shall
decide on the merits or otherwise of the indictment Tablet, by a majority of those present.
686. In the event that the indictment Tablet is considered founded, it is sent, with the opinion of the
Grand National College, to the First Grand Supervisory Body which, with fifteen days' notice,
convenes the Grand Assembly and the Grand Councilors of the Order in plenary session, as well as the
First President of the Grand College of Justice.
687. The Grand Plenary Assembly referred to in the previous article decrees the forfeiture of the Grand
Master by secret ballot and majority of at least 2/3 of those present.
Part three
Special provisions
Chapter I: of Electoral Circumscriptions, the way of electing the Grand Councilors of the Order and the Judges
of the National Court
688. The electoral circumscriptions are decided by the Government of the Order on a territorial basis and
must include homogeneous territories consisting of a single East, several neighboring Orients, or even
regions or several regions, when the low presence of proselytes requires it. The circumscription elects a
number of Grand Councilors of the Order and Magistrates in proportion to the number of
Brothers/Sisters of each order and grade who are part of the circumscription and have the right to vote.
689. All the Brothers/Sisters who have at least eighteen months of seniority of initiation and who are on a
par with all kind of capitations are electors. It is not possible to vote by proxy. Voting is secret.
690. The minimum number of Brothers/Sisters required to elect a candidate for the Grand Council and the
National College of Masonic Justice and, therefore, to constitute a circumscription is given by the
number of Brothers/Sisters registered for Communion and entitled to vote divided by 30.
691. The Government of the Order determines the Circumscriptions, according to the provisions of article
688, reconciles, through a delegate of the Grand Council of the Order, any territorial adjustments with
the Worshipful Masters concerned, then the Worshipful Masters and the delegate establish the
Composition of the Electoral Commission which is made up of Brothers/Sisters of any grade, who are
not candidates, so that all the Lodges part of the circumscription are represented. The detailed rules
will be contained in a special electoral regulation.
692. The electoral commission elects its own president, who appoints a secretary.
693. The electoral commissions shall consist of at least five Brothers/Sisters; on election day not less than
three members of the commission shall be constituted in a polling station. In the larger
circumscriptions there may be more than one station.
694. The electoral commission prepares the ballot papers in order to avoid any possible attempt at fraud.
The President shall note in the list of voters, next to the name, the indication of the vote.
695. Voting shall take place on the same day in all districts. The convocation of the electoral session is
brought to the attention of all the Brothers/Sisters electors by letter, text message or e-mail, with a
notice of at least one month. The convocation must indicate: the day of the consultation, the place, the
time of the opening and closing of the station. In order to exercise their right to vote, voters must show
the president of the station their membership card of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
696. A list of voters must be drawn up, in alphabetical order, for each district, subdivided by station when
there is more than one in the district.
697. Once the voting has been completed and the station has been closed, it shall be immediately proceed
to the ballot. At the end of it, the President draws up and signs a record to which must be attached the
list of Brothers and Sisters registered to vote, with the relative tick of those who voted.
698. Only one preference may be expressed both for candidates for the Grand Council of the Order and for
candidates for the Magistrate attributed to the Circumscription.
699. Candidates must present their candidacy to the Electoral Commission within the time limits provided
for by the balustrade calling for elections. In order to be valid, each candidate must bear a signature of
five Brothers/Sisters electors who are part of the circumscription; they cannot sign for other candidates.
700. Minutes with the names of the elected members must be sent by PEC or registered parcel to the
Central Electoral Commission established by the Grand Council of the Order, which immediately
announces the results to the whole Communion.
701. An appeal against the election results may be lodged within fifteen (15) days of the holding of the
elections. The body competent to examine the appeals is the competent College of Section which, after
a brief investigation, will proceed within the next thirty days.
702. The Brothers elected as Grand Councilors of the Order who, at the time of the elections, were
Worshipful Master, must immediately resign from the rank, or renounce in writing that of Grand
Councilor of the Order. In this case their place in the Grand Council is taken by the first not elected in
the same circumscription.
703. The Grand Council of the Order meets for the first time within forty-five days after the election, upon
invitation of the expiring Grand Master.
704. The expiring Grand Master presides over the Grand Council of the Order for the election of the new
Grand Master and the Deputy Vicar Grand Master.
705. The Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master Vicar are elected in accordance with articles 546
and 562.
706. The former Grand Master remains in charge until the ratification of the elections of the new Grand
Master and the Deputy Vicar Grand Master.
707. The Grand Assembly for the ratification of the elections of the Grand Master and the Deputy Vicar
Grand Master is convened by the former Grand Master within one month of the electoral meeting of
the Grand Council.
Chapter II: of the Communion Awards program
708. Following the ancient Masonic tradition of recognizing the merits of Brothers/Sisters and profanes,
awarding them with decorations and diplomas, Communion promotes two Orders of Awards: the
Order of the Uroboros and the Order of the Flaming Sword. These orders were established in
compliance with the regulations in force and in particular with Law 171 of March 3, 1951, D.P.R. 458
of May 3, 1952, D.P.R. 173 of March 30, 2001.
709. The Order of the Uroboros is reserved only to the Brothers/Sisters Masters who are part of the
Communion and rewards their long Masonic militancy.
710. The Order of the Uroboros includes four awards classes.
711. The fourth Order Class is attributed to the Brothers/Sisters twenty years after their initiation, with a
minimum militancy of fifteen years. It consists of a parchment signed by the Grand Master and
countersigned by the Grand Chancellor and a blue jacket ribbon.
712. The third Order Class is attributed to the Brothers/Sisters twenty-five years after their initiation with a
minimum militancy of twenty years. It consists of a parchment and a bronze medal representing the
seal of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, surrounded by an Uroboros. On the back of the medal is
engraved the name, the date of initiation and the date of the award. The ribbon is blue.
713. The second Order Class is attributed to the Brothers/Sisters thirty years after their initiation with a
minimum militancy of twenty-five years. It consists of a parchment and a silver medal representing the
seal of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, surrounded by an Uroboros. On the back of the medal
are engraved the name, the date of initiation and the date of the award. The ribbon is of a crimson
color.
714. The first Order Class is attributed to the Brothers/Sisters forty years after their initiation with a
militancy of thirty-five years. It consists of a parchment and a gold medal depicting the seal of the
Italian Traditional Masonic Order, surrounded by an Uroboros. On the back of the medal are
engraved the name, the date of initiation and the date of the award. The ribbon is red.
715. The honors of the Order of the Uroboros are requested by the interested party or by his own
Worshipful Master. The costs of the medal shall be charged to the Lodge.
716. The Order of the Flaming Sword can be attributed to Brothers/Sisters of Communion, to
Brothers/Sisters of other Communions, to profanes who have distinguished themselves for their high
merits:
a. to the Italian Traditional Masonic Order;
b. to the study, defense and promotion of Freemasonry;
c. to Charity;
d. the defense of human rights, the fight against all kinds of discrimination;
e. the affirmation of legality;
f. to science;
g. art;
h. culture in general.
717. The Order of the Flaming Sword comprises four classes of merit.
718. The Order of the Flaming Sword is attributed by the Court of Honor which is made up of the
Chancellor of the Grand Council, the Senior Grand Warden, the Junior Grand Warden, the First
President of the College of Justice, the Deputy Grand Master and is chaired by the Grand Master.
719. The fourth Order Class includes a parchment, with the reasons for the honor signed by the Grand
Master and countersigned by the Seal bearer. The ribbon is green.
720. The third Order Class includes a parchment, with the reasons for the honor signed by the Grand
Master and countersigned by the Seal bearer and a bronze jewel, hanging from a collar of white satin.
The jewel includes the seal of the Traditional Masonic Order, crossed from top to bottom by a flaming
sword. The whole is surrounded by a crown with branches of oak and laurel. The name and date of the
award are engraved on the back of the medal. The ribbon is white.
721. The second Order Class includes a parchment, with the reasons for the honor signed by the Grand
Master and countersigned by the Seal bearer, and a silver jewel, hanging from a white satin collar. The
jewel includes the seal of the Traditional Masonic Order, crossed from top to bottom by a flaming
sword. The whole is surrounded by a crown with branches of oak and laurel. On the back of the medal
is engraved the name and date of the award. The ribbon is silver.
722. The first Order Class includes a parchment, with the reasons for the honor signed by the Grand
Master and countersigned by the Seal bearer and a gold jewel, hanging from a white satin collar. The
jewel includes the seal of the Traditional Masonic Order, crossed from top to bottom by a flaming
sword. The whole is surrounded by a crown with branches of oak and laurel. The name and date of the
award are engraved on the back of the medal. The ribbon is gold.
723. The conferral of the honors of the Award Orders does not include any title or Masonic prerogative,
except the respect and admiration on the part of the Brothers/Sisters for those who have worked
actively for the good of the Freemasonry and Humanity.
Chapter III: of Rites or systems of high Degrees
724. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order considers the Masonic path with the Third Degree concluded
but recognizes the importance of the Rites as further itineraries of human elevation, sapiential
initiation.
725. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order allows its Brothers/Sisters to be enrolled in Rites that are
recognized by the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, through the stipulation of a Memorandum of
Understanding, valid for five years and renewable.
726. To be recognized by the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, the Rites must have credentials attesting
to their initiatory and traditional legitimacy.
727. The Italian Traditional Masonic Order may enter into Memorandum of Understanding with various
Rites, without being obliged to consult with the Government of Rites that have already ratified
agreements with the Order.
728. The Memorandum of Understanding with a Rite is signed simultaneously by the Grand Master and
the Head of the Rite who signs the agreement.
729. The stipulation of a Memorandum of Understanding must be approved by the Grand Council of the
Order.
730. Membership of a Rite does not imply any particular prerogative for the Order.
731. Each Brother/Sister can be part of several Rites, or he can pass from one to the other, if the
government of the latter allows it.
732. In the event that more than two Rites adhere to the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, the governing
bodies of the same may constitute the Grand Council of Rites.
733. The Grand Council of Rites, once approved by the Order, has the right to participate, through its
elected President, in the Grand Assembly and to express its opinion on all its decisions, without having
the right to vote.
734. Any disciplinary measures taken within a Rite have no effect on the Order.
735. Disciplinary measures taken in the Order that involve the removal of a member also have immediate
effect on the rite that must ratify and implement it.
736. The Rites are autonomous and independent and are responsible to the Law.
737. Failure by a rite to comply with the Memorandum of Understanding will result in the immediate
abrogation of the rite.
Chapter IV: of the profane association "Ordine Massonico Tradizionale Italiano".
738. Since the present Constitutions have mainly initiatory purposes and regulate the Masonic life of
Communion, an association called the "Ordine Massonico Tradizionale Italiano" has been established
which operates according to the legal prescriptions of the Italian Republic.
739. The belonging of each Brother/Sister to the Communion is a necessary condition to be a member of
the association and vice versa.
740. The statute of the association adopts all the rules contained in the present Constitutions, as far as they
are applicable to the operation of the association itself. In particular, the association is subject to the
same rules of admission or exclusion of members, voting and election to corporate offices, drafting and
approval of the annual budget, administration of justice described above.
741. The assembly of the members of the association is identified in the Great General Assembly or
Extended Assembly of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
Chapter V: of the final norms or on the variations and modifications of the present Constitutions
742. The present Constitutions are given by the Regent Fr. Luigi Pruneti as an autocratic act on May 7,
2018 C.E. and shall take immediate effect.
743. Within one year of their publication, as in the previous article, the Constitutions may be modified in
all their parts at the request of at least twenty Worshipful Masters or ten Grand Councilors of the
Order in a Grand Extraordinary Assembly at which, at least, a half plus one of the entitled are present.
Amendments shall be made by simple majority.
744. After the expiry of the time limits referred to in article 743, the Constitutions may be amended in all
their parts at the request of at least one third of the Worshipful Masters or half of the Grand
Councilors of the Order at a Grand Extraordinary Assembly at which, at least, a half plus one of the
entitled persons are present. Amendments shall be made by a majority of at least two-thirds of those
present.
The Forty Principles

of the Freemason
Behavioral rules and some hints of Masonic ethics
This document sets out simple rules of conduct, suggests some appropriate precautions and outlines some
horizons of ethics, relevant to the Freemason. Even though it has no normative value, the above should be
considered a useful breviary to live correctly the masonic experience.
1 - AMBITION
Ambition is the desire to improve one's condition, to have more visibility, to take on an active role, to be more
involved, to grow in every aspect. It is, therefore, a legitimate ethological tendency, being an indispensable
premise for an evolutionary dynamic; ambition becomes, instead, negative when it is immoderate and willing, in
order to achieve the goals it sets itself, to circumvent the rules, on the respect of which the well-being of a
community rests. Moreover, the ambition of a subject must consider and conciliate the ambitions of others, as
lawful as their own. A Freemason should not judge severely the ambitions of others and be indulgent with his
own, on the contrary he should try to be objective and remember that the weaknesses of the Brother, in the past,
were also his own: one should remember that wisdom, often, is the daughter of time.
2 – ENTERED APPRENTICE MASON
The Italian Traditional Masonic Order recognizes the autonomy of the individual Workshops and,
consequently, the Lodges are sovereign in the administration of the degrees, subject to compliance with the
Constitutions of Communion. Having said that, it is essential to underline certain aspects that, on the one
hand, are related to common sense and, on the other, to initiatory Tradition. First of all, it should be borne in
mind that the Entered Apprentice is a free man of good morals, often challenged by life and endowed with a
discreet culture, otherwise he would not have been initiated. Moreover, he is a Brother to all intents and
purposes, so much so that he has the right to vote both for the admission of the Profane, and in all other
deliberations of the Lodge that do not have as their object salary wages or are reserved, by competence, to the
Middle Chamber. Consequently, an overprotective attitude towards him should be avoided, similar to that
which in the secular life is reserved to minors or even to those who do not have the faculty to understand or to
want. The Entered Apprentice is in a phase of training, does not know Freemasonry, is in a moment of listening
and, therefore, is excluded from some aspects of the life of the Lodge, but is part of it in its own right: has the
right to be made aware of the activities of the Workshop and Communion.
Precisely because he is in a phase of listening, the Entered Apprentice must remain silent, not take the floor,
participate in the social life of the group to which he belongs in a receptive and not proactive way, he must be
guided with prudence in that of the Institution. He will engrave only one Tablet in his life as a neophyte: the
one that will be required of him for the salary wage in the second degree. The circumvention of these rules will
only cause him damage in the path of Masonic growth. The Entered Apprentice demonstrates his attachment to
the Freemasonry with frequency, participation, availability; if he responds to such requests, it is useless and
counterproductive to keep him in the state of neophyte for a long time. Such a situation does not imply
anything positive, it does not imply a better evolution, on the contrary it generates disaffection, boredom, self-
detachment. Therefore, it is believed that six months, as a minimum period of apprenticeship, can be increased
to one year, if the Lodge deems it appropriate, but to go further, when it is ascertained frequency, interest and
participation would be negative.
3 - HIGH DEGREES
The high Degrees of the various Rites that have joined the Italian Traditional Masonic Order, do not give rise
to any distinction within the Order, nor can the Brothers awarded in the Blue Lodges show their insignia,
except in particular meetings, provided for in the Memorandum of Understanding. It is considered, however,
opportune to underline how, both in the Order and in the Rite, the Degrees of the Freemasonry are not
assimilable neither to noble titles, nor to the levels of command of a military hierarchy. The Degrees are, on the
contrary, witnesses of the initiatory path taken by a Brother in his personal growth path. They have a real value
when they effectively correspond to an inner, sapiential and conscious ascent. Usually there is such a real growth
when it is recognized by the Brothers, while it is doubtful whether it is only the holder of the degree who
proclaims it. It is in good taste that the Brothers who have been awarded a High Grade do not boast or magnify
in the Order the rank reached in the Rite, such a behavior dictated by vanity, would only vulnerate the
consideration of the Brother and of the Rite to which he belongs.
4 - LISTENING
In a community that has among its aims the establishment of a relationship of brotherhood, it is essential to
know how to listen. It is not by chance that Guido Calogero transforms the well-known formula "do to others
what you would like them to do to you" into "understand the other how you would like to be understood".
Listening means paying attention to the interlocutor, until you grasp what he does not say out of prudence and
modesty, it means grasping the expectations, hopes, fears, ruins that dwell within him. A good listener is never
overbearing, does not ask questions or does so only because he is forced to do so; a good listener is always
attentive, minimal, prudent, sensitive. Listening means setting up a dialogue that is not an interview, but the
ability to establish a process of mutual knowledge, that knowledge which is the basis of a relationship of true
brotherhood.
5 - CAPITATIONS
The capitations to be paid quarterly to the Lodge, must be as low as possible and must always be discussed and
approved by all, including Entered Apprentices. The capitations serve, above all, to maintain the location where
the Lodges constituting an East meet; in the ordinary way the capitations do not concern Charity, for which the
Widow’s Trunk is foreseen, which accepts only free and reserved offers. The amount requested for the reception
of a Profane must also be contained. Keep in mind that initiation cannot have a price, it is an absolutely free act
that does not contemplate commodification, so much so that the premise of the initiatory process is the
despoliation of metals. The fee for the initiation must include the cost of the Masonic garments, of the Ritual,
of the book of the Constitutions, of the Lodge emblem and, in addition, a sum for the treasure of the
Workshop. It should be considered, in the last instance, that an excessive circulation of money intoxicates a
Communion and that Freemasonry cannot and must not be pervaded by discrimination due to wealth.
6 - FELLOWCRAFT
With the second degree, the Freemason obtains the gift of the word and, consequently, can intervene in the
Lodge and engrave Tablets. This faculty, proper to the Fellow Craft, does not imply, however, a devolution to
the Brothers awarded the Second Degree of the work of a Workshop; remember that this task belongs, first of
all, to the Masters. It is also believed that the contribution of the Fellow Crafts to the construction of the
Temple should be gradual and, therefore, grow over time.
7 - COMPATIBILITY
There are no reasons or reasons for incompatibility between the simultaneous registration to the Italian
Traditional Masonic Order and other traditional and non-Masonic initiatory associations, such as those inspired
by Martinism, Rosicrucian or neo-templar. It is forbidden, however, to proselytize in the Workshops for the
association to which one belongs. Belonging to counter-initiative associations, according to René Guénon's
definition, implies, instead, the immediate radiation from the Italian Traditional Masonic Order.
8 - BEHAVIOR
The behavior, in and out of the Lodge, is partly indicated by the Constitutions of the Italian Traditional
Masonic Order, however, here it is considered appropriate to reiterate that the attitude towards the
Brothers/Sisters should never lose sight of the trinomial Respect, Prudence, Attention. Keep in mind that every
Freemason has his own dignity and sensibility. If some behavior of a brethren does not seem adequate, before
judging, try to understand why and always apply the unwritten rule: "praise in public, warn in private". It is
obvious that this must not lead to laxity, everyone is required to respect the rules and to have attitudes
appropriate to the Temple, to the Brotherhood, to respect for others, we must, therefore, correct, where there is
the failure, but leave the function to those who are in charge with it, let’s not improvise as censors. Whoever is
called upon to rectify do so with due manners, be correct, comprehensible, polite and always explain what the
presumed failure consisted of, reminding the other party that error, if understood, is an important teacher.
9 - COMMUNICATION
It may happen that the Brothers are either by their own will or by fortune forced to make it clear to the profane
that they belong to Freemasonry. Such events can be important occasions to dispel doubts and prejudices or to
bring a profane closer to the Communion. To obtain such results, however, it is necessary to respect some
simple rules: a) Have an intelligible and appropriate language. The titles, the adjective, a certain rhetoric that
make sense within the Masonic context, are inadequate outside it and, in some cases, repulsive. b) Avoid
millanteries and clichés, such as the attribution to Freemasonry of all civil and social progress, or the boasting of
belonging to the Freemasonry of famous people who in reality, with the same have or had little to share. c) Be
sure of what is said. If the profane asks questions to which we are not able to answer, it is counterproductive to
improvise or climbing glass walls; it is better to take time and commit to acquire information to be able to
report later.
10 - SHARING
Sharing is fundamental, it means calling for participation, encouraging collaboration, making a part of it,
generating enthusiasm. Try to share, when it is appropriate to do so, everything that is possible. In the symbolic
mythology of Freemasonry, the Temple was not built by Solomon or Hiram, but by thousands of Masters and
Fellow Crafts.
11 - GROWTH
The path indicated by the Freemasonry is individual, so the main objective of the Freemason is his initiatory
and cognitive growth. However, he is part of a Communion, of a Brotherhood, so he must also aim at the
evolution in a positive sense of the Brethren and of the Institution as a whole. If he sees that a younger
Brother/Sister is proceeding quickly in the Masonic process, he should feel pride and satisfaction. A good father
is one who is pleased to see that the son is more successful in life than he is, a good teacher is one who is happy
to see that the student is surpassing him in competence and doctrine.
12 - DISAFFECTION
All Masonic Communions suffer from a constant leakage of Brothers/Sisters. Often this bleeding is due to a vice
of origin: those who knocked on the door of the Temple, even though they were good persons, did not have
those fundamental characteristics to become part of the Masonic context or, quite frequently, they thought that
Freemasonry was a different association, having borrowed the image of the Institution from the commonplaces
of the collective imaginary. In other cases, however, whoever left was animated by the best intentions, he
believed that the Freemasonry was an opportunity for growth, or a sort of thread of Ariadne to proceed in the
labyrinth of life, but later, however, has not found any of it. Instead of an initiatory process he came across
sterile and boring discussions, instead of a serene, fraternal, supportive environment he found a human and
cultural pneumatic emptiness; all this caused disaffection and disaffection drove him to leave Communion.
While reaffirming the autonomy of the lodges, it is advisable, when there is a resigning, to ask yourself why.
13 - DISCRETION
Discretion is a fundamental and indispensable characteristic of the Freemason. Discretion means measure,
criterion, balance, moderation, reserve, and the Freemason must abide by this. Discretion should be used, above
all, with regard to the Brethren who should not be the subject of inappropriate conversations.
Respect the private life of others and look more to yourself than to others, remembering what we read in
Matthew (7, 3-5): "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the
plank in your own eye?"
14 - DOGMATISM
Freemasonry has no dogmas; it is not preceptive but methodological; it has no truth to reveal but helps Brothers
to set out on their own on the path to truth. To be welcomed into its heart one only has to respect certain basic
principles such as: Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood, Tolerance, Respect for Dignity and the Thought of others.
Subject to these assumptions, the Freemason is the only administrator of his own thought who is not required
neither to deny nor to modify it. If for him there are dogmas of a religious nature, no one has the right to make
him abjure them, no one will try to force his ideological feelings, he is only obliged to behave in an identical
manner with his Brethren.
15 - MASONIC ESOTERICISM
The term esotericism, commonly used in Masonic language, should not be confused with occultism or
hermeticism. The term esotericism was coined by Clement Alexandrine to indicate the teaching that Aristotle,
in Lyceum, reserved to the already educated students: "The followers of the school of Aristotle - Clement writes
- say that among their works some are esoteric, others are intended for the public and therefore are exoteric".
Thereafter Origen used the same term to indicate what in schools of thought was intended for followers already
sufficiently prepared. In this sense, the Masonic esotericism should be interpreted which is reserved for followers
only, since an initiation is mandatory, requires a particular exoteric preparation and contains a gnosis. Pierre
Riffard writes: "It is esoteric that which presents an initiatory teaching, a set of knowledge and practices that
lead to liberation. This is secret with respect to form and content, that is, with respect to the [literal and
apparent] meaning". Masonic esotericism, therefore, which has its own specificity, is not confused with the
meanings that are usually attributed to this term.
16 - DOUBT
Methodological doubt is an important tool to get closer to the truth. Giacomo Leopardi writes: "Human
intellect, whatever its desire for possible progress, can never deny [doubt], on the contrary, it contains the truth
and proves that our reason can absolutely find the truth only by doubting; that it moves away from the truth
every time it judges with certainty, and that not only does doubt help to discover the truth [...] but the truth
essentially consists in doubt and those who doubt know, and know as much as they cannot know”. Freemasonry
is not a school of doubt, it does not consider it a dogma, but an instrument for examining different hypotheses
and comparing them with the aim of approaching the truth, respecting the absolute freedom of conscience of
every man.
17 - MASONIC FAMILY
One of the fundamental aims of Freemasonry is to establish among the affiliates a relationship of brotherhood,
which is easy to tell, but difficult to achieve. One can move from a state of virtual brotherhood to a plane of real
brotherhood only gradually, promoting reciprocally a friendly bond that is expressed in an increasingly
participatory context. As a result, the Italian Traditional Masonic Order encourages relations between Brethren
and the involvement of their family members and friends in non-religious situations; it is in favor of common
recreational activities, recommends visits, the exchange of opinions, the creation of groups merged by similar
interests. The aim is to make Communion be perceived as a large family, capable of providing affection, support
and closeness.
18 - OATH
The oath is such a solemn promise that it is considered sacred, as a result of the fact that in the Old Testament it
was considered an act of proof by which the man used to call God to witness the truthfulness of his word
(Numbers 5, 21; 1 Kings 8, 31-32; Ezekiel 17, 13). In Roman law the oath maintained a similar value, the term
iuratio comes, in fact, from ius which was originally a religious formula with the value of law. In the Italian civil
law, the oath has an extreme importance, since it is contemplated in articles 233 et seq. of the Code of Civil
Procedure, as a procedural instrument of proof and the false oath is a crime sanctioned, in this case, by art. 371
of the Penal Code with imprisonment from six months to three years. In Freemasonry, the initiatory oath is a
unilateral, free and spontaneous act, which finds expression in the solemn promise to fulfil the obligations
assumed, based on the ethical principles of the Institution. By virtue of this oath, the Freemasonry has been
accused since 1738 with the excommunication of Clement XII, in eminenti apostolatus specula. For the Pontiff
the oath confirmed the subversive character of the "sect", since the followers subordinated their fidelity to the
state to the orders of the Masonic hierarchies; moreover, since then a passage of the oath was considered as a real
incitement to "Masonic vengeance", reserved for the perjury. In this sense the well-known formula was
interpreted: "under pain of having cut my throat, torn my heart and tongue, torn my bowels, made my corpse
into pieces, then burned and reduced to dust, this scattered to the wind for a despicable memory and eternal
infamy". In reality, even in the eighteenth century, the oath had a symbolic value, as symbolic was considered
the penalty that hints at a backward path, aimed at frustrating the initiatory process. During the early nineties,
in the context of the Cordoba Inquiry, an attempt was made to give, as did Clement XII, a textual interpretation
to the Masonic oath, until the same ordinary magistracy, with the sentence issued on 6 April 1992 by the Court
of Bologna (procedure 65/a92, Montorsi trial), acknowledged it as a ritual act, and not an arbitration, "no one -
we read in the sentence - is so devoid of common sense, to take literally the formulas mentioned above". The
fact that the oath is not compromissory, subordinating the duties of office and of citizen to the orders of the
Masonic hierarchy, is made explicit by a paragraph of the oath itself that reads "I promise and swear to always
keep myself honest, diligent and meritorious citizen, in compliance with the laws of the State". The Italian
Traditional Masonic Order wanted to highlight this aspect, conditioning its confirmation "to the directives of
the supreme Masonic authority" only in the case that the latter:
- are not in contrast with the honor, respect, dignity due to every man,
- are not in conflict with the Constitution and the body of law of the Italian Republic,
- are in compliance with the Constitutions and regulations of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order. In
other words, the promise of the Freemasons to obey the orders of the high Masonic dignitaries will only
be kept if the directives comply with the internal rules, laws and regulations of the Italian State.
19 - LAICITY
Laicity is, for Freemasonry, an indispensable value. Nicola Abbagnano considers it inspired by the principles of
freedom, pluralism, tolerance and derived from the hypothesis that "one cannot claim to possess the truth more
than any other can claim it”. Laicity represents, for the philosopher from Salerno, the postulate of the autonomy
of human activities. Guido Calogero points out that laicity is not a philosophical system, it is not an ideology,
but it is a method to allow the coexistence of different positions of thought. In practice, laicity from a
methodological and heuristic point of view can be defined as "discursive autonomy". He writes: "We need a
principle of good, a common law of morality that is valid for all [...]. But we also need to understand the
different principles of moral evaluation, which may be the presuppositions of other consciences: because we do
not have the right to impose our law to those who recognize another one. We need first of all not to be cynical,
but we need furthermore not to be Pharisees". Norberto Bobbio, on the same wave frequency, considers laicity a
suitable procedure to make every culture survive and adds that the layperson is one who is able to be passionate
about "warm" values (love, friendship, poetry, faith, generous political project) but [also] able to defend the cold
values (the law, democracy, the rules of the political game) that alone allow everyone to cultivate their 'warm'
values". This vision of laicity, which coincides with Masonic one, is defined by Claudio Magris as "the critical
attitude to articulate one's own philosophical or religious beliefs according to rules and logical principles that
cannot be conditioned, in their coherence, by any faith, because in this case one would fall into a murky mess,
always obscurantist. In this sense, culture - even a Catholic culture - if it is such it is always secular, just as logic -
that of Saint Thomas Aquinas or of an atheist thinker - cannot but rely on criteria of rationality and just as the
demonstration of a theorem, even if made by a Saint of the Church, cannot fail to obey the laws of
mathematics" [...] Laicity means [therefore] tolerance, doubt also directed at one's own certainties,
[....Demystification of all idols, even of one's own; capacity to strongly believe in some values, knowing that
there are others, though they are respectable". Consequently, the profane is the one who "knows how to adhere
to an idea without succumbing to it, committing himself politically, preserving critical independence, laughing
and smiling at what he loves while continuing to love it; who is free from the need to idolize and desecrate [...],
who is free from the cult of himself". It follows that a context, such as the Masonic one, is secular in that it is the
guarantor of the independence of thought, of autonomy in choices and of the freedom of research of the
Brethren. In this way, the Italian Traditional Masonic Order prevents the horizons of knowledge from being
conditioned by ideological and religious interference, as well as by prejudice, superficiality and ignorance of
clichés. In other words, our concept of laicity not only serves to ban intolerance but also to warn against those
subjects, defined by Giulio Giorello as "engineers of souls" who, driven by unstoppable "altruism", want to
impose their own recipes to shape the "new" man or woman "forcing them to choose what they consider to be
the good". The secular mentality, therefore, imposes a continuous control to prevent any overwhelming of
thought and at the same time, cannot force, condemn, prohibit or fall into the trap of the "ideological crime".
20 - MASTER
In the Freemasonry one is Master only because Brethren recognize him as such, so remember that the highest
grade of blue Freemasonry does not offer greater honors and powers of command or judgment, but only higher
responsibilities. The figure of the Master Mason has not to be confused with that of the teacher: the Freemason
teaches his brethren, above all, through the example and not through frontal lessons. No one is the repository of
knowledge and those who know, also know that there is always someone who knows more than them.
Remember the example of Socrates: in 430 b.C. the Oracle of Delphi, questioned by Cherephon, sentenced
"That no one was wiser than Socrates". When he came to know the Philosopher considered the answer an
enigma, only after a long time, after a careful research he understood its meaning: "the wisest man is [Socrates]
because he recognizes that his own knowledge is worth nothing compared to true wisdom" (Apology of Socrates
23 b.C.).
21 - WORSHIPFUL MASTER
The Worshipful Master is not a selected by the Great Architect of the Universe, but a Master whom his
Brethren have found suitable to lead the Lodge, so he is only the primus inter pares. To hold such a position, no
particular characteristics are needed other than balance, moderation, availability and time. The Worshipful
Master is like a good father or mother: he must be attentive, caring, close to everyone, considering them
important in the same way. He must facilitate dialogue, correct without offending, involve Brethren, make them
feel like members of a single large family. If a Brother Master does not have sufficient time, renounce this office:
the Workshop is like a boat: without a suitable helmsman watchful to the route, it is destined for wreck.
22 - TO MANIFEST WHAT ONE THINKS
In Freemasonry we must banish any hypocrisy, we must have a frank and direct relationship with our Brethren:
"Manifestare eaquae sunt sicunt sunt". Of course, this frankness must keep in mind the sensitivity of others,
therefore, must be expressed in the right way and on the right level: the Freemasonry provides for a time for
everything, eliminates, for example, from a ritual context those issues that can lead to opposition or controversy,
but this does not detract from the fact that the same issues, in other appropriate contexts, are addressed and
treated.
23 - OBEDIENCE
The word obedience, which became part of the Masonic language in the 19th century, is now abused and
distorted, so much so that it is experienced as a supine subordination to a hierarchical chain and to a normative
corpus, often obsolete. All this is contrary to a Masonic ethic which has its fundamental presupposition in the
freedom of the individual, a freedom which is subject only to the conscience of the individual himself.
Obedience is to be understood only as respect for superiors; however, such attention must be reciprocal, it
cannot proceed in one direction. Moreover, every Brother, regardless of his role in the institution, must follow
the common rules, valid for all in the same way. If a superior does not comply with the norms set both in the
Constitutions and in the regulations, the duty of obedience to him will fall. To avoid any misunderstanding, the
Italian Traditional Masonic Order prefers to define itself as a Communion or a Sovereign Masonic Power and
not as Obedience.
24 - OBJECTIVITY IN JUDGMENT
Many relational problems and difficulties to a peaceful and harmonious community life, originate from the ego
of each of us who often, in order to succeed, is inclined to deny the evidence and to minimize the contribution
and the work of the others. It should be remembered that many times at the origin of prejudicial attitudes and
positions, there is the inability to recognize one's own limitations and the willingness to disown the merits of
others. A Freemason must always try to be objective in judging himself and others. It should be remembered
that many times at the origin of prejudicial attitudes and positions, there is the inability to recognize one's own
limitations and the willingness to ignore the others’ merits. A Freemason must always try to be objective in
judging himself and others.
25 - PERSEVERANCE
Perseverance is a fundamental quality of the Freemason. The term derives from the Latin per (with intensive
meaning) and severus and means to persist, to continue, to be constant, to have constancy. Freemasonry requires
long times, one cannot be impatient, the results that one acquires in the Workshops are never immediate, "the
alchemical process of transmutation of the soul" usually takes place slowly. To persist means not to give up, to
live the waiting in a peaceful way, waiting for the right moment. There is an interesting similarity in this regard.
The good Mason is the one who waits for the fruit to reach full maturity before picking it. Those who do not
behave in this way will only get unripe products that will not benefit them and, even if they look good, they will
not have taste and after a while they will rot.
26 - TAKE THE FLOOR
Speaking in the Lodge is a duty and never a right. We take the floor because we have something to say for the
good of those present, of the Workshop and Communion and not because it is up to us. The speeches should be
quite concise, because it is right to leave room also for others, clear, direct, relevant to the topic dealt with, never
polemical. The Lodge is not an academy, it does not have pulpits from which to preach, nor professorships from
which to exercise a teaching function. The Lodge session is a meeting between Brothers and between equals,
where each one makes his own contribution, in the hope that this will be useful for a common growth.
27 - PROGRESSIVENESS
One of the main latomistic documents, the General Statutes of the Society of Freemasons (Naples 1820)
describes Freemasonry as "progressive". In effect, the Masonic method is progressive, the initiatory advancement
is progressive, marked by the Degrees, the very nature of Freemasonry is progressive. The Freemasonry is a
society for its own traditional nature, since its own peculiarity is due to the initiatory Tradition from which it
cannot prescind, otherwise it would cease to be Freemasonry. That’s why it is extremely tied to its past which
gives it, for example, indications, dignity, pride. It cannot, however, live from the past or in the past, otherwise
it would become a whitewashed tomb, a mausoleum where memories of a distant time are kept and nothing
more. The Freemasonry must reactivate in the present the Tradition that on the other hand was born natura
naturans, that means that it involves a perpetual activity that should lead the institution to understand today and
plan tomorrow. This characteristic has meant that Freemasonry has been beyond a flexible way, capable of
adapting to places and historical moments. In this consists its "progressiveness", in some ways very similar to
that model of "open society" glimpsed by Henri Bergson and focused by Karl Popper: an excellent tolerant, with
transparent mechanisms of self-government, allowing all members to participate in decision-making processes,
innovative, open to change, sensitive to social and anthropological dynamics, able to be always on the wave of
the becoming of man and never a reminiscence of the past.
28 – THE INTERNET
By now, most of us are present on the social networks that reign in the world of communication and constitute
an immense planetary network. Just think that today Facebook has 1.3 billion users, Twitter 645 million,
LinkedIn 300 million, Google another 300 million. Social networks are, for many, indispensable tools, since
they allow us to communicate our business or brand, to become popular, to create a valuable network of
contacts, to inform and be informed, to nourish the illusion of not being alone. These means, therefore, are
positive, but they must be used correctly and with common sense, respecting the rules and respecting others.
Each one is free, on the Social Networks, to express his belonging to Freemasonry or to a specific Communion,
but he is not authorized to spread documents of the same when these are not by their nature public, he cannot
judge in the name of the Institution, he cannot spread photos that shows him with other Brothers if he has not
previously had permission from them, nor cannot he make their name. In other ways he must respect the
privacy of his Brethren. Do not forget that some associations of images or personal judgements can be
disreputable. Finally, remember that the communication and information system of the Social Networks is the
exact opposite of the Masonic method. You cannot do Freemasonry on the network, the initiatic way provides a
reserved path, silent, away from controversy, quarrels and clamor. The immediate response, the debate, the
disputes do not belong to the Freemasonry but, on the contrary, are the fifth essence of profanity.
29 - DISCRETION
Discretion, which is a duty for a Freemason, should not be confused with secrecy or a lack of transparency. To
be confidential means, first of all, to be serious, to have respect for people and one's work. What matters little
can be flaunted even at the four winds, because it does not matter if it becomes public domain. On the contrary,
what is valuable is carefully preserved and trusted to a few, because only a few can be worthy of being made
aware of it. One of the aims of the Freemasonry is to educate people to this sort of confidentiality/seriousness,
getting used to self-control, to communicating only what is essential, sparing words. An example of this is the
oath, completely symbolic, which lends itself at the end of a Lodge meeting. In reality, during the Works of a
Workshop nothing special happens: the Works are opened, the Minutes are approved, communications are
made, a Tablet is read, there are interventions, the Works are closed. Why, then, swear the secret about what has
nothing to do with secrecy? The aim is to educate to the confidentiality and importance of the Rite, because
what has happened, even in its repetitiveness and apparent simplicity, is actually an alchemical process that takes
place on a spiritual level, a sort of transmutation that leads from the profane to the initiatory level.
Confidentiality is then mandatory when one turns to people who are not part of Communion; narrating what
happens inside the Lodge or the Institution means disqualifying it in the eyes of others. Finally, let us consider
that revealing the name of Brethren or initiands to the profanes is a real Masonic crime, punishable by radiation
from the Order; it is also an extremely negative habit to provide telephone numbers or other personal data of
Brethren even to subjects belonging to the Order, without first having had the permission of those concerned.
This last rule does not only refer to confidentiality, but also and above all to the principles of education and
respect.
30 - RITUALITY
Rituality is a fundamental aspect of the Masonic method and to ignore it leads to the failure of the method
itself. Rituality allows those who participate in it to become symbols and to experience all their archetypal
messages. In this way, the Freemason enters into symbiosis with Tradition, by virtue of a harmony between his
own interiority and the generating anteriority. In order to live the Ritual in the most appropriate way, it is
worth remembering the following:
a) Study carefully the Ritual and try to understand all its symbolic meanings; it is a good rule, especially when
you do not participate or perform a ritual for a certain period of time, review the ritual and try it with the other
Brethren, called to perform it.
b) Rituality is not a recitation and, therefore, we should try to be as natural as possible; stereotypical or excessive
attitudes can be counterproductive.
c) If during the Rite it happens to make a mistake - it can happen to everyone, even the most experienced - do
not panic, do not interrupt the dramaturgical flow, apologizing or offering justifications. If the mistake
consisted in using one word instead of another or in a small omission, do not get caught up in anxiety or worry:
what the Ritual communicates is important and not the rigid reading of the same.
d) Never correct or suggest in a blatant way to a Brother, creating panic and mortifying him. Each indication
should be given as quietly as possible.
31 - CHARITY
Charity is an absolute value, it must be defended and cultivated. Every Freemason must show Charity with his
Brother, help him, protect him, meet him whenever necessary. It is necessary to specify, however, the following:
a) Charity is not a one-way street: one cannot ask for charity from others, without then offering it.
b) Charity in favor of a subject cannot imply damage, even induced damage, to a third party, whether
Freemason or profane.
c) Charity cannot be invoked when it implies incorrectness or, even worse, an action that is contrary to
the law.
d) Charity cannot lead to requests for money. Loans, even graceful, are excluded and, requesting them,
as granting them, implies a serious Masonic crime.
e) Charity does not mean presuming to avail oneself, free of charge, of the professionalism of one's
brother or sister, whether it be in the form of legal aid, medical care, advice or anything else.
Unpleasant misunderstandings should be avoided in this respect. When a Brother is approached to
request an intervention of a profane nature, it is necessary to be transparent from the very
beginning.
32 - TABLETS
The main work of the Freemason is expressed through the engraving of Tablets. Tablets must always bear the
header “A...G...D...G...A...D...U...” and the heading “Ordine Massonico Tradizionale Italiano”. They must also
have the date and signature of the extender Brother with the degree obtained in the Order, the distinctive title of
the Lodge of belonging and the East to which it belongs. The Tablets are "commanded", when they are aimed
at a wage increase, they are "agreed" when they do not have this purpose. Remember that Brethren are not
required to be writers or essayists and that the Tablets can be very different in nature. There may be engravings
of a compilative nature, of a historical nature, or based on symbolism, philosophy, etc., and there may be other
engravings of the same nature. There can be "artistic" Tablets that can consist of a drawing, a painting, a
sculpture or a musical score, in which case they will be provided with a premise and a brief commentary. In
addition, there are no limits to the expressive freedom of a Brother/Sister. The only thing that is forbidden is to
copy a Tablet and to attribute its authorship. Note that the progress of knowledge is based on the work of those
who preceded us, so that it is obvious that in a Tablet are reported the contributions of other authors, but these
should be quoted or placed in italics and in a note or bibliography should be specified the source.
The Tablet is a personal work, if it is copied it has no value. If you want to read in the Lodge a contribution
from another subject, you can do so, if possible, however, you must ask permission from the extender and
always state the name of the author.
33 – TILING INVESTIGATIONS
In Italy we use a sort of idiomatic sentence for the acceptance of a profane: tegolatura (the tiling process). The
tiling process is a complex and difficult work, but it is indispensable and very important. Unfortunately, we
sometimes tend to trivialize it, starting from the assumption that it is impossible to read in the heart of man.
And this is veritable: there is no truth machine or psychologist, however good he may be, capable of fully
understand the thoughts of others. This does not mean that tiling does not remain an indispensable tool, but
that it is as if, believing that every lock is breakable, the door to the house is left open. A professional thief can
take over any security device and even the best safe gives in to the blowtorch, but it is one thing to protect one's
home with alarm systems, armored doors and grilles, and another to rely on fate. To tile effectively, these
principles must be taken into account: The Worshipful Master must designate three informer Commissioners.
Their names are secret to the other members of the Workshop and each one of them ignores who the others are;
the Brother proposing the profane can never be appointed as an informer Commissioner. The Commissioner
must be an experienced Brother of proven Masonic experience and maturity. The Worshipful Master may only
communicate the names of the Brother Informants to the Brother Secretary; if the latter were to make known
the names of the same or, in any case, divulge information useful for identifying them, he would be guilty of
serious misconduct. The Commissioner cannot be rushed. The work of tiling is by its nature delicate, difficult,
complex and the Brother in charge must be able to act freely, without any kind of pressure, must listen to a
single voice: the one of his conscience. The Worshipful Master is obliged to read the tiles in the Lodge without
making any changes, but if he considers them insufficient, incomplete or, in any case, unsatisfactory, he can
order an additional tile. The tile must be deepened, accurate, the result of careful observation; among other
things, it must be ascertained that the profanes adherence to Communion is fully conscious. Certain clichés and
ancient or recent myths must be accurately denied and the profane must be given the duties, commitments and
difficulties that a Mason may encounter. The qualities of a profane worthy of receiving the Light are indicated
in articles 11 and 18 of the General Statutes of the Society of Freemasons and can be summarized as follows;
whoever asks for the Light must practice true morals, have a solid and precise vision of the rights and duties of
man, try to be just, gifted with great humanity, sincere and upright, beneficent towards others, a citizen in the
fullness of his rights, probe, possess a "regular" intelligence; by this we mean that Freemasonry does not open its
doors only to "geniuses", but to people enlightened by the light of the intelligence, characteristic and prerogative
of man. Article 345 of the General Statutes of the Society of the Freemasons also states that anyone who wants
to become a Freemason must be firm in principle and in character and animated by a continuous desire to know
and to learn, and also indicates what the main information that the Commissioners must obtain; they concern
above all the honesty of the profane, sense of responsibility, ethical principles, wisdom, firmness of character,
desire to know, to learn, to discover. In addition, it is essential to ascertain the reasons that drive the profane
towards Freemasonry and what he thinks he will find there. For some, in fact, the Freemasonry is an elite club,
for others a mutual aid society, for others still a kind of strange association that deals with issues close to
occultism and magic. It is clear that if such profane should, by mistake, be initiated, they would feel only
disappointment and, above all, could cause damage to the Communion. Finally, it is necessary to determine the
actual desire of the layman to learn and improve himself. The one who believes himself to be the repository of
knowledge can never become a good Freemason. Those who praise themselves and has no doubt will not bear
even a brick for the construction of the Temple.
34 - TOLERANCE
The Masonic tolerance has an illuminist matrix; therefore, it has a conceded-view imprint, it is, in other words,
a tolerance of cohabitation. It is not by chance that we usually quote Voltaire's famous phrase: "I fight your idea
which is different from mine, but I am willing to fight until the price of my life, so that you can express it
freely". Basically, in the 18th century, diversity of opinion was tolerated, convinced that the triumph of reason
would lead to a single thought; the whole world, in the optimistic vision of the Encyclopedists, would soon
become a great city light. This conception was one of the great errors of the Eurocentric thinking of modernity:
the belief that the values of our civilization were absolute and the presumption of transforming the entire planet
into a vast West, since the West was considered superior to the rest of the globe, is at the origin of past and
present tragedies that perhaps, in the near future, will be even more evident. The concept of tolerance as
coexistence seems to be outdated, the tolerance of the third millennium must be based on the appreciation of
diversity. Alternative concepts to ours often have some truth, good and useful and, from the debate, can only
spring a common growth.
35 - MASONIC TRADITION AND ORTHODOXY
The term Tradition derives from the Latin traditio "delivery", which has an equivalent in the Greek παραδοσις;
the etymology refers, therefore, to the act of traditio, of giving, a protracted datio, in accordance with the
original message. René Guénon defines Tradition as a set of principles having an immutable normative validity
and a metaphysical character which, therefore, would include "all aspects of truth". It would identify with
spiritual initiation, which would make it possible to refer to the higher states of Being. The initiate would
accomplish, through Tradition, a path that is both personal and shared, which would involve a self-sacralization
of the human being. In other words, Tradition is seen as "a perfectly coherent whole" comprising "from the
beginning [...] the totality of the developments and adaptations that can legitimately proceed in the course of
time". It is therefore transmissible, while the profane dictation is not, since by placing itself in the dimension of
the mutable, it is continually transformed. It follows that "The name Tradition applies to what [...] has
remained as it was at the origin; it is [...] something that has been [effectively] transmitted, [...] from an anterior
state of humanity to the present state". Tradition responds, in any case, to a diachronic and mimetic becoming,
typical of the sacred, therefore it must be identified and rediscovered, through incessant hermeneutics. This
implies that, even if one places oneself on an esoteric level, whoever wants to cultivate it must necessarily possess
instruments of exoteric research. The initiate, therefore, is not a mystic, but a seeker of truth who knows how to
go beyond, lift the veil and grasp the primordial archetypal message. For Guénon, orthodoxy and Masonic
regularity depend on adherence to Tradition. The more there is correspondence between latomistic institution
and Tradition, the more there is regularity, on the contrary, by detaching oneself from it, one falls into
irregularity: "Regularity is always tried to be based on purely historical considerations, on the true or presumed
proof of an uninterrupted transmission of powers, starting from a more or less remote age. Now it is precisely
the case to confess that, from this point of view, it would be easy to find irregularities at the origin of all [...] the
true regularity consists in the Masonic orthodoxy and this orthodoxy consists, first of all, in faithfully following
the Tradition, in carefully preserving symbols and ritual forms that express this Tradition and constitute it as the
garment". It is necessary that Tradition is not only rediscovered but, even, re-actualized, since it is continuity in
mutation, it is therefore "not at all extraneous to evolution" and is entirely consistent with Masonic
"progressiveness".
36 - TRADITIONALISM
Traditionalism is the exact opposite of Tradition and consists in preserving outdated customs or habits, linked
to specific historical moments or cultural fashions that are completely outdated. Guénon writes: "In the mental
confusion that characterizes our time, we have come to apply it indiscriminately [...] Tradition to all sorts of
things, [...] insignificant, simple customs without any significance and often of no recent origin". Tradition does
not mean "doctrine of conformity", or "intellectual custom". An example of traditionalism is the stubborn
preservation of rituals in the language of the 19th century and the conceptualizations typical of the then
prevailing Positivism. Guénon himself states: Rituals "can and must change as often as necessary to adapt to the
changing conditions of time and place". It is therefore foolish to keep words or constructs that have fallen into
disuse, useful only to reduce the comprehensibility of the text which, among other things, being often a remake
of a well-contextualized historical period, is devoid of traditional value. A similar approach could be made on
female inititability. It is clear that in the English society of the early eighteenth century, the woman, under
paternal or marital protection, was not considered a free being, but this was due to the times, not to Tradition.
Subsequently, we tried to justify this ostracism with reasoning based on the presumed initiation diversity of the
woman (solar or dry path, sublimating, opposed to the lunar humid, dissolving path), sophistry derived from a
poorly interpreted alchemical sphere. If the feminine has equal dignity, equal potential and identical aspirations
to the masculine, denying it an initiatory growth is absurd. Or rather, it means to be "traditionalist", i.e. to
preserve everything by inertia, even the most external forms shaped according to historical periods. The latter
position is at the antipodes of true Tradition which, leading the initiate among the "Mysteries" hidden "to
secular curiosity", reveals to the spirit truths that do not know those barriers and those boundaries arising from
the evil plant of prejudice and ignorance.
37 - EQUALITY IN DIVERSITY
Freemasons are equal in dignity, rights and duties, but they claim the absolute peculiarity of the individual.
Equality in Freemasonry does not mean single thought, mass of consciences, homologation of ideas, intellectual
conformism, flock or anonymous multitude. Equality in Latinism is similar to that of the orders of chivalry:
brothers in endeavor, brothers in devotion to an ideal, brothers in good and bad luck, but each with its own
heraldic insignia, with its own history, its own honor, its own specificity.
38 - HUMILITY
The term humility comes from the Latin humilis which in turn originates from humus (earth), so it means "to be
on the ground", prostrating oneself. In the Freemasonry, this word is often used, using it in a conceptually
incorrect way. The humility of the Mason is not that of the mystic who humbles himself before God, since he
compares his own infinite fragility and limitation to the immeasurable greatness of the Lord. The Freemason
must always be dignified and proud of his role as initiate; he must respect and - if he really admires them -
appreciate those who are older, more experienced, wiser or better prepared than him, but never humble himself.
Masonic humility is about knowledge and knowledge about respect for others and their lives. It is the ability to
grasp the importance of the other by himself, without losing respect for one's own person. It is the ability to
always feel like an apprentice and, therefore, willing to learn from everything and from everyone when they have
something to teach. One should also be careful of hypocritical and false modesty, which often leads to a bipolar
attitude, making one humble towards those who consider themselves important and arrogant towards those
who, on the other hand, consider themselves inferior in prestige and knowledge.
39 - VESTIARY
When you go to a Masonic meeting, try to have clothes that are suitable for the Temple and the Rite that is
celebrated in. Daily life with its pressing rhythms is often tyrannical and it is quite frequent for a Brother or a
Sister to rush to a meeting without the possibility of changing outfit and, therefore, of dressing appropriately.
However, every effort should be made to respond in an appropriate and prudent manner to what is imposed by
the sacredness of the place. Chlamydia should be used when necessary and, being able to choose, sobriety should
always be preferred. Remember that a Masonic meeting is neither a country party nor a fashion show. At the
same time, those who direct the work of the Lodge show flexibility and understanding, remember that the
model identifying the Freemasonry is Master Hiram and not Torquemada; those who go to the Lodge works
dressed in an inappropriate way are wrong, but those who publicly reproach him by mortifying him, are even
more wrong.
40 - VISITATION
Visitation is a right and a duty of the Freemason, so try to promote it and not hinder it. The visitation does not
apply to the Entered Apprentices who can go to another Workshop only if accompanied by the Worshipful
Master or by a Master delegated by him. In some particular cases the Worshipful Master may, however, allow
the Apprentices to go to another Lodge, in which case he must first consult and make arrangements with the
host Workshop. The members will be able to attend other lodges only if the Worshipful Master will allow it,
but if he denies it, he will have to justify the prohibition. For the Master Brothers the visit is free, however, keep
in mind the following:
• It is a good idea to always inform your Worshipful Master or, if this is not possible before, inform him
of the visit done.
• It is necessary to be invited by a Lodge and it is advisable to avoid the request for a visit when the
Workshop where you want to go has "family work" on the agenda.
• Visitation cannot be preferred at the detriment of participation in the work of one's own Workshop.
• Visiting a Lodge on a personal basis does not mean representing one's own Workshop; consequently, if
the visitor does not have a mandate to represent his own Worshipful, he or she will sit between the
columns. On the contrary, he can, by invitation, occupy a place in the Orient as a representative and,
in this case, he can bring the greetings of his Lodge or report what the Worshipful Master has
appointed him to report.
The Italian Traditional Masonic Order does not set limits to the visit and considers all the initiates to the
Freemasonry Brothers and Sisters, without taking into account the possible presence of treaties of friendship and
collaboration with other Masonic powers. Therefore, it is in the Lodges faculties to host Brothers and Sisters
from other Communions, even if not recognized by the Italian Traditional Masonic Order. Remember,
however, that the Worshipful Master has a considerable responsibility; he has the duty to inform himself about
the qualities and characteristics of the guests and in case of any doubts or uncertainties must inform the
Government of then Communion. He also has the duty to inform the Grand Master if there is a high dignitary
of another Masonic Communion among the visiting Brothers.

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Ordine Massonico Tradizionale Italiano – THE COSTITUTIONS and the forty principles of the Free Mason

Chapter I: Of the Freemasonry, of the Freemasons, of the Order.

Chapter II: of the Traditional Italian Masonic Order

37. The organs of the Italian Traditional Masonic Order are:

Chapter I: of the Lodges

Chapter II: The Masonic House and the Temple

Chapter III: of the composition of a Lodge

Chapter IV: of the Worshipful Master

Chapter VI: of Wardens

Chapter VII: of the Orator

Chapter VIII: of the Secretary

Chapter IX: of the Treasurer

Chapter X: of the Archivist

Chapter XI: of the Seal bearer

143. There should be different seals for each grade, if possible.

Chapter XII: of the Experts

Chapter XIII: of the first Expert

Chapter XIV: of the Preparatory Expert

Chapter XV: The Terrible Brother or Great Expert

Chapter XVI: The Expert Sacrificer

Chapter XVII: Expert Censor

Chapter XVIII: of the Inner Guard

Chapter XIX: The Tiler

Chapter XX: The Master of Ceremonies

Chapter XXI: of the Deacons

Chapter XXIII: of the Herald or Sword bearer

Chapter XXIV: of the Brothers Architects

Chapter XXV: of the Intendant Decorator

Chapter XXVI: of the Bursar

Chapter XXVII: The Master of the House

Chapter XXVIII: of the Almoner

Chapter XXX: of the Librarian

Chapter XXXII: of the Honorary Brothers

Chapter XXXIII: of Methods of establishing a Lodge

Chapter XXXIV: the way to raise the Columns of a Workshop

Chapter XXXV: of the duration of the duties and offices

Chapter XXXVII: of the Works of the Lodge

Chapter XXXVIII: of the Secret ballots

Chapter XXXIX: of the Initiation of profanes

Chapter XL: of Membership

Chapter XLI: of regularization

Chapter XLII: of leave

Chapter XLIII: wage increases

Chapter XLIV: of the Visitation

Chapter XLV: of the Canonical and mandatory Rituals

Chapter XLVII: of the economic administration of a Lodge

Chapter XLIX: of the Masonic Justice exercised in the Lodge

Chapter L: of Masonic garments and emblems

Chapter I: of the Easts and East Coordinators

Chapter I: National authorities

510. The National authorities are:

• the Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge:

Chapter II: of the Grand Assembly of the Grand Lodge

Chapter III: of the General or Extended Grand Lodge

Chapter V: of the Grand Master

Chapter VI: of the Deputy Vicar Grand Master Deputy Vicar

Chapter I: Masonic justice

Chapter II: of crimes and penalties

564. Masonic crimes can be divided into major and minor.

Chapter III: of the National College of Masonic Justice.

Chapter V: of Election and investiture

Chapter VI: of the discipline of the prosecutions

Chapter VIII: of the Appeals