Consecrated the very first lodge of Mark Master Masons in Italy.

15.09.2008

Pico della Mirandola Mark Lodge No 1896 under the English Constitution was Consecrated in Rome on the 26th July 2008.

On 26 July this year a senior delegation from The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales consecrated Pico della Mirandola Mark Lodge No 1896, the first Mark Lodge under the English Constitution on Italian soil in Rome.

The petition of 46 Brethren was submitted to the Grand Secretary W Bro John Brackley PGJW on Monday 3rd March at the installation meeting of the Ethical Lodge No 458, the mother and sponsoring Lodge. 

The inspiration for the name of the Lodge is that of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494), the Italian Renaissance philosopher celebrated for his famous book ‘Oration on the Dignity of Man’, written at the age of twenty-three in which he defends hundreds of theses on religion, philosophy, natural philosophy and magic. His book has been called the “Manifesto of the Renaissance”. 

The first Officers of the Lodge include MW Bro Fabio Venzi, Grand Master of the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy who is the first Senior Warden, whilst the First Master is RWBro Yasha Beresiner, currently Master of Ethical Lodge and Bro Barry Batson is the first Junior Warden.

The Consecration Team led by the Assistant Grand Master, Ben Addy did an excellent job and the Grand Director of Cerimonies, V.W.Bro. Graham Herbert excelled himself. 

A great number of Brethren attended the Consecration which took place at the Grand Hotel Parco dei Principi in Rome .

Plans are already in hand for the consecration of two additional Mark Lodges in Bologna and Arezzo in 2009.