S.O.O.(english)

The Sovereign Oriental Order constitutes an alliance of free men and women of good reputation, of all origins, nationalities and confessions.

The goal of Freemasonry is the moral improvement of humanity.

To this end, the Freemasons of the Sovereign Oriental Order are working for the constant improvement of the condition of humanity, both spiritually and materially.In the constant search for truth and justice, Freemasons accept no hindrance and set themselves no limits.

They respect other people’s opinions and the free expression thereof. Freemasons seek the conciliation of the opposites and want to unite men in the actual practice of a universal set of morals, and in the respect of everyone’s personality.

Freemasons regard work as a right and a duty.

Freemasons respect the laws and the legitimate authority of the country where they freely live and meet.

Freemasons are enlightened and disciplined citizens and model their existence on the demands of their conscience.

In the practice of the Work, Freemason see that the traditional rules, ways and customs of the Order are preserved.

Freemasons, in the joint pursuit of the same ideals, recognize each other by means of words, signs and grips that are communicated traditionally in Lodge during the Initiation ceremonies.

The words, signs and grips, as well as the Rites and the symbols, are an inviolable secret and cannot be communicated to whoever has not the right to know them.

Each Freemason is free to disclose his Masonic membership or not, but he may not reveal that of a Brother.

The Freemasons join together to form, accordingly to Masonic tradition, private groups known as Masonic Lodges.

Lodges are governed according to the decisions made by the majority of Master Masons gathered in stated meeting, but cannot deviate from the general principles of Freemasonry nor the laws of the Grand Lodge to which they belong.

Lodges group together to form Grand Lodges, national and independent bodies, guardians of tradition, exerting undivided and exclusive juridiction over the three degrees of symbolic Freemasonry: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason.

The Grand Lodges are governed in accordance with the traditional principles of the Universal Masonry, with their own constitutions and with the laws they have regularly promulgated for themselves.

They respect the sovereignty and independence of the other Masonic bodies and don’t allow themselves any interference in their internal affairs. They maintain among themselves the relationships necessary to the cohesion of Universal Freemasonry.

They freely enter treaties and fraternal alliances among themselves but do not acknowledge any Masonic authority, national or international, superior to their own.

They decide on their regulations alone and in a sovereign manner and take care alone of their own administration, their internal justice and discipline.

Thus is maintained the universal character of the Masonic Order, respectful of the personality of each national Masonic body, of the autonomy of each Lodge and of the individual freedom of each Brother, so that Love, Harmony and Concord might reign among all Freemasons.