Colombia Freemasonry

Colombia has one of the most complex Masonic structures in the Americas: six separate grand lodges recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England, each sovereign within its own regional territory. This unusual arrangement grew from the the country's historically decentralized political culture and the independent development of Freemasonry in different Colombian cities during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Freemasonry arrived in Colombia in 1808 with the establishment of a lodge in Cartagena de Indias, one of the oldest colonial ports in the Americas. The fraternity became deeply embedded in the liberal political movement that shaped Gran Colombia — the federated republic created by Simón Bolívar that encompassed present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. Bolívar himself was initiated into Masonry in Cádiz, Spain, in 1803 and raised to Master Mason in Paris in 1806; his liberation of Gran Colombia brought Masonic liberal ideals into the founding of Colombia's political institutions.

After Gran Colombia dissolved in 1830, Masonic activity in Colombia continued to track the liberal-conservative political fault line that dominated the country's politics throughout the nineteenth century. By the early twentieth century, separate grand lodges had consolidated in Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cartagena, Cali, and other cities, each establishing an independent Masonic body ultimately recognized by UGLE. The result is a Masonic map unique in the world: six recognized grand lodges in a single country, each with defined territorial jurisdiction.

Bilingual jurisdiction
This grand lodge conducts official business in both English and Spanish. Content on this page is in English. A Spanish-language version is planned for future release.

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PHA Grand Lodge

The Grand Lodge of Colombia at Barranquilla (Gran Logia Nacional de Colombia) is recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England and is the oldest of Colombia's seven recognized grand lodges, founded in 1918. Its territorial jurisdiction covers the Department of Atlántico on Colombia's Caribbean coast and surrounding Caribbean coastal departments.

The Grand Lodge at Barranquilla's seniority among Colombia's grand lodges reflects Barranquilla's historical importance as Colombia's principal Atlantic port and a center of liberal commercial culture in the early twentieth century. Its founding in 1918 predated by four years the establishment of the Grand Lodge at Bogotá — which was formed through a union of lodges in 1922 and is today the largest and most nationally prominent Colombian body.

Colombia's six UGLE-recognized grand lodges are each sovereign within their respective territories. In addition to Barranquilla and Bogotá, the recognized bodies include: the Grand Lodge at Cartagena, which traces its lineage to the earliest documented Masonic lodge in Colombia (1808); the Grand Lodge of Colombia at Cali (Gran Logia Occidental de Colombia), governing the Andean southwest; the Grand Lodge Oriental of Colombia "Francisco de Paula Santander," named for the general and statesman who served as co-leader of Gran Colombia and first President of New Granada; and the Grand Lodge of Los Andes, based in Bucaramanga. Each body maintains its own lodge listings and should be contacted independently by visiting Masons traveling to the relevant region.

The practical implication for visiting Masons is that advance research is essential: Colombia is not a single-jurisdiction country. A visiting Mason from a UGLE grand lodge visiting Medellín, Cali, Bogotá, Barranquilla, or Cartagena should identify and contact the grand lodge with territorial jurisdiction in that city before travel.

Colombia's six UGLE-recognized grand lodges represent a uniquely decentralized Masonic structure — the product of the country's historical regionalism and the independent development of Masonry in its major cities. The six bodies recognized by UGLE are: the Grand Lodge at Barranquilla (founded 1918), the Grand Lodge at Bogotá, the Grand Lodge at Cartagena, the Grand Lodge at Medellín, the Grand Lodge at Bucaramanga, and the Grand Lodge at Cali. Each governs Masonry in its own regional territory and is independently recognized by UGLE.

Simón Bolívar — the Liberator who freed Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia from Spanish rule — was a Freemason, initiated in Cádiz, Spain, in 1803. Bolívar's Masonic membership was part of the network of Enlightenment-influenced associations through which the independence generation in South America was connected, and the Colombian lodges maintain a strong consciousness of this heritage. Cartagena's historic walled city — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial fortresses in the Americas — is the center of Masonic heritage tourism in Colombia.

Bogotá is home to the Grand Lodge at Bogotá — the largest Colombian grand lodge by membership — along with Scottish Rite bodies and multiple lodges. The historic La Candelaria neighborhood at the center of Bogotá preserves the colonial-era architecture in which Colombia's independence movement and its Masonic institutions developed side by side. Barranquilla, the oldest grand lodge city, and Cartagena — home to the site of Colombia's first Masonic lodge (1808) and a UNESCO World Heritage city — are both active Masonic centers on the Caribbean coast. Medellín has lodges under its regional grand lodge jurisdiction, and Cali is the seat of its own recognized grand lodge.

Visiting Masons must identify which of Colombia's seven grand lodges has jurisdiction over their destination city and contact that body directly before travel. Grand lodge websites are listed individually on the UGLE recognized grand lodges page at ugle.org.uk. Most Colombian lodges conduct their work in Spanish.

Cartagena — home to the Grand Lodge at Cartagena and one of the most beautiful colonial cities in the Americas — is the most atmospheric Masonic destination in Colombia. The walled historic center, with its colorful colonial buildings, baroque churches, and fortifications built over centuries of Spanish rule, preserves the context of the Caribbean trading city that was among the first to develop Masonic lodges in what is now Colombia. The Gold Museum in Bogotá and the historic city of Villa de Leyva complement the Masonic history of the region.

The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for Colombia is active in Bogotá and governs the higher degrees for Colombian Masons. Colombian Scottish Rite history connects to the early Masonic activity in Cartagena, which established a body working under Scottish Rite auspices in 1833, making it one of the older Scottish Rite lineages in South America. Valleys are present in Bogotá, Barranquilla, and other major cities.

York Rite bodies (Chapters, Councils, and Commanderies) are present in Colombia's major Masonic centers. York Rite practice arrived in Colombia through connections to US and British Masonic traditions in the nineteenth century.

Shriners International has a presence in Colombia. The Abou Saad Temple, based in Panama, has historically served the northern South American region including parts of Colombia. Direct Shrine presence within Colombia may vary; visiting Masons interested in Shrine connections should confirm through the Grand Lodge of Colombia at Bogotá.

The Order of the Eastern Star, DeMolay International, and other allied bodies are active in Colombia through the grand lodge framework. Colombia's seven-body structure means that allied organization presence also varies by region. Francisco de Paula Santander — the founding statesman whose name is borne by one of Colombia's recognized grand lodges — is among the most prominent Colombian historical Masons, and his memory is honored through Masonic educational and civic initiatives.

United Grand Lodge of England — Foreign Grand Lodges — recognition status and full list of seven recognized Colombian grand lodges.

Gran Logia Nacional de Colombia (Barranquilla) — official site of the oldest Colombian grand lodge, founded 1918.

Gran Logia de Colombia (Bogotá) — official site of the largest Colombian body, founded 1922.

World Conference 2011 Blog — History of the National Grand Lodge of Colombia at Cartagena de Indias — history of the Cartagena body and the 1808 founding lodge in Colombia.