Curious about the secrets hidden within Barcelona’s walls? Right here stands the Logia Masonica GLSE a place where history and mystery intertwine. The Gran Logia Simbólica Española GLSE is one of Spain’s main Masonic organizations.
Founded in Barcelona on May 15 1980 the Logia Masonica GLSE took its name from an earlier group established in Catalonia in 1920. Imagine a federation of male lodges. This federation held the identity and ideals of Spanish Freemasonry. It embraced the principles of the Grande Oriente Español. That federation was nearly wiped out by the Franco regime’s persecution.
The Logia Masonica GLSE’s story is one of resilience. It is also about the resurgence of Freemasonry after the Franco dictatorship. Freemasonry became legal again in Spain on May 19 1979. This happened thanks to a ruling by the National Court. The court overturned an Interior Ministry resolution that sought to keep Freemasonry underground.
Like in London 263 years prior lodges that had already begun operating secretly even before Franco’s death joined the GLSE. Some of the first promoters came from European and American exile. Minerva-Lleialtat of Barcelona established in February 1977 was among the first lodges. Justícia also in Barcelona and Hermes-Tolerancia in Madrid soon followed. Rafael Vilaplana Fuentes served as the Logia Masonica GLSE’s first Grand Master from 1980 to 1987.
From the start the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite REAA was the GLSE’s official Masonic rite. Years later the French Rite was also adopted. The Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Mizraïm and the Emulation Rite of English origin were added in August 2018.
The Logia Masonica GLSE joined CLIPSAS in 1983. CLIPSAS is the global organization for liberal Freemasonry.
In 1990 the Logia Masonica GLSE declared secularism as a core value. A pivotal moment came in 1992 during the tenure of the second Grand Master Roger Leveder Le Pottier. The GLSE decided to admit women as full members with equal rights. Josefina Saló was the first woman initiated into a GLSE lodge. She joined Justícia No 7 in Barcelona on November 14 1992.
Ascensión Tejerina was elected Grand Master in 2000. She was the first woman to hold that position. Nieves Bayo from Aragon followed in 2012. Both were re-elected for a second term.
The Logia Masonica GLSE maintains strong international connections. It belongs to the Mediterranean Masonic Union UMM the European Masonic Alliance AME and COMALACE. It also founded the Spanish Masonic Space EME.
Today the Gran Logia Simbólica Española GLSE includes 64 active lodges and three triangles in Spain France Belgium and Sweden. Over 900 men and women are members. The Logia Masonica GLSE stands as a testament to the enduring values of equality liberty and fraternity in Barcelona and beyond.