Confederation Lithos

On February 28, 2006, 19 Belgian, Dutch, and French-speaking Masons gathered in Antwerp to enrich the Belgian Masonic landscape, and who signed a declaration on the principles of future Masonic obedience ^[1] . Obedience itself appeared a few months later, on November 11, 2006 ^[2] . Five mixed Masonic lodges became the founders of obedience, including four from the Belgian Federation of Human Rights (lodges Agora ^[3] , Panta Rhei, Aqua, and Alegria), and Dionysos from the Great East of Luxembourg.

The reason for the creation of this obedience was the situation in modern Freemasonry. All lodges within the general organizational structure (the grand lodge) are a very controversial issue about the autonomy of the lodges, including the freedom of autonomous choice of certain elements, such as women's membership and the desire to have more freedom in Masonic practice. Six years after its founding, the confederation consisted of 20 lodges, two of which were in Switzerland ^[4] .

On December 8, 2012, after joining CLIPSAS , the international association of absolute freedom of conscience, the Lithos Confederation entered into an agreement with the Belgian Grand Box (VZHLB) and the Grand Lodge of Belgium (VLB), and a friendship treaty with the Great East of Belgium ^[5] . In 2012, there were 535 Freemasons in obedience.

At the beginning of 2014, the number of members of the confederation was estimated at 910 freemasons. In 2019, the number of members of the confederation is about 1,700 Freemasons in 38 boxes, including one box in Switzerland and one in Germany. Most of them come from various a-dogmatic, so-called liberal obedience; such as the Great East of Belgium, the Great Lodge of Belgium, Human Rights, etc.

The principles that the Lithos Confederation considers paramount follow from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN, December 10, 1948), the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Europe, November 4, 1950) and its protocols, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (European Union, December 7, 2000) ^[6] .

The principles declared by the confederation ^[7] :

• Solidarity, justice and universal brotherhood, without any discrimination,
• Freedom of conscience and moral integrity
• Freedom of thought and freedom of expression,
• Free exam
• Rejection of any dogma, argument of authority or prejudice,
• Rejection of all forms of fanaticism and fundamentalism.

Most lodges in the Lithos Confederation are mixed; they can also be male or female. All lodges are called "symbolic" or "blue", that is, they practice the first three Masonic degrees.

In 2019, 15 of the 38 lodges are Dutch-speaking, 21 are francophone and 2 are German-speaking. Obedience believes that Masonic practice should not be limited to national borders; all European Masonic lodges speaking a variety of languages ​​may require their accession to the Lithos Confederation.

The leadership of the confederation is entrusted to the administrative commission, elected at a general meeting consisting of elected representatives of the boxes ^[8] .

Workshops are free to choose any Masonic ritual, of which there are many in the confederation. The most represented are: The Ancient and Adopted Scottish Charter and the French Charter (Georgia). They are the two reference rituals of the confederation. Modern French ritual ^{[9] [10]} and the York Charter are also practiced.

• Official website of the Confederation Lithos