Argentina

Argentina. In 1795, Lodge Union del Plata was formed in Argentina and was followed the same year by Lodge Independencia, the origin of the former being unknown and that of the latter being the Grand Orient of France. There is also mention of a Lodge San Juan de Jerusalem. In 1806-7 the Grand Lodge of England warranted Lodges Star of the South and Sons of Hiram. Later, there was a revolutionary Lodge Lautaro and its daughter Lodge Lautarina de Mendosa, but nothing is known about the origin or fate of these two. The first well identified lodge in Argentina was Southern Star Lodge No. 205 at Buenos Aires, warranted by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Sept. 25, 1825. It and other lodges were suppressed by the government in 1846. In 1853, the United Grand Lodge of England chartered Excelsior Lodge No. 617. Later, there was a Lodge Amiga de los Naufrages, which sounds Spanish, but the same Lodge is referred to as Amie des Naufrages, which sounds French.

Nov. 25, 1856, a Grand Lodge was formed by Lodges Union del Plata No. 1, Confraternidad Argentina, Consulo del Infortano, Tolerancia, Regeneracion, and Lealtad y Constancia. It is said that a Supreme Council was formed in 1852, and also that efforts to form Scottish Rite bodies in 1856 failed, and that a Grand Orient of the Scottish Rite was formed, April 22, 1858 at Buenos Aires by the Grand Orient of Uruguay. Feb. 13, 1860, the United Grand Lodge of England made a treaty of amity with the Grand Orient of Argentina similar to that made with Brazil, whereby England recognized the Grand Orient and was entitled to maintain English lodges in Argentina.

A German-speaking lodge under English warrant, Teutonia No. 1092, split off from Lodge Excalibur No. 900 in 1852, and Teutonia Lodge and Acacia Lodge No. 1178 are said to have formed a Provincial Grand Lodge in 1861, which became a District Grand Lodge. It seems, however, that Acacia Lodge is now numbered 876 and located at Montevideo, Uruguay. The Grand Orient of Spain chartered lodges in Argentina which were working in 1932. In 1935, Federal Argentino was set up in Argentina as a Scottish Rite body.

Just prior to the Revolution of 1956-57, the Grand Lodge of England had in Argentina a South American Southern District Grand Lodge with original Excelsior Lodge No. 617 and 24 other lodges, of which 15 were in Buenos Aires. Eight of them had appurtenant Royal Arch Chapters. On April 23, 1957, a union was effected between the old Grand Lodge (Grand Orient) and Federal Argentino, so that there is now but one symbolic grand body under Argentine control. The Grand Orient of Argentina is generally recognized as regular.

In 1990, there were 73 lodges with 2,500 members.