The new Grande Loge Nationale Régulière de la Principauté de Monaco was constituted on Saturday, February 19, 2011. The new Grand Master of Monaco is Jean Pierre Pastor, Consul of Monaco in Cuba.
The grand lodge was formed from lodges already at work in the country of the United Grand Lodge of England and the United Grand Lodges of Germany. MWBro. Glen Cook, Past Grand Master of Utah F&AM, reports that the event was conducted on the 1st degree and in English, by MW Pro Grand Master Peter Lowndes of the United Grand Lodge of England, with the immediate Past Grand Master of Grande Loge Nationale Française, Jean-Charles Foellner, and a Grand Master from Germany sitting as the installing Grand Wardens. Brethren from 35 foreign delegations across Europe and Africa were invited to the ceremony.
More than 700 attended the evening gala. The new grand lodge is believed to have approximately 200 members, in a nation of about 30,000 people.
The political fallout over scandals involving embattled GLNF Grand Master François Stifani weren't far from the Monaco events. Stifani was notably absent from the ceremony, and grand lodge representatives from Luxembourg, Switzerland and Belgium stayed away, presumably to protest his attendance. One blogger is reporting that Stifani was actually barred from entering the ceremony, and that PGM Foellner was apparently a last minute substitution.
