Maestre Venerabil, fraţi supraveghetori, fraţi. .... Many freemasons have become accustomed to giving greetings, but how many have given those greetings in a foreign language?

Pax Mundi Lodge 119 of the Grand National Lodge of Romania (MLNR) hosted a delegation from Stivichall Lodge 5799 including its Senior Warden Bro Graham Barnetson, W Bro Kevin Taylor, Bro Adam Scrivens and W Bro Hosey Davoudian of St. Johns Lodge 2811, accompanied by their wives.

During the visit Graham presented fraternal greetings and in Romanian thanked the Worshipful Master of RL Pax Mundi Lodge 119 of Brasov for his hospitality. He then presented the Worshipful Master with gifts from Stivichall Lodge; copies of  “Stivichall Lodge – the First 50 Years”, “Stivichall Lodge 5799 Members’ Handbook” and “Freemasonry in Warwickshire 1728 -1978”. Kevin assisted by presenting, on behalf of the ladies, an ornament commemorating Lady Godiva.

Grahan Barnetson presenting gifts to Octavian Serb with Virgil Niţulescu
and other senior Romanian brethren looking on.

Pax Mundi has a very strong ethos of “docendo discimus” (we learn by teaching) and the development of their brethren through a structured program is central to the Lodge's activities. The experience of visiting lodges while travelling abroad convinced Worshipful Master Octavian Serb that exposure to international visitors and the opportunity of reciprocal visits is a valuable addition to any lodge's programme. Following visits to Stivichall Lodge by Bro Bogdan Prodea, recently a student at Coventry University and his father Bro Mihai Prodea, Octavian extended the invitation to Stivichall Lodge in the hope that the visiting brethren would be inspired to develop a long standing relationship between the Lodges that would lead to frequent interactions and a mutually beneficial sharing of knowledge and experiences.

The keystone of the five day visit was Pax Mundi's meeting to celebrate their Tenth Anniversary. Even on visits to lodges meeting in the same rooms guests are often delighted to see the variations that exist between the ceremonies. Visiting in another constitution extends that to new levels, such as announcing all brethren as they entered the temple in sequence, ritually cleansing the room with burning herbs in a sensor and ritually lighting the candles on the columns in the centre of the room and those placed on the pedestals – one for the Junior Warden, two for the Senior Warden and three for the Worshipful Master - and forming a chain before closing the lodge. Each of these set-pieces is designed to release brethren from the cares of the external world, to focus on the labours of the evening and remind them of the harmony achieved in the lodge before closing.

The Anniversary was well attended by brethren of the lodge, of other Brasov Lodges, their Mother Lodge in Sinaia, and Grand Officers of MLNR including The Pro Grand Master MW Bro Virgil Niţulescu, who led greetings to the Lodge with some reflections on their history and achievements.

The evening was completed with a gala dinner at the Brasov Citadel including performances by “Castelanii” an eleven piece orchestra, opera singers and dancers.

Although the trip was primarily to visit the Pax Mundi Lodge and celebrate their tenth anniversary, the rest of the five days were made up of cultural and social events that were entirely pleasurable. These included visits to Peles Castle, Bran Castle, the fortified church at Harman, a traditional Dacian dinner with folkloric music and a visit to the incredibly large Peoples Palace in Bucharest.

Brethren of Stivichall Lodge and Pax Mundi are sure that this is the beginning of a long relationship between their Lodges.

Pax Mundi Lodge, the Stivichall Lodge delegation, ladies and guests ready for the celebration dinner at Brasov Citadel