“Response to the lies of the Grand Lodge of Greece”: open appeal from the Metropolitan of Piraeus

Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus published an open appeal under the title “Response of the Metropolitan of Piraeus to the lies of the Grand Lodge of Greece.” The reason was a publication in an Athens newspaper Kathimeriniwhich showed the interior of the Tectonic Palace in Athens and made statements about the nature and activities of Freemasonry.

The Bishop argues that in the public discussion about Freemasonry, important historical and doctrinal aspects are hidden or distorted. In his text he restates the traditional position of the Orthodox Church that Freemasonry is not just a charitable or social organizationand, in his opinion, represents a separate religious-mystical system incompatible with the Orthodox faith.

Below we publish his appeal as an open letter, translated, with minimal editorial changes and without significant abbreviations.

The original can be found at link.

Open address of the Metropolitan of Piraeus

As the Metropolitan notes, in the daily Athens newspaper Kathimerini dated April 26, 2026, a series of photographs of the interior of the Tectonic Palace of Athens at the intersection of Acharnon and Surmeli streets was published. What was not mentioned, however, he said, was that he believes the founders of the Tectonic Foundation in 1927 secured government approval for it by declaring as its purpose the creation of a building for charitable and social purposes, primarily for the relief of the poor and the education of disadvantaged children.

The Metropolitan claims that in fact the building from the very beginning was built not as a charity center, but as religious building for the needs of Freemasonry. According to him, this became the first big lie, since formally the state was presented with one goal, while the actual purpose of the object, as he believes, was different.

In the text, the bishop refers to Masonic and historical sources, including the book by P. Hadzipanos “Greek Freemasonry 1740–1950”where, according to him, the design of a “large temple” and the internal organization of space specifically for the Masonic cult are mentioned. On this basis, the Metropolitan concludes that this was not about a philanthropic institution, but about a “pagan temple.”

Next, the Metropolitan of Piraeus dwells in detail on the question of whether Freemasonry is a religious system. He cites Masonic publications and encyclopedias, which, according to him, speak of a “tectonic religion” that accepts people of different faiths and is based on the idea of ​​​​a certain common “religion of nature” and “original revelation.”

On this basis, the ruler claims that Freemasonry cannot be considered a neutral structure. According to him, it offers its own religious worldview, which does not coincide with Christianity, and therefore he considers the statements that Freemasonry “does not affect the faith of a Christian” to be false.

Particular attention is paid to the image of the so-called “Great Architect of the Universe”which Freemasonry uses as a designation for God. The Metropolitan asks the question of who exactly is hidden behind this name and whether a Christian can accept such a name when God has already revealed His name in the Holy Scriptures and in the teachings of the Church. According to the bishop, replacing the Christian revelation with this abstract image expresses a denial of the foundations of the Orthodox faith.

In his address, the Metropolitan also cites numerous excerpts from anti-Masonic and Masonic literature to prove, as he writes, the presence of occult, esoteric and anti-Christian elements in Freemasonry. He specifically points out topics related to the Kabbalah, esoteric rites, symbolism and internal degrees of initiation.

The Metropolitan claims that a number of texts and ritual interpretations of Freemasonry contain ideas that, in his opinion, distort or outright reject Christian teaching about God, Christ, the Church and salvation. In particular, he sharply criticizes the Masonic use of biblical images and terms, considering it a blasphemous substitution.

Separately, the Bishop dwells on the question of the so-called “landmarks” – the fundamental principles of Freemasonry. According to him, they constitute the dogmatic core of the system and confirm that this is not just a brotherhood or an ethical club, but a closed doctrinal structure with its own immutable provisions.

In the text, the Metropolitan cites extremely harsh conclusions. He calls Freemasonry pagan and occult systemand also writes that it is in direct contradiction with Orthodoxy. In his assessment, an Orthodox Christian cannot simultaneously belong to the Church and Freemasonry.

Concluding his address, the Metropolitan of Piraeus concludes that Masons, if they remain in their convictions without repentance, fall, in his words, under the condemnation of the Church. Thus, he actually repeats the long-known line of church polemics against Freemasonry, but does it in the most sharp and detailed form.

Editorial clarification

The published text is personal open appeal of Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus and reflects his position, as well as the traditional anti-Masonic argumentation of part of the Orthodox church environment. The assessments, characteristics and conclusions mentioned in the letter belong to the author of the appeal.

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