Our Lodge

Our Lodge in Gibraltar

The Royal Lodge of Friendship No. 278 is based at the Gibraltar Masonic Institute.

Gibraltar has a very long association with Freemasonry and for a territory little larger than the City of London it has remarkable number of Craft Lodges and other Masonic orders. The District Grand Lodge celebrated 250 years in 2002.

Gibraltar is unique, in that, in such a small area there are three District Grand Lodges, English, Scottish and Irish, hence the three emblems on the GMI badge. Our Installation Nights are therefore extremely interesting for visitors, where else can you see three District Grand Masters attending along with visiting Masters from other Lodges.

The Royal Lodge of Friendship No. 278 has a Royal Arch Chapter and a Mark Masons Lodge with the same number, 278.

Our members have included two Past Deputy District Grand Masters, (English Constitution) W.Bro. Joseph Henry Bautista MBE PJGD (d.2014) and W.Bro. Joseph Isaac Benrimoj PAGDC (d.2014).

We are part of the District Grand Lodge of Gibraltar under the United Grand Lodge of England. The District’s profile of Royal Lodge of Friendship No. 278 provides further background.

An international membership

Our brethren come from Gibraltar, the United Kingdom, Spain, Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia. The Lodge’s international character is particularly appealing to people who have relocated to Gibraltar or southern Spain.

The District’s profile describes members ranging from their 20s to their 90s, and records a 23-year-old Worshipful Master in 2023–24, described as the youngest in Gibraltar’s history. It also notes a District Officer aged 22 in 2022, possibly the youngest in UGLE’s history.

Related Masonic orders

The Lodge shares its number with The Calpean Chapter No. 278 and Mediterranean Mark No. 278.

People and fellowship

Meet our officers and explore the Past Masters register, or discover our social events and charity work.