Brother Dario Venovski is a member of Dalhousie and Call Sign Lodge No 865. Dario originally comes from Skopje in North Macedonia but was Initiated into freemasonry within the UGLE but still has masonic contacts in South Eastern Europe, particularly in his home country.
In February this year he was invited to a very special Installation meeting which was held in Skopje. The Grand Lodge of Macedonia is relatively new Constitution and was consecrated on Friday 30 September 2005 by the United Grand Lodge of England, with Spencer Compton, 7th Marquess of Northampton, Pro Grand Master, presiding as the Consecrating Officer. Apparently, this is an unusual event. It is worth reading the Wikipedia account of the formation of this new Grand Lodge which has recognition from Masonic Constitutions all over the world – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Lodge_of_Macedonia.
The invitation to Bro Dario had been arranged through the auspices of Via Regis Lodge No 360 of the National Grand Lodge of Romania which has ties with the Macedonian Masons. There had been a visit to Middlesex in 2019 by Brethren from Via Regis Lodge for the Raising of Brother Dario – https://dcs865.org.uk/via-regis-no-360-of-bucharest-visit-to-cole-court/ This, then, was a great honour for Dario to be invited to what was an auspicious occasion.
After the necessary protocols between Constitutions Brother Dario attend the meeting of Varda Lodge No 8. There are 8 Lodges in the Grand Lodge of Macedonia. Only one works ritual in the English language and the remaining Lodges work in Macedonian. Apparently, the visit to Skopje was held over two days with the main Installation meeting taking place on the 25th February 2024. There were over 70 in attendance which included members of the National Grand Lodge of Romania, the MW Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Macedonia, and Brethren from the Constitutions of Serbia, Turkey and Germany.
Brother Dario addressed the Brethren and stated that it had been an incredible privilege and honour to have been invited to take part in such an event. This, he said, proved that freemasonry was truly universal.
