The 3rd International Symposium of “Europe” Lodges was held in Cagliari, during 7-9 May 2010. Cagliari is the capital city of Sardinia, home to ancient European people, a place of great history bordered by the almost unearthly blue Mediterranean Sea. The Italian Brothers have made duly preparations for the event and waited their guests with plenty of soul and love. The works of the Symposium were moderated by R\W\Bro\Andrea A\, President of the College of WW\MM\from Sardinia, and the Ritual

Works were presided by W\M\Armando S\, Worshipful Master of the Lodge “Europa” No. 1165 from Cagliari.

On Friday, the 7th of May, the guests were welcomed and accommodated at the Regina Margherita hotel. In the evening, a welcome dinner took place at a restaurant called “Sa Cardiga e Su Schironi”, situated on the seafront near Cagliari, a must for all gourmets.

Here is the list of attendant Lodges:

• Europa No. 1165 from Cagliari, Italy
• Europa 765 from Riccione, Italy
• Europa 92 No. 1078 from Florence, Italy
• Chaine D’Union Européene from Longwy, France
• Europa zu Neuen Welten from Wien, Austria
• Evropa No. 27 from Belgrade, Serbia
• Europa Unită No. 27 from Bucharest, Romania,

together with many friends from many Italian Lodges.

The Ritual Work began the next morning, in a temple located in an ancient part of the Medieval fortifications, called “Galleria dello Sperone”. It was an opportunity to contemplate recent fortification and restoration of ancient monuments and buildings dedicated to the protection of invasion from potential conquerors of Cagliari during the Medieval period and the Spanish domination from the 15th to the 16th centuries. 

The works of the 3rd Symposium, sharing the theme “Masonry and Unity of European People”, began in the afternoon, at a conference room provided by Regina Margherita hotel. They were conducted in the presence of R\W\Bro\Morris Ghezzi, Grand Spokesman and Honorary Grand Master of G\O\I\.

As pointed out by our Italian hosts, the main question was: What role do the Masons play in building Europe?

Above all, what can Masons do to enlighten a true understanding of a European common awareness, creating a sense of citizenship, by means of sharing and participation, for all the people of the European continent?  What contribution can be made to achieve this common European spirit?

We can, with certain hope and encouragement, guide the people towards a National European State with clear objectives, solid politics and clear rules.

Through Masonry, we can offer a common ground to discuss unity and coercion to achieve cooperation between mankind and therefore a brotherhood of the people. In this way, we can affirm our values, respect, tolerance, rediscovery of human dignity and the right of individual freedom and democracy. All this may be attained hand in hand with maintaining knowledge, education and the continuous development of man in the fields of culture and art which are our universal languages.

A selection of papers delivered on the occasion is found hereinafter.

The Symposium concluded with an open concert (a repertoire of Italian Opera) organized in collaboration with the Foundation of the Teatro Lirico din Cagliari.

The Galla Dinner was prepared in the evening, at the restaurant “La Corte in Giorgino”, famous for its quality, its history and its relation with the annual pilgrimage dedicated to Saint Efisio, Sardae patronus insulae, the patron saint of Sardinia.

Before the dinner, an important meeting of Worshipful and Past Masters of “Europe” Lodges took place, in the presence of W\Bro\Luigi L\, founder of “Europe” Lodges Assembly, and W\Bro\Vladimir D\, Executive Secretary of the Assembly. Here it was decided to build the on-line site of the Assembly, namely this very site.

Back in the restaurant, the guests could contemplate the old and new history of the island.Inside the

compound is the chapel dedicated to Saint Efisio, the defender of Cagliari and Sardinia.  It is the starting point of the annual pilgrimage, beginning on the 1st of May, when the Saint's statue, normally adorned with jewels and precious metal artifacts, is redressed more modestly, to be carried to the city of Nora, the site of his martyrdom in the 3rd century A.D and ending on the 4th. This pilgrimage started in 1652 and has taken place every year since, only interrupted by the 2nd World War during the devastating bombing in 1943. In the chapel, after the festivities comes the pilgrimage, the folklore is replaced with solemnity, the triumph and applause diminish into soft tones of prayer, the rosary and recitals of the litany indicating the start of the long procession in honour of Saint Efisio.

The actual structure of the chapel, dedicated to Saint Efisio, probably dates back to the period of the 16th to 18th centuries. In fact the original bell is dated 1679 and is still the custody of Giorgino.

 However, the presence of a chapel in Giorgino may date back much earlier and could indicate an eastern monastery dated between the 6th to the 9th centuries A.D., due to the fact of the first reference to a chapel during the 1st millennium.

Hence, the spiritual value of the dinner was really high and Saint Efisio seemed to enjoy it, because we have experienced huge amounts of joy and fraternal love.