Lodge “Ypsilanti” no. 41 in East Athens
Date of establishment 12 December 1907
The Lodge meets every Thursday
Founding members
| Alexiou P. | Gavrialakis I. | Dardas A. | Kavalinis I. |
| Kissopoulos D. | Mansolas C. | Mattheopoulos C. | C. |
| Onoufrios C. | Papadimitriou A. | Perrakis K. | Plastiras B. |
| Sirmopoulos S. | Haramis C. |
Brief background
After two applications by 14 members of the parent lodge “Rigas Feraeus” (year 1895) for the foundation of a new lodge under the name “Ypsilantis“, in December 1907 the approval of the Grand Chapter of Greece was given. The first Venerable was elected George Mattheopoulos, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Athens, in whose inaugural speech the purpose of the foundation of the new lodge was stated with the words ” ….. The knowledge, ideas and feelings of those brothers who agree that the Greek Tect. ought to work for his own Fatherland”.
From data gathered after a long research by the former Venerable of the Lodge, Brother Alexander Stephanides, for the writing of the album of the celebration of the 100 years of the St. “Ypsilantis”, it is confirmed that brothers of the Lodge had cooperation with fighters of the Macedonian Gladiators , providing them with financial assistance by providing them with financial aid , offering them weapons and personally participating in the Struggle. The brother Β. Plastiras had asked to be appointed in 1904- 06 as a teacher of Gymnastics at the Baggio Gymnasium in Korica, while he was a graduate of the Rizarios Theological School , as was his classmate at the Rizarios Brother Pan. Alexiou who succeeded him at the same school again as Gymnast. Both were expelled when their national activities were discovered.
The brother Achilles. Dardas originally from Darda, Kaza, Korytsa, participated with his family in missions to collect and transport money and weapons in the region. While another brother of St. “Ypsilantis “, the later Grand Master Konstantinos Perakis went in 1908 as an emissary of the Lodge to inform the needs of the struggle and to organize the safe shipment of the weapons that the Lodge would send.
In 1912, Stoa founded and maintained the “Greek Ode Society“, a music school attended by young people of the time.Stoa also published a newspaper that circulated in Athens from 25.03.1908, until the end of 1911, which released a total of 56 sheets. Finally, it also published 4 issues of a masonic magazine under the name “Ypsilantis”, when for a short time the masonic magazine “Pythagoras” stopped circulating.
The wars interrupted Ypsilanti’s operation for 10 years. In 1923 the lodge began to reorganize and in 1932 it experienced a new spiritual spring, with the participation of seven University professors in its crew (Mattheopoulos, Varounis, Economou, Fotiadis, Doanidis, Hart, Sirmopoulos). Of these Alex. Fotiadis served as liaison and ambassador of Greek Freemasonry with other Masons. He was a liaison and mediator and liaison officer with other Greek and Greek Masonic Powers, especially with the Greater St. of England. Especially for Br. Alex. It is worth mentioning that he was a founding member of UNESCO.
The war again interrupts the smooth running of the Lodge as many of the members are drafted. The Lodge’s “Centennial Album” details the names of Lodge members who enlisted or participated in the fight against the occupiers, as well as details of 34 brothers who were awarded medals and medals of valor. The rebirth of the St. Thomas Lodge. “Ypsilantis” begins from the ashes of the occupation (1945) and the civil strife. The building of the Grand Lodge is destroyed and looted. All the brothers participate in the reconstruction, inspired by a tremendous spiritual force of mutual help and altruism.
Since then, the St. has recovered and soon prospered with a large number of members (up to 130) and has been at the forefront, together with other active lodges, in the spiritual and charitable work of Greek Freemasonry. Noteworthy was the organization of the performance of the opera “Enchanted Flute” by Brother W.A. Mozart, at the National Opera House on 15.03.1990, with great success.
In 2007 St. “Ypsilantis” was happy to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its foundation with brilliant events, crowning its centenary work with the publication of a Historical Album.
Lodges established by the St.
| Lodge “Photios” in East. Korytsa | In East. Korytsa | (year of issue 1909) |
H. of St. who were members of the Grand Lodge of Greece
| Konstantinos Perrakis | Maj. |
| Iakovos Kaakouns | Honorary Additional Grand Master |
| Varounis Theod. | Great Rotor |
| Efthymiou George | Great Rotor |
| Apostolakis Konst. | Major Line. |
| Matthaiopoulos Georgios | Major Doc. |
| Fotiadis Alex. | Major Doc. |
| Papadimitriou Andr. | Great Treasures. |
| Romantzis Marios | Greater Eleanor. |
| Sirmopoulos Solon | Greater Eleanor. |
| Papaconstantinou Const Const | Maj.Tel. |
| Markakis Georg. | Major Steg. |