Continental Freemasonry - The Two Branches of Freemasonry

The Two Branches of Freemasonry

Today, Freemasonry is often said to consist of two branches "not in mutual regular amity";

• the Anglo/American "Regular" tradition of jurisdictions, typified by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) (mostly termed Grand Lodges), and
• the European "Continental" tradition of jurisdictions, typified by GODF (mostly termed Grand Orients) with varying and shifting amity.

In most Latin countries, the GODF-style or European Continental Freemasonry predominates, although in most of these Latin countries there are also Grand Lodges and Grand Orients that are in "regular amity" with the UGLE and the worldwide community of Grand Lodges that share "regular" fraternal relations with the UGLE. The rest of the world, accounting for the bulk of Freemasonry, tends to follow more closely to the UGLE style, although minor variations exist.