In September 2026, the Supreme Council, 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Bulgaria celebrated the 25th anniversary of its consecration with two solemn rituals held in the Valleys of Sofia and Plovdiv.
The anniversary celebrations brought together representatives of Bulgarian Freemasonry and official delegations from Supreme Councils in different parts of the world. The presence of such high-ranking representatives of visiting Supreme Councils was an expression of the established fraternal relations and international cooperation of the Supreme Council, 33° of the A.A.S.R. in Bulgaria.
Solemn Ceremony in the Valley of Sofia
On 26 September 2026, a solemn 4th Degree ceremony, presided by Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Ilia Koev, 33° and dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the consecration of the Supreme Council, 33° of the A.A.S.R. in Bulgaria, was held at the “Ivan Vedar, 33°” Temple in the Valley of Sofia.
During the ceremony, Ill. Svilen Spasov, 33°, Grand Prior, delivered a speech marking the 25th anniversary, devoted to the development of the Supreme Council and the twenty-five years that had passed since its consecration.
Among the official guests was the first Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, 33° of the A.A.S.R. in Bulgaria and current Honorary Sovereign Grand Commander, Ill. Peter Kalpaktchiev, 33°, who offered congratulations on the anniversary.
International Greetings
Greetings received from Supreme Councils in different parts of the world held a special place in the anniversary celebration. The heads of all visiting foreign delegations conveyed their congratulations to the Supreme Council, 33° of the A.A.S.R. in Bulgaria on the anniversary and presented gifts as a sign of fraternal respect, friendship, and the good relations between the Supreme Councils.
Honours for Longstanding Contributions
In recognition of their longstanding contributions to the development of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Bulgaria, and by unanimous decision of the Active Members, the Supreme Council’s highest distinction – the Order of “Ivan Vedar, 33°”, First Class – was awarded to:
The Lieutenant Grand Commander Ill. Eugene Moshekov, 33°
The Grand Orator Ill. Dimitar Rusev, 33°
The Grand Organist Ill. George Anastasov, 33°.
Emeritus Members of Honour
During the solemn ceremony, the Supreme Council of Bulgaria conferred the title of Emeritus Member of Honour upon:
Ill. Francis Clarembaux, 33°, Grand Chancellor and Grand Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Belgium
Ill. Brett Delahunt, 33°, Past Sovereign Grand Commander and Grand Prior of the Supreme Council for New Zealand
Ill. Joachim Bile Aka, 33°, Grand Chancellor of the Supreme Council for Côte d’Ivoire
Ill. Almamy Kabele Camara, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council for Guinea
International Participation
Official delegations from five visiting Supreme Councils participated in the solemn ceremony in the Valley of Sofia:
The Supreme Council for Belgium, established in 1817, represented by Grand Chancellor and Grand Secretary Ill. Francis Clarembaux, 33°
The Supreme Council for Australia, established in 1985, represented by Past Grand Prior Ill. Graeme Cucel, 33°, and Sovereign Grand Inspector General Ill. Ted Gray, 33°
The Supreme Council for New Zealand, established in 1994, represented by Past Sovereign Grand Commander and Grand Prior Ill. Brett Delahunt, 33°
The Supreme Council for Côte d’Ivoire, established in 1996, represented by Grand Chancellor Ill. Joachim Bile Aka, 33°
The Supreme Council for Guinea, established in 2024, headed by Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Almamy Kabele Camara, 33°.
33° Degree Conferral in the Valley of Plovdiv
On 28 September 2026, the second solemn anniversary ritual - a 33rd and Last Degree conferral - was held at the National Masonic Temple of the Supreme Council in the Valley of Plovdiv.
Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Ilia Koev, 33° conferred upon two longstanding members of the Rite the highest Degree and invested them with the title of “Inspector General Honorary”.
Official guests were Most Worshipful Alexander Lazarov, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons in Bulgaria, and Ill. Peter Kalpaktchiev, 33°, Honorary Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, 33° of the A.A.S.R. in Bulgaria.
International Participation
Official delegations from six visiting Supreme Councils participated in the solemn ritual in the Valley of Plovdiv:
The Supreme Council for Belgium, established in 1817, represented by Grand Chancellor and Grand Secretary General Ill. Francis Clarembaux, 33°
The Supreme Council for Brazil, established in 1829, headed by Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Jorge Luiz de Andrade Lins, 33°, and also represented by Ill. Sandro Tavares, 33°, Assistant to the Sovereign Grand Commander for International Relations
The Supreme Council for Australia, established in 1985, represented by Past Grand Prior Ill. Graeme Cucel, 33°, and Sovereign Grand Inspector General Ill. Ted Gray, 33°
The Supreme Council for New Zealand, established in 1994, represented by Past Sovereign Grand Commander and Grand Prior Ill. Brett Delahunt, 33°
The Supreme Council for Côte d’Ivoire, established in 1996, represented by Grand Chancellor Ill. Joachim Bile Aka, 33°
The Supreme Council for Guinea, established in 2024, headed by Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Almamy Kabele Camara, 33°.
The participation of the Brazilian delegation gave particular significance to the anniversary celebration. Under the leadership of Ill. Jorge Luiz de Andrade Lins, 33°, the Supreme Council, 33° for Brazil is among the largest Supreme Councils in the World. Its jurisdiction includes more than 50,000 Brethren, making it the third largest in the World by membership, after the Supreme Councils of the Southern Jurisdiction and the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in the U.S.A.
Since 2004, when the then Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, Ill. Ronald Seale, 33°, visited Bulgaria, this was the second occasion on which the head of one of the World’s largest Supreme Councils had officially visited Bulgaria.
Mutual Honours and Recognition
A particularly solemn moment of the ritual was the presentation of the Supreme Council, 33° of the A.A.S.R. in Bulgaria’s highest distinction - the Order of “Ivan Vedar, 33°”, First Class - to the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, 33° for Brazil, Ill. Jorge Luiz de Andrade Lins, 33°, in recognition of the fraternal relations and the importance of international cooperation between the two Supreme Councils. The Supreme Council of Bulgaria very rarely confers its highest distinction on foreign Brethren.
During the celebration, the Grand Chancellor of the Supreme Council, 33° for Côte d’Ivoire, Ill. Joachim Bile Aka, 33°, on behalf of his Supreme Council, bestowed upon Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Ilia Koev, 33°, the title of “Honorary Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council for Côte d’Ivoire”.
These two acts of mutual recognition and fraternal respect became among the most significant moments of the 33° conferral in the Valley of Plovdiv.
Anniversary Celebrations
The two solemn ceremonies held in the Valleys of Sofia and Plovdiv fittingly marked the 25th anniversary of the consecration of the Supreme Council, 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Bulgaria.
The anniversary events were marked both by continuity and recognition of the Brethren who had devoted many years of work to the development of the Rite in Bulgaria, and by a strong international presence and fraternal relations with Supreme Councils from Europe, Africa, Australia, Oceania, and South America.
The letters of congratulation read, the greetings delivered, the gifts presented, and the mutual honours conferred demonstrated the significance of the anniversary not only for the Bulgarian Jurisdiction but also for its international fraternal relations.
The participation of official delegations from Belgium, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea, made the 25th anniversary a significant international event for the Supreme Council, 33° of the A.A.S.R. in Bulgaria.
The Supreme Council thanks all Brethren who contributed to the organisation of the solemn rituals and accompanying events. Their assistance and dedication helped ensure that the 25th anniversary of the Order in Bulgaria was celebrated in a spirit of fraternal unity and harmony.
These celebrations marked a quarter-century of history built through hard work, continuity, fraternal unity, and a commitment to the development of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Bulgaria.
SUPREME COUNCIL, 33°
OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE
OF FREEMASONRY IN BULGARIA
Consecrated on 7 January 2001