Why 'orient' in Grand Orient de France?

[Kobal2]

@Nava

Larousse includes “town which has a Masonic Lodge” among its definitions for Orient. Not very helpful, I know.

We also use Gran Oriente for some Masonic Lodges in Spanish (RAE is even less helpful than Larousse, no mention to Masons), and I understand the use of that word as being linked on one hand to the concept of “rising” or “coming into being” (as a trade, masons are builders, creators, makers; as an association, they’re supposed to build a better world) and also of “orienting”, “pointing”, “directing” (the members of a lodge are supposed to coordinate their actions). I think I may have got that from a documentary, but any actual memory is lost in the mists of time.

Oooh, hadn’t seen that answer before I published mine. That’s fascinating.