Bomb Explodes Outside of Greek Scottish Rite Supreme Council in Athens

Photo: Dimitris Peristeris/Intime News

by Christopher Hodapp

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story misidentified the building that was attacked today in Athens, based on online news reports. It was the Supreme Council of the AASR for Greece, NOT the Grand Lodge building. I regret the error. Thanks to Joe Wäges for forwarding better information.

A bomb exploded early this morning at the entrance of the Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite building in Athens, Greece. A young man was spotted by a passing pedestrian who said he dropped a backpack at the door and ran away, yelling, "F**k your Freemasonry!" Fortunately, there were no injuries, and damage to the building was minimal. 

Greek news reports have said that the bomb was at the ‘Masonic Hall,’ which is actually directly across the street from the Supreme Council's new building. (Right side of photo below.) The 'Masonic Hall' itself (left side) is the headquarters for the Grand Lodge of Greece AF&AM.

According to Greek news reports HERE and HERE, an anonymous person called the 112 emergency telephone center at 6:30AM Athens time and warned that a bomb was at the Masonic Hall without saying when it was set to explode. The Athens Explosive Ordnance Disposal Department (EOD) was immediately dispatched, but the bomb exploded just outside the front doors as the trucks were arriving. Authorities described it as a low-power "improvised explosive device (IED)." The explosion started a small fire outside that was immediately extinguished and did no serious damage to the building.

The EOD discovered a second suspicious package a few hours later after an extensive search of the building, and disposed of it with a controlled explosion shortly after 9:00AM. 

State-run media ERT reported that area residents who heard the initial blast explosion described feeling a substantial shockwave. One eyewitness claimed to have seen the attacker place the first bomb – a young white male who did not try to cover his features.

Shortly after the incident, the Grand Commander of the AASR for Greece, Illus. Emmanuel Gerakios 33º, made a short announcement to reassure their members, and said:

“ I want to reassure you that there was no problem with the bomb, which was placed a few meters from the entrance of the Supreme Council.

"It was a cowardly blow. It is unknown [who is responsible] now, although I am confident that the prosecuting Authorities know and they will find the way."

As of late this afternoon, no suspects have been named in this case.

Another Greek Masonic hall was attacked in April 2022 by a man wielding an axe and armed with a shotgun. Fortunately, there was little damage to the building in Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece.