Grand Master New Year Message - 2026

To the Glory of the Great Architect of the Universe,
and the Advancement of Humanity,
A Triple Salute ∴ 

To the Esteemed Sisters and Brothers of Hiram and Solomon the Grand Lodge, As the curtain falls upon this year, and as we stand at the threshold of a new era, I address you with sincere words drawn from the heart—words borne of profound gratitude and of an appreciation commensurate with the effort, steadfastness, and devotion you have demonstrated in the Work.

It has been no ordinary year; it has been a year in which intentions were tested before actions, and consciences before words. We were confronted by fierce winds of fanaticism, hatred, and ignorance—forces that do not merely seek to strike at stones, but aim to undermine the very meaning and spirit of the Temple. Yet you, Sisters and Brothers, stood with confidence and resolve, proving yourselves to be faithful Guardians at the threshold of our Temple: firm in your stations, loyal to the Obligation, silent in labor, and unwavering in stance and principle.

I extend my thanks to all the respected Brethren, each and every one, and I offer particular gratitude to the Sisters and Brothers who stood in the foremost ranks—those who believed when others hesitated, who endured when the burden grew heavy, and who bore responsibility without complaint or pretension.
I thank the pure and upright hearts, and I thank the hands that don their gloves with dignity—hands that labor with integrity, serve in silence, and preserve the trust without awaiting reward or applause.
I thank you for your confidence, which was the cornerstone upon which the Work was built; I thank you for accepting the challenge, for it was the true test of sincerity and commitment; I thank you for your faith in success, for it was the light that guided us through moments of obscurity; and I thank you for your labor—noble labor that sanctifies the Work and grants it its true meaning. And if we have faced formidable challenges, we must today, with honesty and responsibility, recognize that we now stand before a new kind of challenge: the challenge of success itself. For success, like failure, is a trial. Success casts light upon us, multiplies responsibilities, raises expectations, and confronts us with a fundamental question:
Will we preserve the original spirit of the Work?
And will we remain faithful to the values from which we set forth? Our Work is not yet complete; indeed, what lies ahead is greater still.

Much remains for us Masonically: to deepen meaning, to consolidate symbolism, to safeguard the inner Temple, to anchor Brotherhood as a living value rather than a mere slogan, and to build fraternal partnerships in Lebanon and throughout the world.
And much remains for us practically: greater organization, clearer commitment, conscious discipline, a shared vision, and responsible collective labor worthy of the name, history, and mission of our Lodge. The doors of the world stand open, if we strive together. 

My Sisters and Brothers,
In this Lodge, you are the true message of Humanity, Brotherhood, and Love.
You are the bridge of Fraternity between East and West; you are Hiram and Cadmus; you are the first sail crossing the waves of wrath; you are the horizon guided by the Star of Truth; you are the Pillars of Wisdom and Beauty, and the foundation of the Pillar of Wisdom.

You are the strength of Truth illuminated by Will, Science, and Knowledge; you are those who see with the heart, however dense delusion and fanaticism may cloud the eyes; you are the right angle set upon the compasses of morality, freed from chaos and ignorance; you are those who walk by the Light of the Word. You have proven, Sisters and Brothers, that Freemasonry is not words spoken, but values lived; not rituals detached from reality, but an ethical school tested in life itself. You have shown that the true Temple is threatened from without only when it is shaken from within, and that our strength has been—and will remain—in our unity, the purity of our intentions, and the sincerity of our labor.

Let us therefore carry with us into the new year the lessons of this one:
that Light has no need of noise; that Truth is not imposed by force but established through steadfastness; and that true Brotherhood is measured in times of hardship, not in seasons of comfort. I renew my confidence in you all, and in our shared capacity to continue the journey with wisdom, balance, and fraternal love, for the sake of a nobler Humanity, a truer Temple, and a purer Light.

We beseech the Great Architect of the Universe to grant us the Wisdom to discern the path, the Strength to remain steadfast in our Works, and the Beauty to preserve harmony among us; to bless our Lodge, our Sisters and Brothers, and all who labor sincerely for Light, Truth, and the dignity of Man. Let us bid farewell to this year in peace, resolved to continue the Work with humility, fidelity, and fraternal love, until each of us is once again called to labor together within the Temple. Happy New year.

So Mote It Be ∴