The founding of the Worshipful Lodge “Kimon” in 1918 was the natural culmination of a wider intellectual and economic flourishing that Larnaca enjoyed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Owing to its geographical position, the city had developed into an important commercial centre of the Eastern Mediterranean, favoured both by the opening of the Suez Canal and by the advent of steam navigation and the telegraph, which linked it directly to the great trade routes of the age. The presence of merchant houses, banks, insurance companies and industrial enterprises fostered the rise of a prosperous middle class with a strong European outlook and a lively intellectual life, and it was in this fertile soil that the ideals of Freemasonry took root.
Larnaca was, moreover, a pioneer in letters and culture for the whole of Cyprus. It was there that the island’s first printing presses operated and that important newspapers and periodicals were published, shaping public opinion and encouraging open debate. At the same time, educational institutions such as the American Academy and the Pancyprian Commercial Lyceum contributed decisively to the formation of an educated and open-minded society, in which the arts, theatre and music flourished, lending the city a distinctive intellectual lustre.
It was precisely in this stimulating environment that the need to found the Lodge “Kimon” arose. On 30 May 1918, a group of visionary men submitted a formal petition to the Most Serene Grand Orient of Greece, seeking authorisation to constitute the new Lodge. Its By-laws were approved in July of the same year, formally sealing the birth of an institution that was to leave its mark on the social and intellectual life of the city for more than a century. The name “Kimon” was not chosen by chance: it honours the Athenian general Cimon (506-450 BC), a figure closely associated with ancient Kition, where he lost his life during a campaign against the Persians. Cimon stood as an enduring exemplar of courage, virtue and patriotism - values in complete harmony with the ideals of the Lodge’s founders. The choice also reflected the strong Greek national sentiment that pervaded much of Cypriot society at the time, endowing the newly founded Lodge with a symbolism deeply rooted in Greek historical consciousness.
The Lodge was initially housed in a building owned by the Valdaserides family and later moved to the Kramvis residence on Zinonos Kitieos Street. Its Labours were forcibly suspended in 1931, in the aftermath of the well-known October Events (the “Oktovriana”), and were not resumed until 1938. After several further moves, the Lodge’s own Masonic Hall in Larnaca was finally completed in 1972, the fruit of many years of effort and considerable financial sacrifice on the part of its members. Particularly notable in this regard was the contribution of Brethren Miltiadis Oikonomakis, Floris Miltiades and Nikolaos Lysiotis, whose devotion proved decisive. Throughout its history, the Lodge “Kimon” has played an active and meaningful role in the social and national life of Cyprus. From its earliest years, it ardently supported the aspiration for the union of Cyprus with Greece, and in 1940 it publicly and officially condemned the Italian invasion of Greece, while also providing financial support to the Hellenic Red Cross. Its Labours were suspended once again during the difficult period of the EOKA Struggle (1955- 1959) and were resumed in 1960, ensuring the continuity of a tradition that has never been extinguished.
The Lodge’s contribution to society has been equally significant. In 1929, it founded the “Kimon” Night School, offering education to young working people who could not afford to attend other schools. It also undertook extensive charitable work, supporting vulnerable groups and institutions in Larnaca. In 1984, the Organisation of Freemasons’ Wives was established, which has since zealously continued and further strengthened the Lodge’s social work. Particular mention must also be made of the intellectual contribution of the Lodge’s members. Notable among them were the men of letters Pavlos Valdaserides and Christos Karmios, whose works enriched the intellectual life of both the Lodge and Cypriot society at large, leaving an indelible mark.
In 2006, the Lodge “Kimon” was one of the six founding Lodges of the Grand Lodge of Cyprus, an event of historical significance. It has since borne the number 1 as the oldest of the six, an honour that reflects its long and distinguished history.
In 2018, the Lodge completed a full century of presence and service, celebrating the centenary of its foundation with fitting splendour. To mark this important milestone, it adopted a renewed emblem, paying heartfelt tribute to its long and illustrious past. Today, with 43 active members, the Lodge “Kimon” continues to serve the timeless principles of Freemasonry faithfully and with devotion, promoting knowledge, brotherhood, service to society and intellectual cultivation for the benefit of both its members and the wider community that is its home.
From the anniversary album “Grand Lodge of Cyprus 2006–2026”.
