Editing Propaganda Due (section)

==Foundation==
[[File:Piano di rinascita democratica della Loggia P2.djvu|left|thumb|Official transcription, made by Italian parliamentary inquiry commission, of {{lang|la|"Piano di rinascita democratica"}}, authored by Italian Masonic lodge {{lang|la|"Propaganda Due"}} (P2)<ref group="Note">Italian law (Law 22 April 1941 n. 633 and further modifications, art. 5) does not consider "official state and public administration documents" as affected by copyright.</ref>]]

With the proclamation of the [[Kingdom of Italy]], the Grand Orient of Italy, the most important and numerous Masonic community in Italy, felt the need to safeguard the identity of its most prominent members, even within the organisation. For this reason, the membership of the latter did not appear on any official list, but was known only to the Grand Master, who recorded it as an initiation "by ear". It was not until 1877 that {{Ill|Giuseppe Mazzoni|it}} began to draw up a list called Propaganda Massonica, officially establishing the lodge in question and becoming its first venerable master.

{{lang|it|Propaganda}} was founded in 1877, in [[Turin]], as {{lang|it|Propaganda Massonica}}. This lodge was frequented by politicians and government officials from across Italy who were unable to attend their own lodges and included prominent members of the [[Piedmont]] [[nobility]]. Adriano Lemmi (Grand Master from 1885 to 1895) was initiated into the Propaganda Lodge in 1877 and helped to give it prestige by bringing together members of parliament, senators and bankers who, due to their positions, were forced to leave their local lodges and settle in Rome. During its history, the lodge included important Italian figures, such as the poet [[Giosuè Carducci]], politicians [[Francesco Crispi]] and [[Arturo Labriola]] and journalist Gabriele Galantara.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gnocchini |first=Vittorio |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J4stvgAACAAJ |title=L'Italia dei liberi muratori: brevi biografie di massoni famosi |date=2005 |publisher=Mimesis |isbn=978-88-8483-362-4 |pages=59, 88, 135, 160 |language=it}} Other members were [[Agostino Bertani]] (1883) (Gnocchini, p. 36), [[Luigi Castellazzo]] (1888)(Gnocchini, p. 65), [[Giuseppe Ceneri]] (1885) (Gnocchini, p. 67), [[Giuseppe Aurelio Costanzo]] (1889) (Gnocchini, p. 86), [[Nicola Fabrizi]] (Gnocchini, p. 115), [[Camillo Finocchiaro Aprile]] (Gnocchini, p. 122), [[Menotti Garibaldi]] (1888) (Gnocchini, p. 141), [[Pietro Lacava]] (p. 161), [[Ferdinando Martini]] (1885) (Elisabetta Cicciola, forewords of Bernardino Fioravanti and Stefano Bisi, ''Ettore Ferrari Gran Maestro e artista fra Risorgimento e Antifascismo. Un viaggio nelle carte del Grande Oriente d'Italia'', Mimesis, 2021, {{ISBN|978-8857576824}}, p. 170, 1.17), [[Giuseppe Muscatello]] (1907) (Fulvio Conti, ''I Fratelli e i Profani. La Massoneria nello spazio pubblico'', Pisa, Pacini ed., 2020., p. 224), [[Ernesto Nathan]] (1893) (Gnocchini, p. 195), [[Oreste Regnoli]] (1892) (Conti, p. 226), [[Aurelio Saffi]] (1885), p. 245), [[Gaetano Tacconi]] (1885) (Gnocchini, p. 263)e [[Giuseppe Zanardelli]] (1889) (Gnocchini, p. 277).</ref>

Even after Lemmi's Grand Mastership, the lodge continued to be an important reference point in the organisation of the Masonic Grand Orient. Among its members, at the beginning of the 20th, century there were [[Giovanni Ameglio]] (1920),<ref>Gnocchini (2005), p. 12.</ref> [[Mario Cevolotto]],<ref>Gnocchini (2005), p. 71.</ref> [[Eugenio Chiesa]] (1913),<ref>Gnocchini (2005), p. 72.</ref> [[Alessandro Fortis]] (1909),<ref>Gnocchini (2005), p. 128.</ref> [[Gabriele Galantara]] (1907),<ref>Gnocchini (2005), p. 135.</ref> and [[Giorgio Pitacco]] (1909).<ref>Gnocchini (2005), p. 224.</ref>

Since its foundation, the main feature of the lodge was to provide adequate cover and secrecy for the most important initiates, both inside and outside the Masonic organisation.<ref>Dino P. Arrigo, ''Fratelli d'Italia. Cronache, storie, riti e personaggi (per capire la massoneria)'', Messina, Rubbettino, 1994, {{ISBN|978-8872843345}}.</ref>{{page needed|date=April 2025}}

{{lang|it|Propaganda Massonica}} was banned in 1925, alongside all other Masonic lodges and secret societies, by the [[Fascist Italy (1922–1943)|Fascist regime]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fedele |first=Santi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hQwe_PkfK_EC |title=La massoneria italiana nell'esilio e nella clandestinità: 1927–1939 |date=2005 |publisher=FrancoAngeli |isbn=978-88-464-6526-9 |page=11 |language=it}}</ref><ref>[https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:::1925;2029 Law n°. 2029 of 26 November 2025].</ref> The Grand Master {{Ill|Domizio Torrigiani|it}} signed the decree dissolving all lodges.<ref name="Fedele">Santi Fedele, ''[https://books.google.it/books?id=hQwe_PkfK_EC&pg=PA4&dq=Santi+Fedele,+%27%27La+massoneria+italiapag%2011#v=onepage&q&f=false La massoneria italiana nell'esilio e nella clandestinità. 1927-1939]'', Franco Angeli, Milano 2005.</ref> However, Italian Freemasonry was reconstituted in exile in [[Paris]] on 12 January 1930.<ref name="Fedele" />

Following the end of [[World War II]], Freemasonry became legal again and the lodge was reformed. The name was changed to {{lang|it|Propaganda Due}} when the Grand Orient of Italy numbered its lodges. By the 1960s, the lodge was all but inactive, holding few meetings. This original lodge was only tangentially related to the one established by [[Licio Gelli]] in 1966, two years after becoming a [[Freemason]].<ref name="lodge">[http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/anti-masonry01.html#p2 "What was the P2 Lodge?"], Anti-masonry Frequently Asked Questions, Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon.</ref>
On the contrary, Giuliano Di Bernardo, former Grand Master of the [[Grand Orient of Italy]], affirmed that "the cards of the P2 affiliates bore the signature of the Grand Master, therefore they were all effective members of the Grand Orient of Italy."<ref>
*The ''P2 Lodge'', until its dissolution in 1982 due to the [[w:Tina Anselmi|Anselmi]]-[[w:Giovanni Spadolini|Spadolini]] law, ''was a regular lodge of the Grand Orient of Italy'', as attested by extensive documentation that passed between the grand masters Gamberini, Salvini and Battelli on the one hand and Licio Gelli on the other.
:'''Peter Gomez''':The existence of the Propaganda Due Lodge was known, but it was not known who exactly its members were?
:'''Giuliano Di Bernardo''':Grand Masters knew it, because the Grand Masters signed the badges. The cards of the P2 affiliates bore the signature of the Grand Master, therefore they were all effective members of the Grand Orient of Italy.
**From an interview of [[w:it:Peter Gomez|Peter Gomez]] to [[w:it:Giuliano Di Bernardo|Giuliano Di Bernardo]], as quoted in ''[https://www.antimafiaduemila.com/home/primo-piano/94919-giuliano-di-bernardo-so-che-esiste-un-elenco-completo-di-nomi-della-loggia-p2.html Giuliano Di Bernardo: ''So che esiste un elenco completo di nomi della loggia P2'']'' (April 17, 2023).</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://robertogalullo.blog.ilsole24ore.com/2015/01/26/storia1-lex-gran-maestro-giuliano-di-bernardo-in-esclusiva-su-questo-blog-parla-di-p2-massoneria-legge-anselmi-e-deviazioni/?refresh_ce=1|language=it|author=Roberto Galullo|website=[[Il Sole 24 Ore]] |access-date=April 21, 2025 |date=January 26, 2015|title=Storia/1 L'ex Gran Maestro Giuliano Di Bernardo in esclusiva su questo blog parla di P2, massoneria, legge Anselmi e deviazioni
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250421184910/https://robertogalullo.blog.ilsole24ore.com/2015/01/26/storia1-lex-gran-maestro-giuliano-di-bernardo-in-esclusiva-su-questo-blog-parla-di-p2-massoneria-legge-anselmi-e-deviazioni/|archive-date=April 21, 2025 |url-status =live}}</ref>

With the return of the Grand Orient to Italy, the lodge was reconstituted under the name 'Propaganda 2', for reasons of numbering of Italian lodges imposed by organisational necessity. The lodges resumed their activities,<ref name="Arrigo 1994 p46">Dino P. Arrigo, ''Fratelli d'Italia. Cronache, storie, riti e personaggi (per capire la massoneria)'', Rubbettino, Messina 1994, p. 46. {{ISBN|978-8872843345}}.</ref> returning to the direct authority of the Grand Master of the Order until the advent of Licio Gelli. During the [[Cold War]], Italian Freemasonry traditions of free-thinking under the {{lang|it|[[Risorgimento]]}} transformed into fervent [[anti-communism]]. The increasing influence of the [[political left]] at the end of the 1960s became a concern to the Masons of Italy. Gelli was first appointed by Lino Salvini, Grand Master of the [[Grand Orient of Italy]]—one of Italy's largest Masonic lodges, to represent him in all functions within the lodge (1970),<ref>Aldo A. Mola, ''Storia della Massoneria italiana dalle origini ai nostri giorni'', Bompiani, Milano 1982, p. 746.</ref> with task of reorganizing P2,<ref name="Ginsborg p144">Ginsborg, ''Italy and Its Discontents'', pp. 144–148.</ref> then he was appointed Venerable Master, i.e. head in all respects (1975).<ref>Dino P. Arrigo, ''Fratelli d'Italia. Cronache, storie, riti e personaggi (per capire la massoneria)'', Rubbettino, Messina 1994, p. 52. {{ISBN|978-8872843345}}.</ref>

Based on notes from the SISMI and SISDE discovered by magistrate Vincenzo Calia during his investigation into the death of [[Enrico Mattei]], the P2 Lodge was allegedly founded by {{Ill|Eugenio Cefis|it}}, who ran it until he became president of [[Montedison]]. After the {{Ill|Italian oil scandal (1974)|lt=oil scandal|it|Scandalo dei petroli (1974)}}, he was replaced by the duo Licio Gelli and [[Umberto Ortolani]].<ref>Gianni D'Elia, [https://pasolinipuntonet.blogspot.it/2012/10/petrolio-la-bomba-di-pasolini-di-gianni.html "'Petrolio', la bomba di Pasolini"], in ''il Fatto Quotidiano'' (April 2, 2010).</ref><ref name="fiorentino, pp. 56-57" /> According to other sources, the secret head of the P2 Lodge was former Christian Democrat [[Giulio Andreotti]].<ref name="fiorentino, pp. 56-57">Dario Fiorentino, ''La Loggia P2'', collana Storia dei grandi segreti d'Italia, n.5, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rcs MediaGroup, 2021, pp. 56–57.</ref><ref>Antonio Ingroia, ''Dalla parte della Costituzione'', Imprimatur Editore, {{ISBN|978-88-6830-504-8}}.</ref><ref>Antonella Beccaria, ''I segreti della massoneria in Italia'', Newton Compton, Roma 2013, {{ISBN|978-88-541-5976-1}}.</ref>

Gelli was initiated into Freemasonry on 6 November 1963, at the "Gian Domenico Romagnosi" lodge in Rome.<ref name="Arrigo 1994 p46" /> The Parliamentary Commission believes that Gelli had also gained influence in the "court" of Argentine General [[Juan Domingo Perón]]<ref>Fiorentini (2021), p. 84.</ref> (a photograph shows him at the [[Casa Rosada]] with the President and Giulio Andreotti):<ref name="fiorentino, pp. 56-57" /> he was subsequently affiliated with the Hod Lodge by Venerable Master Alberto Ascarelli and promoted to the rank of Master.<ref>Dario Fiorentino, ''La Loggia P2, collana Storia dei grandi segreti d'Italia'', n.5, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rcs MediaGroup, 2021, pp. 64 and 66–67.</ref>

Subsequently, in the "Garibaldi – Pisacane di Ponza – Hod" lodge, Gelli began to introduce numerous prominent figures, earning the appreciation of his venerable Master, who introduced him to {{Ill|Giordano Gamberini|it}}, Grand Master of the Order. Gelli convinced Gamberini to initiate new members "on the sword" (i.e. outside the specific Masonic ritual) and to include them in the list of "covered brothers" of the P2 lodge.<ref>Fiorentino (2021), pp. 64–65.</ref><ref>Arrigo (1994), pp. 46–47.</ref>

Gelli took a list of "dormant members", or members no longer invited to participate in [[Masonic rituals]], as [[Italian Freemasonry]] was under close scrutiny by [[Christian Democracy (Italy)|Christian Democracy]] (DC) in power through the [[Pentapartito]]. Through these initial connections, Gelli was able to extend his network throughout the echelons of the Italian establishment.<ref>{{cite news |title=How Licio Gelli took over Italy's secret power centre |work=The Times |date=30 May 1981}}</ref>

In 1967, P2 initiated former [[SISMI|SIFAR]] Brigadier-General Giovanni Allavena, who handed Gelli approximately 157,000 confidential file (see {{Ill|fascicoli riservati del SIFAR|it}}) on many public persons, including intercepted telephone calls, photographs, correspondence, and private information.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}
 
In a 2018 book, [[conspiracy theory|conspiracy theorist]] [[Daniele Ganser]] claimed convicted Pennsylvania politician [[Frank Gigliotti]] was a [[Freemason]] who chose Gelli to form a parallel anti-communist government, in collaboration with the [[CIA]] in Rome,<ref name="Ganser" /> and that in the fall of 1969, General [[Alexander Haig]], supreme commander of [[NATO]] in Europe, and [[Henry Kissinger]], security advisor to the [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]] presidency, authorized Gelli to recruit 400 Italian and NATO officers within P2.<ref name="Ganser">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kt9LDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT123|pages=122–123|title=La storia come mai vi è stata raccontata|author=[[Daniele Ganser]]|publisher=Fazio editore|language=it|series=Le Terre|date=February 22, 2018 |isbn=9788893253543}}</ref> These claims have been alleged to have been based in part on [[disinformation]] promoted by the [[Soviet Union]] in the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Misinformation about "Gladio/Stay Behind" Networks Resurfaces |url=http://usinfo.state.gov/media/Archive/2006/Jan/20-127177.html |website=usinfo.state.gov |access-date=8 July 2023 |archive-date=March 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328042037/http://usinfo.state.gov/media/Archive/2006/Jan/20-127177.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
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