Over the course of its history, the movement has attracted the great and the good, including 14 US presidents, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, automotive tycoon Henry Ford, jazz icon Duke Ellington, and astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

But it has also roused suspicion and hate. Conspiracy theorists misunderstand the symbolism and ceremonies, associating Freemasonry with the occult and the shady Illuminati, who some believe want to introduce a dystopic New World Order.

The Catholic Church bans its adherents from joining the organisation and Freemasonry has been criticised for its lack of transparency, its reluctance to admit women, and for allegedly operating as an old boys' network whose members exploit their connections for personal gain.

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Inside the mysterious buildings and hidden symbols of Freemasonry