The presence of Italian Freemasonry in the Ottoman Empire has been an attraction for an important part of civil society and has played a very important role, although poorly documented, in the organization of the revolution of 1908, providing a forum and a logistic support to revolutionaries.
In Thessaloniki (Salonicco IT), during the second half of the nineteenth century, for a while there was a rich and heavy Italian colony composed of merchants, teachers, artists, doctors, this community was integrated perfectly with the multi-ethnic character of the city. With Italians came also the Masons who at that time was one of the many manifestations of the European presence in the Ottoman Empire. SOURCE
Perhaps the most famous name associated with the Young Turk revolution is that of Emanuel Caraso (sometimes spelled Carasso and the family eventually adopted the spelling Karasu). He was a Sephardic Jew from Salonica (1862-1934) and by profession a lawyer. Wrongly identified as the founder of the Macedonia Rissorta[*] Lodge in Salonica by some, he was in fact promoted to Grandmaster of the said Lodge in the early 1890s.
Given the Lodge was granted a charter by the Grand Orient of Italy in 1864, through its Istanbul “Italia” lodge[1], it was impossible for Caraso to be the lodge founder. In reality Han Barouh Cohen, an Italian Jew was the founder[2].
Caraso[3], as Grandmaster for the Italian Grand Orient in Salonica, was able to offer the use of the Lodges under his control, as meeting houses for what became the Young Turk movement. Under this diplomatic immunity the Young Turk conspirators were able to meet to discuss the overthrow of the Sultan.
[*] Easter Macedonia
[1] Therefore, for Caraso to have reached the position of Lodge grandmaster, the Lodge which granted and therefore OWNS the charter for his Macedonia Rissorta Lodge, is the Lodge that will have given him this appointment. In this case the charter was granted by the Grand Orient of Italy, through and not by the Istanbul Italia Lodge. This means that the grandmaster of the Istanbul Italia Lodge would have been at a similar rank to the granmaster of the Macedonia Rissorta. Therefore in this case ‘head office’ in Turin must have appointed Caraso. SOURCE
The lodge Italy was established in Constantinople in 1862. The list of members was never located. One of the few names connected with the birth of this lodge is that of the Marquis Camillo Caracciolo Bella (1821-1888), Ambassador the Kingdom of Italy in Constantinople between 1862 and 1863. The lodge depended on the Grand Orient of Italy, in Turin the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
[2] Sam Levy, Salonique XIXth à la Fin du Siècle, ISIS Press, Istanbul, 2000, p. 74.
[3] Emmanuel Carasso was born in Thessaloniki in 1863, son of Uziel (Asrael) and Sumbula Assach. He graduated in law in Thessaloniki, soon becoming a skilled criminal lawyer. He was initiated into Freemasonry in 1902, two years later, according to the records matricolari became venerable lodge. For further information see: Emanuela Locci, The figure of Emmanuel Carasso in relations between Italy and Turkey, "Hiram", nr. 4/2011, pp. 83-96, Rome. SOURCE