This article investigates the influence of the Masonic lodge of Copiapó in shaping Chile’s public education system during the second half of the 19th century and the conflicts it generated with the Catholic Church. The central question aimed to understand how both institutions, framed within opposing ideological currents—liberalism and conservatism—mobilized their respective social bases in defense of contrary educational projects. The main objective was to elucidate the coordination between the organization of the young nation-state and the consolidation of an active civil society in the educational sphere, exemplified from 1869 by the establishment of secular, popular, and mixed schools. Methodologically, the study is based on the analysis of primary sources, such as press of the time and the archives of the Copiapó lodge, founded in 1862, complemented by national and international secondary literature. Among its main contributions, the research demonstrates how the Masonic initiative, inspired by pan-European modernization models, faced ecclesiastical resistance, highlighting the social and political polarization surrounding education. Thus, this study contributes to understanding the dispute between Freemasonry and the Church and the crucial role of education in the consolidation of the Chilean nation-state. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.