Patron Saints

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
In the medieval period , St. Thomas was the Patron Saint of Architects and builders , ergo the Patron Saint of Operative Masons . Therefore he was there for Speculative Masons to use as their Patron St But they opted for the Saints' John as their (and our) Patron Saints .

I will give a very brief description as to why and let others to elaborate further .

The Saints John exemplify the teachings of Freemasonry . Saint John the Baptist was well known for integrity which induced him , under the most adverse conditions , to adhere to his obligations that he felt he owed to G_d and to his fellow man . His adherance to his convictions cost him his life .

St. John the Evangelist admonished his followers to the cultivation of Brotherly Love .

Integrity and Brotherly Love .

Feel free to add to this or correct me in my studies .
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
I am working on a paper to read in lodge because not to many know why they were chosen , or know nothing about them at all . So everyone please elaborate further .

I want the paper as short as I can without leaving out pertinent facts , so I will not lose them or bore them .
 

Winter

I've been here before
Not all Lodges are dedicated to the Sts John. My Emulation Lodge is dedicated to Solomon and Moses.
 
G

Gary

Guest
Bro. Winter,

Would you mind explaining why Solomon and Moses were chosen? This may be helpful in fleshing out Bro. Ashlar's talk for his Lodge. I'm curious as well.

This may be something I'd like to present to my Lodge. Are the patron saints in UGLE the same in T.O. and Emulation Lodges? Just some questions to fuel discussion...
 

Winter

I've been here before
Much of the Masonic ritual was developed when the Catholic Church still had a lot of influence and the Preston Ritual was the standard. It was the Preston Ritual by way of Thomas Smith Webb that established the ritual used here in the US.

This changed with the reconciliation of the Moderns and Antients in 1813. All reference to Christian Saints were removed with the parallel lines representing Solomon, King of Israel and Moses and Lodges dedicated, "to G-d and His service" to allow Freemasonry to retain and promote a non-sectarian stance.

American Lodges did not follow suit and retained the Prestonian workings.
 
I was going to mention that not all use the Sts John .... but Bro Winter beat me to the punch... I had a conversation with a Canadian Bro who informed me of this.... I believe ( correct me if I am wrong Winter) that all lodge that work in the Emulation work do not have the Sts John as their patron saints.
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
Well , since my Jurisdiction practices the Preston/Webb ritual I will focus on the Saints John , but I think I will add what you have written Bro. Winter as a bit of further knowledge as it is interesting .
 

Winter

I've been here before
I was going to mention that not all use the Sts John .... but Bro Winter beat me to the punch... I had a conversation with a Canadian Bro who informed me of this.... I believe ( correct me if I am wrong Winter) that all lodge that work in the Emulation work do not have the Sts John as their patron saints.
Not just Emulation, all workings under the UGLE are dedicated this way.
 

Bluetemplar

New Member
Patron Saints in Freemasonry

With Freemasonry's origins coinciding with that of the stonemasons guilds of the middle ages it is not surprising to see a diverse number of lodges having different patron saints other than those so dedicated under Saint John the Evangelist and Saint John the Baptist.


It is quite possible that since the guild crossed political boundries and were involved in a host of different building projects the practice amoung guild members was to dedicate a lodge under the name of the church or cathedral that was being built, or in cases like Lodge Mother 0 Kilwinning, Scotland be dedicated outright to St Thomas.

John the Evangelist being the patron of Fraternity or brotherhood and the pauper John the Baptist being patron of the Knights of St John. St Reinold being a patron of Stonemasons. The fraternity would have a host of patron saints and could be so dedicated.

You could also make the stretch to say its a cosmic celestial holdover from the early days of masonry (ie jerusalem, druids, egypt) that the feast days of John the E and John the B coincide closely with the winter and summer solstice.
 

Duncan1574

Lodge Chaplain & arms dealer
Much of the Masonic ritual was developed when the Catholic Church still had a lot of influence and the Preston Ritual was the standard. It was the Preston Ritual by way of Thomas Smith Webb that established the ritual used here in the US.

This changed with the reconciliation of the Moderns and Antients in 1813. All reference to Christian Saints were removed with the parallel lines representing Solomon, King of Israel and Moses and Lodges dedicated, "to G-d and His service" to allow Freemasonry to retain and promote a non-sectarian stance.

American Lodges did not follow suit and retained the Prestonian workings.
What he said! :1-say-yes:
 

Gary2112

Troll Stomper
Staff member
You could also make the stretch to say its a cosmic celestial holdover from the early days of masonry (ie jerusalem, druids, egypt) that the feast days of John the E and John the B coincide closely with the winter and summer solstice.
I wouldn't call it a stretch at all. I had posted this sometime back in a discussion about the Flanked Circumpunct;

Let's examine this Masonically... Symbolically/astronomically speaking, the Master and Wardens are symbols of the sun, the Lodge the universe, or world just as the point is the symbol of the same sun, and the surrounding circle of the universe.

The sun is found in the zodiacal signs of Cancer and Capricorn. These points are astronomically distinguished as the summer and winter solstice. When the sun is in these points it has reached it's greatest northern and southern declination, and produces the most evident effects on the temperature of the seasons and the length of days and nights. These points if we suppose the circle is to represent the suns apparent course, will be indicated where the points touch the circle (or when the sun arrives at the solstitial points of Cancer and Capricorn).

The sun reaches these points on June 21st and December 22nd Sound familiar? it accounts for the application of the two Saints John who's anniversaries have been placed by the church near those days.
 
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