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The Feast of Saints John
The Feast of Saints John

R. Bruce McGinnis. PM, Morning Star No. 5

Each year during the month It celebrated that feast day and held
of January, all Montana Lodges its installation of that day until 1725
pursuant to Montana Code §25060, until it began holding its installation
are required to hold and conduct a of offi cers on December 26 the feast
Saints John Day observance. The day of Saint John the Evangelist.
code further requires the observance It is believed that Saint John the
to consist of tyled table lodge Evangelist was selected because
including a lunch or dinner. The he was a teacher and as such was a
celebration by Masons of the Feast bringer of light, his feast day being
Days of Saint John the Baptist and on the winter solstice, which marks
St. John the Evangelist predates the the return of light to man until it
organization of speculative lodges culminates on the summer solstice.
and the organization of the present The summer solstice being the
Grand Lodges as we know them. brightest day which exemplifi es the
fervency and zeal of Saint John the Baptist? Thus the
According to the Roman Catholic Church law a two saints became a compliment to each other.
feast day or holy day is a day set aside to celebrate
the “commemoration of the sacred mysteries and The Masonic signifi cance of the two Saints are
events recorded in the history of our redemption, in explained in the explanatory lecture of the Entered
memory of the Virgin Mother of Christ, or of Christ’s Apprentice degree and are represented in all lodges by
apostles, martyrs, and saints, by special services and a point within a circle which is boarded by 2 parallel
rest from work. A feast not only commemorates an lines. The lecture gives an esoteric explanation of this
event or person but also serves to excite the spiritual symbol within the two parallel lines representing the
life by reminding us of the event it commemorates.” Saints John, not in their theological signifi cance but
The origins of the celebrations or starting-points in their sense as a calendar, the days named after the
for the oldest ecclesiastical feasts are the Jewish Saints themselves, are denoted. Since those days were
solemnities of Easter and Pentecost. Together with the the two extremes of the year, the sun is represented
weekly Lord’s Day, they remained the only universal as swinging in its circuit between them. The two days
Christian feasts down to the third century. are, therefore, the limits of the circle as set between the
lines. Hence, it is a symbol of control of conduct.
The reasons why Freemasons chose the Saints John,
as their patron saints are not entirely clear. It appears A ritual containing the opening and closing of a table
that some early lodges of operative stonemasons lodge as well as an order for business may be obtained
choose Saint John the Baptist rather than Saint from the Grand Lodge offi ce. The ritual also provides
Thomas who is also the patron saint of stonemasons, the protocol for the required toasts. Traditionally, each
builders, and architects. It is believed that Saint John individual Lodge would join together and celebrate the
the Celebration the Feast of Saints John Baptist was event.
chosen because he was a man of humility and virtue,
a man who steadfastly kept his obligations to God.
For those same reasons, he was carried over as the
patron saint of craft masonry. It is also believed that The following introductory information is taken
the operative stonemasons chose him because of the from the "Masonic Festival's and The Table Lodge,"
fervency and zeal he exhibited in his ministry, which published by the Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of
are principles that can be carried over to craft Masonry. Montana. If your lodge needs a copy of the script,
contact your District Offi cer.
Saint John the Evangelist became the second
patron saint of Freemasonry when the Grand Lodge The Table Lodge is no mere banquet with
of England began to celebrate his feast day in 1725. entertainment; it is a special lodge ceremony in itself,
The Grand Lodge of England had been established on with a ritual, formalities and a special terminology
Saint John the Baptist’s feast day on June 24, 1717. which is of some interest. Particular care should be

Page 34 Montana Freemason November December 2018