From the East – December 2024

Greetings Brethren,

Saint John the Evangelist is celebrated each December by Freemasons. Together with Saint John the Baptist (The Holy St. John’s) they represent a balance between zeal, passion and learning. He was one of the original twelve apostles and is thought to be the only one to have not been killed for his faith.

The Feast of Saint John the Evangelist occurs on December 27th which is aligned with the Winter solstice. Freemasons celebrate this feast day, dating back to the 18th century when the Feast Day was used for the installation of Grand Masters. Many Grand Lodge jurisdictions require their subordinate lodges to install their officers on or prior to St. John the Evangelist’s Day.

The Evangelist was known for his values of Brotherly Love, Charity, Truth, Faith, and Enduring Integrity. These values are considered as the main reasons for the esteem paid to him by the Craft. Tradition informs us that Masonic Lodges were originally dedicated to King Solomon. In the sixteenth century Saint John the Baptist was considered to be the patron of Freemasonry. Subsequently this honor was divided between the two Saints John. In the United States, Lodges are universally erected to God, and dedicated to the Holy Saints John. The alignment of the Saints John to the solstices is representative of moving from darkness to the light.

As we move into the Winter solstice we too should take time to reflect on the year and begin moving toward more light.

Source: https://blog.philosophicalsociety.org/2019/07/06/masonic-yule/

Fraternally,
WM Hugh Christine