THE TWO ST JOHN'S
From the 2nd Westchester-Putnam Masonic District
Among American Freemasons there are two festivals in the Masonic calendar.
The Feast of St. John, the Baptist, is celebrated on June 24th and the Feast of
St. John, the Evangelist, on December 27th.
The two dates fall at the time of the summer and winter when the sun attains
its greatest north or south declination when it apparently stands still for a
short time before turning in its course. These are know as the summer and
winter solstices.
Why is it that Masonry has chosen these two men as patrons? Why are
Masonic lodges dedicated to them? Why do Masons hold celebrations in their
honor each year? Were the Saints John Freemasons?
Before answering these questions, let us review a bit of ancient history.
Before the days of Christianity the early Greeks and Romans dedicated their
temples and sacred things to some god. To the ancients the sun was the
source of power. They observed the course of the sun through the year and
knew that at one period the sun brought them warmth, new vegetation, bountiful
crops and with it all, a new source of energy and hope. Then the sun,
after a fruitful season, left them and they felt the cold, the grains in the
field failed to flourish, and all nature seemed to sleep. The ancients
knew that, after due time, the friendly sun in its cycle would come back to them
bringing again light, warmth, food and hope.
Is it any wonder that these people worshipped the sun as a god? Even
today people the world over, revere the sun and welcome its warmth, and even
travel to follow it during the cold and dark winter months.
It is significant to note that the two festival days of the Saints John fall
at these two seasons - first when the sun is nearest, and second, when the sun
has reached its northern-most summit and again turns toward the south.
People in the early ancient days had their organizations and guilds even as
we do today and dedicated them to a pagan god for protection.
The worshipping of the sun or other deities had so permeated mankind
that when Christianity was introduced to the world the church found it was
impossible to stop the people from such pagan celebrations. It was natural
to feel the need for adopting some patron for protection. The church
therefore consecrated its churches to God and wisely substituted the names of
its saints as patrons. Other societies and organizations followed the same
practice.
St. John, the Baptist
Why did the Freemasons choose St. John, the Baptist, as patron?
One would suppose that they would name some outstanding person. But, St.
John, the Baptist, was a humble man, a plain man who held, above all, his
obligations to God and, with almost unbelievable steadfastness, met martyrdom.
He continually preached repentance - and virtue - and humiliation.
Yes, the early freemasons chose well in selecting such a man as
St. John, the Baptist, as a patron of Freemasonry!
St. John, the Evangelist
For a long period only St. John, the Baptist, was patron saint
of Freemasonry. It was not until after the 16th century that St John, the
Evangelist, was also adopted as a patron. The "Old Charges" of
Freemasonry speak of St. John, the Evangelist, as a "Saint of the
Craft." He was constantly admonishing the cultivation of brotherly
love. Of all the gospels, The Gospel of St. John is the most Masonic for
the central theme is LIGHT. It portrays God as "the Light of the
World."
Lodges Dedicated to the Holy Saints John
Lodges then came to be dedicated to the Holy Saints John and it is
interesting to note that the early Masons were called "St. John's
Masons" or "St. John's Men."
It matters not whether the two Saints John were actually members of the
Masonic fraternity. But they have been called the patrons of the
fraternity down through the ages because they have exemplified the principles of
Freemasonry in their daily lives by their deeds and their words. These two
humble men did not engage in any of the pomp and glory of the world.
It is because Masonry regards the character and internal qualifications of a
man - not the exterior appearances - that these two men are fittingly called the
patrons of this great fraternity. They possessed those internal
qualifications that made the TRUE MAN. Masonry honors them above all
others for they were the living examples of the Golden Rule, the practice of
virtue, love for their fellow-men and love for their God.
back to top
| 
