Patron Saints of Freemasonry

The two Patron Saints of Freemasonry are Saint John the Baptist which festival occurs on the 24th of June, the date when the Grand Lodge of England was formed in 1717 and Saint John the Evangelist which festival takes place on the 27th December.

These two dates occur at the same time as the two annual solstices (Summer and Winter). Symbolically they meet in a transition line, with the closing of a cosmic year and the starting of a new one that marks the birth of Jesus.

One of the Saints announces his arrival, the other spreads His teachings. Saint John is mention, by the W:.M:., in opening the Lodge when he states: To the glory of the GAOTU, in the name of universal freemasonry, under the jurisdiction of the (....) and by the virtue of the powers in me invested, I declare open the labors of this Respectable Saint John Lodge(....).