The next statewide Open House is taking place on Saturday, October 21st, 2023
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You don’t have to wait for it – Find a lodge near you to visit!
Local Freemasons Welcome Public
October 21st Open House to Enlighten, Educate, and Inform
Joining with Masonic lodges across the Commonwealth, Freemasons from The Grand Lodge of Masons, 186 Tremont St. Boston, MA 02111, will open their doors to the public on Saturday, October 21st, from 9 am until 3 pm. If you’ve ever wondered who the Freemasons are, whether they are the descendants of the Knights Templars, or what the inside of their buildings look like, here’s your chance to find out!
More than 200 lodges will be hosting Open Houses to help the public gain a better understanding of Freemasonry and to demonstrate the positive impact the fraternity has on its members, their families, and their communities. Members will provide tours of their building, talk about Freemasonry’s history, discuss its rituals, signs, and symbols, and explain what they do.
“The Open House is a great opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about Freemasonry to meet and talk with Masons in their community,” said Richard Maggio, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, and the presiding officer of over 19,000 members. “Although many have heard of us, very few are aware that for 290 years we have been part of an unbroken tradition of great men who have changed our world in a number of ways. Men like Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thurgood Marshall, and John Glenn all joined the Masons prior to achieving the greatness we recognize them for. Today, there are countless others seeking to become the best version of themselves and make their families, workplaces, and communities better because they are Masons. I warmly invite the public to join us on October 21st.”
Freemasons trace their roots to the stonemason guilds that built Europe’s cathedrals and castles during the early part of the last millennium. As construction of these buildings declined, they began accepting members from outside their trade. These new members, influenced by the “Age of Enlightenment,” transformed the organization from a group for builders to one focused on developing the character of its members. Freemasonry was formalized in London, England in 1717. In 1733 it was organized in Massachusetts, making it the oldest Masonic group in the Western Hemisphere and the third oldest in the world.
Freemasonry, the world’s oldest and largest fraternity, seeks to bring together men of every country, religion, race, background, and opinion in order to develop the bonds of friendship between them. Through a large variety of North American Masonic philanthropies, approximately $3,000,000 is given to charity every day, 70% of which benefits the general public. During its symbolic initiation ceremony, members are encouraged to value principles, ethics, and morals and to live their lives accordingly. By “making good men better,” Freemasonry positively benefits its members, their families, and their communities. Freemasonry in Massachusetts is comprised of 21,000 members in more than 200 different lodges throughout the Commonwealth. For additional information, please call 617.426.6040, or visit MassFreemasonry.org.
