Lodge Chaplain
The appointed officer who offers the prayers at the opening and closing of the Lodge and says grace at its meals.
Also searched as: masonic chaplain
- Jewel
- An open book, the Volume of the Sacred Law.
- How chosen
- Appointed by the Master. He need not be ordained clergy; any brother may serve.
The office
The Chaplain leads the Lodge's prayers. Freemasonry requires a belief in a Supreme Being but is not a religion and does not prescribe one, so Lodge prayers are customarily written to be acceptable to men of different faiths.
Some Lodges appoint a clergyman among their members; many appoint any brother willing to do it well.
The emblems: the Three Great Lights.
In context: What Is Freemasonry? A Plain Answer
Frequently asked questions
What does the Lodge Chaplain do in a Masonic Lodge?
The appointed officer who offers the prayers at the opening and closing of the Lodge and says grace at its meals.
How is the Lodge Chaplain chosen?
Appointed by the Master. He need not be ordained clergy; any brother may serve.
What is the Lodge Chaplain's jewel?
An open book, the Volume of the Sacred Law.
What does Chap. stand for in Freemasonry?
Chap. is the abbreviation for Lodge Chaplain. The appointed officer who offers the prayers at the opening and closing of the Lodge and says grace at its meals.
Sources
Drawn from what Grand Lodges publish about their own officers, the published monitors and Mackey. Duties are described in plain words; nothing here comes from, or goes beyond, any obligated material. Offices, titles and duties vary by jurisdiction, and your Lodge Secretary is the authority for yours.
- United Grand Lodge of England, What is a Lodge and its officers?
- Wikipedia, Masonic lodge officer
- Albert G. Mackey, An Encyclopædia of Freemasonry (1873)