The Blazing Star
The star at the center of the mosaic pavement, read in the monitors as the sun that lights the earth and, by many writers, as Divine Providence.
What it means
One of the three ornaments of the Lodge, with the mosaic pavement and the indented tessel. Webb connects it to the sun, which by its benign influence dispenses blessings to mankind. Other writers read it as an emblem of Divine Providence, and some connect it to the star that guided the wise men.
All three readings are in print and none is the official one. Ask an older member of your Lodge which they were taught.
It is a different emblem from the five-pointed star of the Order of the Eastern Star, which has its own page.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Blazing Star mean in Freemasonry?
The star at the center of the mosaic pavement, read in the monitors as the sun that lights the earth and, by many writers, as Divine Providence.
Who can wear the Blazing Star?
This is a lesson rather than a badge. It turns up on Lodge charts, prints and gifts, and owning or displaying one says nothing about rank. On a lapel most people will read it as Masonic.
Sources
Drawn from the published monitors and from what the bodies concerned publish about themselves. Nothing here comes from, or goes beyond, any obligated material.
- Thomas Smith Webb, The Freemason's Monitor; or, Illustrations of Masonry (1797)
- William Preston, Illustrations of Masonry (1772)