The Sprig of Acacia
An evergreen emblem of the immortality of the soul, central to the Master Mason degree and to Masonic funeral services.
Also called: acacia
What it means
Acacia is an evergreen, and the monitors make it the emblem of faith in the immortality of the soul: the part of man that survives the grave. It belongs to the Master Mason degree, and at a Masonic funeral service, which is a public ceremony, brethren traditionally place a sprig of evergreen for a departed brother.
An acacia pin is a quiet and well-understood thing for a Master Mason to wear, and a sprig is a common motif on memorial gifts.
In context: The Three Degrees of Blue Lodge Masonry
Frequently asked questions
What does the Sprig of Acacia mean in Freemasonry?
An evergreen emblem of the immortality of the soul, central to the Master Mason degree and to Masonic funeral services.
Who can wear the Sprig of Acacia?
An acacia pin is read by Masons as a Master Mason's emblem. A sprig of acacia as a memorial or a gift for a Mason's family carries no such claim.
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)
- Albert G. Mackey, An Encyclopædia of Freemasonry (1873)