Historical Background of Mark Masonry
Mark Masonry, as a speculative Degree, is known to be more than 200 years old, for the wording of the Minutes of a meeting at Portsmouth, England in 1769 indicates that it was not then a new innovation. However it was not until June the 23rd, 1856, that the first Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons was constituted in London.
In Greece the degree appears in March 1976, in the beggining conferred within York Rite Chapters under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Germany and then under the newly inaugurated (26th of November, 1977) Supreme Grand Chapter. Changing the Rite to the one followed by England, in October the 7th, 1993, the "Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Greece" was constituted by "the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges Overseas". The presiding Officer was the then M.W. Pro Grand Master Lord Swansea who installed the first Grand Master M.W. Bro. Hermes Ioannides.
There are currently 17 autonomous Grand Lodges of Mark Master Masons in the world namely England, Finland, Greece, France, India, Switzerland, Estonia, Togo, Brazil, Benin, Cote d' Ivoire, Southeast Asia plus five in Australia: Victoria, East Queensland, Western Australia, New Zeeland and South Australia and Northern Territories.
The above Grand Lodges are affilated on the base of recognition with several Grand Chapters all over the World in the Rite of wich is included the degree (i.e. the York Rite). Especially in Scotland the degree is conferred by both the Grand Chapter and the Grand Lodge (Craft).
What is Mark Masonry?
In operative Masonry, the use of a distinguishing mark to identify each craftsman's work is a long established practice and was widely employed in the erection of cathedrals, churches, castles and other stately buildings of the Renaissance period in Britain and Europe.
This mark served two useful purposes - it established a craftsman's entitlement to wages and in the event of faulty work, enabled the foreman or overseer to identify the workman responsible.
The ceremony of advancement to the Degree of Mark Master Mason is centred on this practice and is particularly directed to the inculcation of order, regularity, diligence and discipline. Like the second or Fellowcraft Degree of the Craft, it is less concerned with the past and future and more with the here and now of our present life. It places emphasis on not judging people or situations on outward appearances but to seek hidden truths
Membership Qualifications
A brother must be a Master Mason in Craft Masonry before he is eligible to become a Mark Master Mason. Entry into the Mark Degree is not automatic - every brother seeking to become a member must be proposed and seconded by two brethren, preferably but not necessarily, members of the Lodge he seeks to join. It is expected that the proposer and seconder of the candidate will vouch that he is of good moral standard and worthy of being received into the Degree.
Mark Lodges
When a new Mark Lodge is consecrated, Grand Lodge provides it with a Warrant, a document which authorises the Lodge to hold meetings and to advance Master Masons into the degree of Mark Master Mason.
Most Mark Lodges meet every second month, not monthly as with Craft Lodges. There are 12 officers in a Mark Lodge, led by a Worshipful Master who is elected annually.