The Mark Master Mason Degree is open to all Master Masons.
The ceremony comprises two degrees:
(i) Being acknowledged as a Mark Man, and
(ii) Becoming a Mark Master Mason.
In terms of chronology, this degree follows on from that of the Second Degree in Craft masonry.
‘The Mark’ derives from the ‘mark’ or ‘symbol’ by with the Master Stonemason identified his work, and this can be seen today if you look at the walls of many old buildings and cathedrals. It was effectively an early version of a trademark for the individual, but probably also was a way to advertise his skills as a Master Mason.
The Mark Master Mason Degree is linked to the Holy Writ used to instruct the candidate and brethren in the story it tells, the contemplation of human strengths and weaknesses. There are some claims that this degree is over 400 years old, although it is the case that the earliest English evidence is a from a Plymouth based Friendship Royal Arch Chapter No.257, which places the Degree at 1769, but a Lodge in Edinburgh, Scotland claims a 1599 minute book which says that “Several speculative brethren had appended their marks after their names” thereby laying claim to the Mark Master Mason Degree.
The Mark Master Mason Degree can be seen from regalia comprising an apron of white kid leather with a triangular flap bordered with a two inch ribbon of light blue with crimson edges, with rosettes of a similar colour (although Masters and Past Masters have the rosettes replaced with silver levels).They are also adorned with a breast jewel consisting of a key stone appended to a ribbon which matches the apron and bears a mallet & chisel (being the tools of the order).
Administered from Mark Masons’ Hall in St James’s, London, HRH Prince Michael of Kent is Grand Master.
Similarly to Craft Freemasonry, Mark Masonry is based around moral and ethical lessons using allegorical lessons and rituals from the building of the Temple of King Solomon and require candidates to undertake the role of a Fellowcraft, and is effectively an extension of the Fellowcraft Degree. In other words, whilst the Fellowcraft degree teaches a Mason what the principles of a Fellowcraft Mason are, the Mark Master Mason degree teaches how to earn those entitlements. , how to prove his work is his own, and what the penalty for fraud was during the building of the Temple.
The link between the degrees of Master Mason, Mark Master Mason and the Royal Arch is further demonstrated in the Order of Royal and Select Masters.
In England (and Wales) the governing body is The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges Overseas, which also controls the Royal Ark Mariner degree. This is a separate degree conferred on Mark Master Masons. Each Royal Ark Mariner lodge is “moored” to a Mark lodge and shares its number.[9] The Order is administered from Mark Masons’ Hall, London.
The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Greece and its Lodges Overseas, was formed on 7 October 1993 by the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and its Districts and Lodges Overseas, presiding the then Pro Grand Master MW Bro. Lord Swansea. The Degree of the Royal Ark Mariner was put under the control of the Grand Lodge of MMM and the first Lodge of RAM was constituted in October 1996.
