DUTIES OF THE
SENIOR DEACON

The Senior Deacon sits to the right of the Worshipful Master. He is the Worshipful Master's messenger and does a lot of walking. He welcomes and escorts both visitors and new candidates into the lodge, and introduces distinguished visitors. During degree rituals, he is the guide for the new candidate, conducting him around the lodge room. In the opening and closing ceremonies of the lodge, the Senior Deacon opens and closes the Bible, and lights or extinguishes the candles at the altar. In many Lodges, he also carries the ballot box around the room when new members are voted on.

Both the Senior and Junior Deacon carry long staffs, or rods. Because they are messengers of the lodge, the rods they carry are symbolic of the caduceus, or wand, that the Roman winged god and messenger, Mercury, carried. The rods are topped by their jewels of office, to match the ones on their collars.

The Senior Deacon's jewel is a Square and Compass with a Sun in the center. The sun signifies that his position is in the East, with the Worshipful Master.