Worshipful Master

The senior officer of a Masonic Lodge is the Master, normally addressed and referred to as the 'Worshipful Master'.

The Worshipful Master sits in the East of the lodge room, directs all of the business of his lodge, and is vested with considerable powers without further reference to the members. He also presides over ritual and ceremonies.

The office of Worshipful Master is the highest honor to which a lodge may appoint any of its members. The office is filled by election, generally by means of a secret ballot. However, in most lodges the progression is such that the post will almost always be filled by the previous year's Senior Warden.

It should be noted that the honorific "Worshipful" does not imply that the Master is worshiped. Rather, use of the word implies its original meaning, "to give respect", similar to calling an judge "Your Honor" or a mayor "Honorable". In fact, mayors and judges in parts of England are still called "Worshipful" or "Your Worship." French Masons use the word Venerable as the honorific for their Masters.

There are a few titles used in relation to the position of Master of a Lodge:

• Worshipful Master - the presiding officer of the Lodge
• Past Master - a member who has previously served as Worshipful Master of any Lodge.(In many jurisdictions, a Past Master is addressed as "Worshipful Brother ".)
• Immediate Past Master or Junior Past Master - the Past Master who served directly before the present incumbent, and acts as his mentor and prompter.
• Installed Master - generic term for all Masons who currently serve or have ever served as Worshipful Master of a Lodge
• Right Worshipful Master - alternative name for the Worshipful Master in Scotland (In some jurisdictions the title "Right Worshipful" - without the word Master - is reserved for Grand Lodge Officers)
• Deputy Master - in England and Wales a Royal Prince elected as Worshipful Master may appoint a Deputy to serve in his place
• Depute Master - in Scotland, an elected deputy to the Right Worshipful Master
• Serving or Reigning Master - colloquial term for the current Worshipful Master of a lodge
• Board of Installed Masters - an assembly restricted to masons who are Installed Masters

The corresponding grand rank is Grand Master. The Grand Master may preside over his Grand Lodge when it is in session, and also has certain rights in every lodge under his jurisdiction. Grand Masters are usually addressed as "Most Worshipful".