Bringing the beauty of our lodge to light. Bucranium was a decoration commonly used in Classical architecture. The name originated with the practice of displaying garlanded, sacrificial oxen, whose heads were displayed on the walls of temples, a practice dating back to Neolithic times where cattle skulls were overlaid with white plaster. The OxSkull symbolizes the roman concept, Momento Mori, a reminder that death is eminent so live your life well. The symbol of the sacrificial Ox also reminds us that we must respect the animal lives we take in order to live. In older times the eaters of cattle would pray to absorb the ox’s spirit to live through them, providing them with greater strength to till their lands. The symbol of the Ox was a hopeful one, revealing a secret of this world. The soil where the cow’s milk and bull’s blood were spilled became incredibly fertile from the the concentration of minerals. And God showed grace when the ground grew lush with flowers, vines and vegetables. The particular Bucaranium on our lodge is molded after a more refined version found in Italy, the bleached skull representing purity, the light blue veil subconscious, the soul of man, the collective soul of men and the thin veil between conscious reality and the greater truths, the gold background representing the possibilities of perfection or enlightenment. The lodge decided to paint them in their traditional colors since most people hadn't even noticed them, to bring respect to the careful choice, the skilled labor that went into them and to beautify our neck of Astoria. #masonicsymbol #masonic #freemason #astoriaqueens #freemasonry #masoniclodge #masonichall #masonictemple #truth #architecture #masonicarchitecture #bucaranium #momentomori (at 30th Ave Astoria, Queens) https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5uwHNPHLB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=