Masons will perform an Empty Chair Degree ceremony at Fort Wayne’s Old Fort on May 30, 2022.
Matthew A. Doss of Markle will serve as the Worshipful Master during the ritual. Doss is a past master of the Huntington Masonic Lodge, Amity 483 and a member of the Huntington Knights Templar Commandery 35.
Doss is also an Army infantry veteran and is a member of the Markle Town Council.
The Empty Chair Degree ceremony is thought to date back to 1875, a decade after the close of the American Civil War when it was used in Masonic lodges throughout the nation to pay tribute to those Masons who did not return from the war. Since then, it has been used by many lodges across the country on Memorial Day to pay homage to those Freemasons who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
However, this will be the first time that the ceremony will be held in Indiana.
Doss will be joined by other Mason and Knights from lodges throughout northeast Indiana. An honor guard will be provided by the Knights Templar of the State of Indiana, led by Dominic J. Hamblin.
The ceremony is open to the public. Seating is limited, so those attending are encouraged to bring a chair.
The event will start at 3 p.m. and spectators are encouraged to arrive at 2:30 p.m. The ceremony is expected to take about an hour.
The Old Fort is at 1201 Spy Run Ave. in Fort Wayne.
