LIGHT HOUSE OF ALEXANDRIA
On the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea in Alexandria, Egypt once stood the Lighthouse of Alexandria. For centuries, the Lighthouse guided ancient mariners and merchants into port from a tiny harbor island called "Pharos."Having been erected around 300 BC, it is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and is often referenced as the "Pharos Lighthouse." It stood for a millennium and a half until time and multiple earthquakes (the final devastating event in 1323) destroyed it. As I study and prepare for my Entered Apprentice lecture, I see the Lighthouse of Alexandria as an excellent allegory for me and my path during this EA work. Perhaps it will also be symbolic of my path toward becoming a Master Mason.No one that has lived in the past 700+ or so years really knows what the structure actually looked like. There are few historical references from those who might have lived sometime between 300 BC to 1300 AD that saw the Lighthouse and was able to record facts about its appearance. I can only imagine the way of life for our ancestors in Alexandria, Egypt during that period: Perhaps a Roman soldier in a nearby village received orders under the reach of the light. Perhaps a fisherman in the harbor extended his work hours out at sea, for the light would lead his way home. And, perhaps the child who needed to escape from slavery looked upon the fiery glow with the hope of one day returning home.