What was used to receive the candidate during the initiation?

• A. The point of a sharp instrument piercing the naked left breast
• B. A ceremonial kiss on the forehead
• C. A volume of sacred texts
• D. A ceremonial staff

Answer: (A)

In this initiation, the act of receiving the candidate is described in some traditional texts as the point where the candidate is touched by the point of a sharp instrument piercing the left breast. This symbolic gesture was meant to represent the seriousness of the oath and the bond of life and commitment the apprentice is entering into with the craft. The other options don’t fit the reception moment: a ceremonial kiss on the forehead, a volume of sacred texts, or a ceremonial staff are symbols or elements used in different parts of ceremonies or in other rites, but they do not describe the act by which a candidate is received into the lodge in this context.