The Symbol of the Shrine

The symbolic explanation of the emblem is:
The emblem represents the 400,000 Shriners who are the backbone of the Shrine. The two claws represent the two divisions of the Shrine, the fraternity, the Shrine of North America and the charity, Shriners Hospitals for Children, joined in the middle by the head of a sphinx which is representative of the Imperial Council of the Shrine of North America, the governing body of the Shrine. The ruby star that hangs between the claws represents the stars of the Shrine, the thousand’s of children we assist every year.