Companion Christian G. Marano was raised a Master Mason on November 19, 2003. He served as Master of King David’s Lodge in 2015 and was awarded the Hiram Award in 2021. His service to the Grand Lodge of California began in October 2023 when he was appointed Grand Standard Bearer and District Inspector. He currently serves as Assistant Grand Lecturer for Division V and is a member of the Youth Orders Committee.
Prior to his Grand Lodge appointments, Christian served his lodge in numerous leadership and support roles, including multiple terms as a lodge officer after his year as Master. He has filled countless ritualistic needs, served on various committees, developed the lodge’s first website and social media presence, and served as editor of the lodge newsletter since 2015. His efforts helped the lodge receive statewide recognition through the Grand Lodge Communications Awards for Excellence in Overall Communications and Public Communications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he established and maintained weekly virtual meetings for several Masonic bodies, helping members remain connected during a challenging period.
With the support of his wife, Mara, and their sons, Christian spearheaded the effort to establish a new DeMolay chapter under the sponsorship of King David’s Lodge. In 2021, King Solomon Chapter was officially organized, and Christian was selected to serve as Chapter Advisor. The following year, the chapter was named Chapter of the Year, while Christian received the Guild of the Leather Apron Chapter Advisor of the Year Award for Southern California DeMolay. He was subsequently honored with the Zerubbabel Key Award and the Cross of Honor from DeMolay International.
A dedicated York Rite Mason, Christian has presided over each of the York Rite bodies in San Luis Obispo and has served multiple terms as Secretary and Recorder. He is a recipient of the Knight of the York Cross of Honour and has served as District Inspector for the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of California and as Grand Warder of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of California.
Christian’s service to the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of California began in 2020 as Grand Chaplain of the South. In 2021, Most Illustrious Past Grand Master Peter Champion appointed him Grand Steward, placing him in the progressive line. Throughout his York Rite journey, he has received numerous honors and awards at the local, state, and international levels. He is also a member of the Scottish Rite, the Shrine, the Allied Masonic Degrees, and the Red Cross of Constantine.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Christian immigrated to the United States in December 2000 at the age of eighteen to join his mother, Nieva, and stepfather, Flemming. Shortly thereafter, he enlisted in the United States Air Force but was medically exempted from service. Having already completed three years of computer science studies at a Philippine university, he later pursued training in Psychiatric Technology and began a long and rewarding career in mental health and public service.
While working full-time and raising a family, Christian returned to college to pursue a nursing degree. He earned an Associate Degree in General Studies and Registered Nursing from Cuesta College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, Chico, and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern California. Along the way, he received multiple merit-based scholarships, graduated with honors, and achieved dual national certifications as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Christian has been employed by the California Department of State Hospitals for more than twenty-four years and currently serves on a statewide clinical team supporting a large-scale healthcare technology initiative.
Beyond his professional responsibilities, Christian volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corps through the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he served at testing sites, alternate care facilities, and vaccination clinics. He was a parent volunteer with Troop 51 of Scouting America and with Atascadero High School.
Christian and Mara first met as high school students in the Philippines, where they began dating. They have now been married for more than twenty-two years and reside in Atascadero, California. Together they have two sons, Sebastian and Damian.