Why are many Royal Arch Chapter's named St John?

Traditional Masonic lore attributes the patronage of the Saints John to historical and symbolic developments in the Fraternity, though the provided sources treat these traditions in the context of lodges generally rather than specifically explaining the naming conventions of Royal Arch Chapters 1.

According to tradition recorded by Mackey, early lodges were dedicated to King Solomon and later to Zerubbabel following the Babylonian captivity, before being dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and subsequently Saint John the Evangelist 1. Mackey notes that while this historical account lacks authentic evidence, a more symbolic explanation connects the Saints John with the solar alignments of the summer and winter solstices, preserving ancient solar imagery as an emblematic element within Freemasonry 1.

Additionally, Mackey suggests that Saint John the Evangelist became a patron of the Fraternity due to the visionary structure of the Book of Revelation 1. Drawing on George S. Faber's analysis, he holds that the imagery and progression of the Apocalypse closely mirror the ritual machinery and allegorical pageantry of ancient initiatory mysteries 1.

The supplied library passages explain the traditional and symbolic reasons for adopting the Saints John as Masonic patrons, but they do not specifically address why individual Royal Arch Chapters adopt the name.