York Rite: Who, What, Why

Many in Freemasonry tend to "discount" the York Rite as something of an "also ran" when it comes to Masonic Rites.  Many prefer the simplicity of attending, watching a play, saying how nice and then never giving another thought to the meaning of the message presented.  Many prefer NOT to spend the time, energy and effort that it takes to actually participate in active degree work that York Rite presents.

Just like the York craft lodge (yes, your blue lodge is actually a York Rite Craft Lodge), York Rite depends upon its members to meet in regional meetings, hold offices, make plans, do business, learn and present rituals and share the message that York Rite Masonry brings.  

To help you learn more about the York Rite, and perhaps to even share this information in your Blue Lodge, we present the following information:

Freemasonry

Freemasonry consists of a number of fraternal organizations.  It is not limited to just the three degrees of the craft lodge. 

Regular Craft Freemasonry insists that a volume of scripture is open in a working lodge, that every member profess belief in a Supreme Being, that no women are admitted to degree or business work in the lodge, and that the discussion of religion and politics within the lodge meeting is banned.  

The Masonic, Craft, or Blue,  lodge is the basic organizational unit of Freemasonry.  The lodge meets regularly to conduct the usual business of any small organization.  In addition to such business, the meeting may perform Masonic ceremonies, the bulk of these consisting of degree rituals.  Most Lodges have some sort of social and activity calendar, allowing Masons and their partners to meet in a less ritualized or formal  environment.   

The degrees of craft Freemasonry retain the three grades of medieval craft guilds–Apprentice, Journeyman or Fellow (now called Fellowcraft), and Master Mason, and the craft, or blue, lodge represents the beginning, building, and near completion of King Solomon's Temple. 

The most elevated membership elevation within the basic craft lodge is that of Master Mason.  The rank of Master Mason entitles a Freemason to explore Masonry further through other masonic degrees, administered separately from the craft, or Blue Lodge, but having a format similar to it.

The York Rite

York Rite is one of many rites of Freemasonry.  A number of Masonic rites are recognized by various “regular masonic” jurisdictions, and many other rites are not recognized as “regular.”   

A rite is a series of progressive degrees that are conferred by various Masonic organizations or bodies, each of which operates under the control of its own central authority. The three primary bodies in the York Rite are the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons; Council of Royal & Select Masters or Council of Cryptic Masons; and the Commandery of Knights Templar.    

Capitular Masonry:  A Royal Arch Chapter is in many ways the same as a craft lodge with officers and a ritual degree system.  Chapter consists of four degrees: Mark Master Mason, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason. It is the most widely known and talked about degree in the Masonic system because it had been part of the third degree until the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England.  It exemplifies the character of those who built Solomon’s temple, those who saw it destroyed at the initiation of the captivity in Babylon, and those who returned from that captivity to rebuild it.  

Cryptic Masonry: is the second part of the York Rite system and the last found within the rite that deals specifically with the Hiramic Legend. A Cryptic Council has a ritual degree system consisting of three degrees: Royal Master, Select Master, and Super Excellent Master.  These degrees are the gateway to the second temple restoration rituals and reconstruction.

The Masonic Chivalric Orders likewise portray circumstances following the destruction of the Temple.  This time the second Temple completed by those portrayed in the Chapter and Council degrees has been destroyed and certain orders of Knights are portrayed in ritual who seek to help pilgrims find their way back to the place where God had his Temple in Jerusalem.    

Unlike the initial degrees conferred in a regular craft Masonic lodge, which only require a belief in a Supreme Being regardless of religious affiliation, the Knights Templar is one of several additional Masonic Orders in which membership is open to Freemasons who may freely profess a belief in Christianity. Candidates are required to be Master Masons, and Royal Arch Masons, and to profess that if called upon to take up the sword in a religious cause, to give preference to the Christian religion. Templars vow to work in the defense of maidens, widows, orphans and the Christian religion, and to give alms to poor and weary pilgrims, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and bind up the wounds of the afflicted.  

Other York Rite bodies:  There are other Masonic organizations that are considered to be directly associated with the York Rite, or that specifically require York Rite membership to join. These include, among others, the York Rite Sovereign College, Allied Masonic Degrees, Knight Masons, Red Cross of Constantine, Operative Masons and more.  Many of these are invitational bodies or honors bodies composed of brothers who have long displayed a like mind and temper. 

 Why York?

The York Rite’s name is derived from the City of York where, according to a Masonic legend, the first meetings of masons in England took place.  

People settled in the region of York since the middle-stone-age people between 8000 and 7000 BC.  The city was originally founded in 71 AD, when the Roman IX Legion conquered the region and constructed a wooden military fortress on flat ground above where two rivers joined. The fortress, whose walls were rebuilt of stone by the VI legion based there after the IX legion, covered an area of 50 acres and was inhabited by 6,000 legionary soldiers. 

The Emperors Hadrian, Septimius Severus and Constantius I all held court in York during their various campaigns. During his stay between 207–211 AD, the Emperor Severus proclaimed York the capital of the province and it is likely that it was he who granted York the privileges of a colonia or city. 

Emperor Constantius the first died in 306 AD during his stay in York, and his son Constantine the Great was proclaimed Emperor by the troops based in the fortress of York.    

By 400 AD the town was victim to occasional flooding.  Reclamation of parts of the town was initiated in the 7th century under King Edwin of Northumbria and York became his chief city.  

York Rite participants will become familiar with each of these historic and legendary characters, their works, and more. Master Masons who have been granted all the light that this lodge can bestow are invited to continue their studies into great characters through participation in the York Rite of Freemasonry.  

We encourage men to continue to seek light in Masonry and not to settle for Masonic lite. Entertainment comes through mere observation.  True knowledge comes through effort.