Complete the Story
Like other forms of Masonry, the York Rite is not a religion and is open to men of all faiths. Nevertheless, it does utilize Old Testament allegory in addition to themes based on the Medieval Crusades. In the York Rite, A Master Mason may become a member of three bodies — progressively, a group of separate Rites joined in order, beginning with Royal Arch Masonry. These include a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons; The Council of Cryptic Masons; The Commandery of Knights Templar. Each Rite operates independently allowing a new Royal Ach member to decide when and how many bodies he would like to join.
Royal Arch Masonry
Within Capitular Masonry are contained the essentials of symbolism, allegory, and philosophy that a Master Mason requires in order to understand those teachings which have only been partially given to him in the Blue Lodge.
In architectural symbolism, the capstone is the crowning stone of an entire structure or wall. It is for this reason that Royal Arch Masonry is called “the Capstone of Ancient Craft Masonry” or the Capitular Rite.
Council of Cryptic Masons
The second set of degrees within York Rite Masonry encompasses the degrees of the Council of Royal and Select Masters. These degrees expound upon the Royal Arch degree and, to a lesser extent, the Master Mason degree. They are often said to be among Masonry’s most beautiful and impressive ceremonies and to complete one’s education in Ancient Craft Masonry.
The degrees of the Council comprise what is called Cryptic Masonry or the Cryptic Rite because of a crypt or underground room figures prominently in the degrees. The symbolic foundation of these rites is the subterranean Vault constructed by King Solomon as a stockpile for certain secret knowledge which was guarded by a select priesthood.
The Commandery
The completion of the York Rite Bodies is the Commandery of Knights Templar—the degrees of which comprise what is known as Chivalric Masonry because they are based upon the Chivalric Orders of knighthood that fought to protect Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land during the Middle Ages. Unlike other Masonic bodies which only require a belief in a Supreme Being regardless of religion, membership in Knights Templar is open only to Royal Arch and Cryptic Masons who promise to defend the Christian faith (but do not need to be Christian). Despite the name, the Masonic Knights Templar is not considered to be any kind of lineal descendant from those historical orders of knighthood.
Royal Arch Masonry of Colorado
1614 Welton St
Denver, Colorado
Phone: 303-623-5825
Email: office@RoyalArchColorado.org