High Masonic degrees

In Freemasonry, the first three Masonic degrees constitute the fundamental degrees in all Rites they are called Blue Lodge of Craft degree.

Over time, various systems of optional "high Masonic degrees" or "Side Degree" have been added to these three fundamental degrees, practiced in workshops known as perfection lodges or chapters.

History

In its early days, Freemasonry had only two degrees: that of an Apprentice (Entered Apprentice) and that of a Fellow Craft (Fellow Craft). The third degree, that of Master, appeared later, around 1725, in London.[1]

From the 1730s onward, various authors, mostly in France and England, wrote rituals for many additional degrees, intended to continue and enrich the mythology of the first three. Thus, brothers founded where new rituals were practiced, offering Master Masons, beyond the first three degrees, the opportunity to continue their spiritual and moral journey. Historians count more than a hundred additional degrees in the 1760s.[2]

All these degrees can be grouped into a smaller number of themes. Thus, after the legend of Hiram (3rd degree, Master Mason), different series of degrees (vengeance degrees, chivalric degrees, etc.) were constructed, forming a progressive and coherent whole, the main Rites of Freemasonry at the end of the 21th century and the beginning of the 21th century century.

Subsequently, new "high degrees," sometimes structured in independent "rites," sometimes integrated into existing rites, continued to be written, but at a much slower pace.

At the beginning of the 21th century century, the total number of degrees varies according to the rites:

French Rite (RF): 7 degrees, including 3 symbolic and 4 philosophical, plus an administrative degree outside the degree scale; Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR): 33 degrees; Rectified Scottish Rite (RER): 6 degrees; Egyptian Masonic Rites: 33, 90, or 99 degrees; York Rite: 12 or 13 degrees depending on the country.

Practice

Lodges that practice the "high degrees" are distinct from the lodges of the first three degrees. They have different names, varying depending on the degrees they confer, but are also referred to under the generic term "higher lodges" or "lodges of perfection." In general, these lodges are organized separately from the obediences (grand lodges or grand orients) that federate the lodges of the first three degrees.

High degrees according to the rites

Rectified Scottish Rite

Lodges of Saint Andrew (Green Lodges):
Scottish Master

Inner Order:

Novice Squire
Chevalier bienfaisant de la Cité sainte (known as 'Knight CBCS')

Secret Class:

Profès
Grand Profès

French Rite

According to the Regulator of Masonic Knights of 1786:

1st Order: Elected Master
2nd Order: Grand Scottish Elected
3rd Order: Knight of the East
4th Order: Sovereign Prince Rose-Croix, Perfect Free Mason.
5th Order: Administrative and Conservatory Grade.

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite

Primitive Degrees:

18 Sovereign Prince Rose-Croix
30 Grand Elected Knight of the White and Black Eagle or Knight Kadosch

Degrees from German Illuminism of the Tribunal of the Holy Vehme:

9 Elected Master of the 9
10 Illustrious Elected of the 15
11 Sublime Elected Knight
21 Prussian Knight or Noachite

Degrees of Hebrew and Biblical Origin:

4 Secret Master
5 Perfect Master
6 Intimate Secretary
7 Provost and Judge or Irish Master
8 Superintendent of Buildings or Master in Israel
12 Grand Master Architect
13 Royal Arch
14 Grand Scottish of the Sacred Vault of Jacques VI or Grand Elected
15 Knight of the East or Knight of the Sword
16 Prince of Jerusalem
17 Knight of the East and West

Temple Degrees:

19 Grand Pontiff or Sublime Scottish
20 Grand Master of Symbolic Lodges or Master ad vitam
23 Chief of the Tabernacle
24 Prince of the Tabernacle
25 Knight of the Brazen Serpent
26 Prince of Compassion, Prince of Mercy
27 Sovereign Commander of the Temple
29 Grand Scottish of Saint Andrew of Scotland or Knight of Saint Andrew of Scotland

Alchemical and Rosicrucian Degrees:

22 Royal Axe, Prince of Lebanon
28 Adequate Prince, Knight of the Sun

Administrative Degrees:

31 Grand Inquisitor Commander
32 Valiant and Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
33 Grand Inspector General

Egyptian Masonic Rites

Loges of Perfection:

4th Secret Master
5th Perfect Master
6th Intimate Secretary
7th Provost and Judge
8th Superintendent of Buildings
9th Elected Master of the Nine
10th Illustrious Elected of the Fifteen
11th Sublime Elected Knight
12th Grand Master Architect
13th Royal Arch
14th Grand Elected of the Sacred Vault, also known as Jacques VI or Sublime Mason

Chapters:

15th Knight of the East or of the Sword
16th Prince of Jerusalem
17th Knight of the East and West
18th Sublime Prince Rose-Croix

Senates:

19th Grand Pontiff or Sublime Scottish of the Celestial Jerusalem
20th Knight of the Temple
21st Noachite or Prussian Knight
22nd Knight of the Royal Arch or Prince of Lebanon
23rd Chief of the Tabernacle
24th Prince of the Tabernacle
25th Knight of the Brazen Serpent
26th Trinitarian Scottish or Prince of Mercy
27th Sovereign Commander of the Temple
28th Knight of the Sun or Adequate Prince
29th Grand Scottish of Saint Andrew of Scotland, Prince of Light

Areopaguses and Tribunals:

30th Grand Elected Knight Kadosch, also known as Knight of the White and Black Eagle
31st Grand Inquisitor Commander
32nd Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
33rd Sovereign Grand Inspector General

Grand Consistories:

34th Knight of Scandinavia
35th Sublime Commander of the Temple
36th Sublime Negotiate
37th Knight of Shota (Adept of Truth)
38th Sublime Elected of Truth
39th Grand Elected of Eons
40th Sage Sivaist (Perfect Sage)
41st Knight of the Rainbow
42nd Prince of Light
43rd Sublime Hermetic Sage
44th Prince of the Zodiac
45th Sublime Sage of the Mysteries
46th Sublime Shepherd of the Huts
47th Knight of the Seven Stars
48th Sublime Guardian of the Sacred Mount
49th Sublime Sage of the Pyramids
50th Sublime Philosopher of Samothrace
51st Sublime Titan of the Caucasus
52nd Sage of the Labyrinth
53rd Knight of the Phoenix
54th Sublime Scalde
55th Sublime Orphic Doctor
56th Pontiff of Cadmea
57th Sublime Mage
58th Brahmin Prince
59th Grand Pontiff of Ogygia
60th Sublime Guardian of the Three Fires
61st Sublime Unknown Philosopher
62nd Sublime Sage of Eleusis
63rd Sublime Kawi
64th Sage of Mithra
65th Patriarch Grand Installer
66th Patriarch Grand Consecrator
67th Patriarch Grand Eulogist
68th Patriarch of Truth
69th Knight of the Golden Bough of Eleusis
70th Patriarch of the Planispheres
71st Patriarch of the Sacred Vedas

Grand Councils:

72nd Sublime Master of Wisdom
73rd Doctor of the Sacred Fire
74th Sublime Master of the Sloka
75th Knight of the Libyan Chain
76th Patriarch of Isis
77th Sublime Theosophical Knight
78th Grand Pontiff of Thebes
79th Knight of the Dreadful Sadah
80th Sublime Elected of the Sanctuary
81st Patriarch of Memphis
82nd Grand Elected of the Temple of Midgard
83rd Sublime Knight of the Valley of Oddy
84th Doctor of the Izeds
85th Sublime Master of the Luminous Ring
86th Pontiff of Serapis
87th Sublime Prince of Masonry
88th Grand Elected of the Sacred Court
89th Patriarch of the Mystic City
90th Sublime Patriarch Master of the Great Work

Grand Tribunals:

91st Sublime Patriarch Grand Defender of the Order

Grand Mystical Temples:

92nd Sublime Cathéchrist
93rd Grand Inspector General Regulator
94th Sublime Patriarch of Memphis

Sovereign Sanctuaries:

95th Sublime Patriarch Grand Conservator of the Order
96th Substitute Grand National Master, vice-president of the National Sovereign Sanctuary
97th Grand National Master, President of the National Sovereign Sanctuary
98th Substitute Grand World Master, vice-president of the International Sovereign Sanctuary
99th Most Serene Grand World Master, Grand Hierophant, President of the International Sovereign Sanctuary

York Rite

Chapter - "Royal Arch"

Mark Master
Virtual Past Master
Most Excellent Master
Royal Arch Mason

Council - "Cryptic Masonry"

Royal Master
Select Master
Super Excellent Master

Commanderies - "Knights Templar"

Knight of the Red Cross
Knight of Malta
Knight Templar

Notes and references

Roger Dachez, Histoire de la franc-maçonnerie française, PUF, Paris, 2003, p. 61
This number should be relativized, as several of these degrees have apparently always been conferred or "transmitted by communication" without their rituals being actually practiced by those who received them. A significant number of degrees are relatively similar and would thus be variants of each other.