What Masonic Degree makes you Rite?

Published On: June 23rd, 2016Categories: Uncategorized

“Oh, my grandpa was a really important Mason. He was a 32nd Degree!”

Unfortunately, this phrase is one of the biggest misconceptions in Freemasonry. Degrees have nothing to do with rank, prestige, or leadership. They are about learning through allegory and shared experiences. Just because a number of a degree is sequentially higher does not make it more important. Is the 45th chapter of a book more important than the 15th? Of course not! In the same way, higher numbered degrees in Freemasonry are not more important than the lower numbered ones.

The degree system that most often confuses people is known as the Scottish Rite. It is almost as if the originators of the organization did everything in their power to make it confusing. It confers 29 additional degrees beyond the 3rd. But, wait! I thought there were 32 degrees? The first three degrees in Freemasonry, which make a man a Mason, are added to the 29 to get to 32.

To continue our analogy from earlier, the Scottish Rite really just adds 29 chapters of learning to the book. Each degree tells a story and imparts a lesson to help a man grow as a person. It doesn’t make him any more important than any other Brother. He’s just pursuing an opportunity to learn.

Then, we hit a speedbump. The 33rd Degree; the most mysterious and oft-touted number, tied to conspiracy theories, plots and more shenanigans than you can shake a stick at! The truth is far less exciting. Think of it as a special edition book, designed only for those who have read the previous 32 chapters and really studied them hard. The 33rd Degree is conferred as an honor for men who have worked to promote and improve Freemasonry. A member of the Scottish Rite, who is a 32nd Degree Mason, can be nominated to receive the 33rd Degree. The ceremony is private and held sparingly, as needed. This only seems to build its luster to those uninformed about how the organization operates.

33rd Degree Masons don’t have any special secrets or higher knowledge. They are just great people who work really hard to make Freemasonry better.

Always remember, the highest title and most important person in Freemasonry is simply “Brother” – the individual man who makes the Fraternity the special group that it is.