< Back to the lodge

The Rites and Rituals of Freemasonry

–By Adam Kendall, P.M.

One of the most interesting – and sometimes confusing – aspects of Freemasonry is its varied rituals and rites. To study them is to understand the fraternity’s wild creative streak and its ability to adapt to diverse social and cultural trends.

Defining “Acceptability”
Grand lodges around the world recognize hundreds of rites and rituals, yet in every jurisdiction, some traditions are perceived to strain the bonds of acceptable Masonic practice. Some shunned practices imitate, or are derived from, Masonic ritual but practiced primarily by non-Masonic or quasi-Masonic organizations. Other practices may be dissuaded based on personal biases on from those responsible for determining what is “Masonic” enough. Although Freemasonry is a global organization, many Masons are rooted in a perception of the fraternity that directly correlates with their personal experience and worldview. When they learn of unfamiliar practices, they may inadvertently perceive these rites and rituals as inferior, or as deviations to what they consider to be “true” Masonry. But a hazard of dismissing practices that are unfamiliar is that when one Mason learns of a diverse practice through the lens of another’s negative perception, misinformation and falsehoods can spread, leading the unfamiliar practice to be negatively branded, even when such perceptions are without merit.

Standardization and Variety
For the most part, Masonic ritual in the United States derives from a common source and follows a state-based ritual (in California’s case, we are governed by the California Masonic Code). This differs from the experience of British Masons; although lodges under their jurisdiction follow establish guidelines, there is no official ritual and lodges practice several different varieties. This is also true in Scotland, where lodges often adapt historic ceremonies to local traditions. In these countries, no two lodges’ ritual experiences are the same. Regalia is also highly personalized for local fraternal identity. Other countries’ grand lodges sometimes allow for a multitude of craft rituals, some of which belong to rites with degrees extending beyond the Master Mason, such as the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, the Modern Rite, or the Rectified Scottish Rite. These differences in flexibility at the jurisdictional level lead to an interesting difference in Masonic experience as we further investigate the various rites’ intersection.

Worldwide Masonic Rites

Although there are many more fascinating rites that are worthy of study – including the Adoniram, French, Schroeder, and Baldwin, to name a few – this summary is intended to briefly illustrate the historical variety of the Masonic community, which often moves far beyond the first three degrees. Freemasonry is an organization that delights in its ancient and mysterious charm. Highly dramatic and elaborate ceremonies inspired by these historical romanticisms produced, some of the most meaningful and philosophically rich rituals that the fraternal community has to offer. They call to all Masonic scholars to deeply consider their own traditions – as well as the possibilities in store for those who seek more knowledge about its craft.

Adam G. Kendall is a past master of Phoenix Lodge No. 144 and Northern California Research Lodge in San Francisco. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Scottish Rite Research Society and previously served as collections manager of the Henry W. Coil Library & Museum of Freemasonry