What is the 'Scottish Rite'?

What is the Scottish Rite? What does 'Rite' mean, and why does it have to be Scottish? Why not other nationalities as well? What are they all about? There's a 'Scottish Rite Dorm' next to the other regular dorms right here at U.T. Austin; other than looking a little nicer than the regular dorms, it appears to be a dorm, all the same.

Thanks for any information!

Maybe this will answer a few questions for you:

Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

Originally posted by ThunderCloud
What is the Scottish Rite? What does 'Rite' mean, and why does it have to be Scottish? Why not other nationalities as well? What are they all about? There's a 'Scottish Rite Dorm' next to the other regular dorms right here at U.T. Austin; other than looking a little nicer than the regular dorms, it appears to be a dorm, all the same.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is an international fraternal organization dedicated to enlightenment, philosophy, ethics, and philanthropy. The word �rite� refers to a collection of liturgies and rituals. For example, the Roman Catholic Church calls itself the Roman Rite, and the Greek Orthodox Church refers to its system as the Byzantine Rite.
The Masonic Institution is also divided into Rites, which also includes the York Rite, the Egyptian Rite, the Oriental Rite, etc.
The Scottish Rite is called �Scottish� because legend has it that its orders were founded by Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, following the Battle of Bannockburn in order to honor a fugitive band of Knights Templar who came to his aid on the battlefield.
The Scottish Rite Dorm was originally founded by Scottish Rite Masons who had daughters in attendance at your university, to give them a place to stay while in school. If memory serves, the dorm is now opened to any female student who needs a place to stay on campus and can demonstrate financial need, and the Texas Masons foot the bill.

Fiat Lvx.

which Rite would one have to be to become a Templar?

and how long would it take from becoming a Mason to being able to join the Templars?

Take it easy...

You would have to join the York Rite and would be eligable join York Rite as soon as you reached the Degree of Master Mason. How long it would take to get to that particular degree in the York Rite I will leave the answer to someone who is in that Rite Body.

"How long it would take to get to that particular degree in the York Rite I will leave the answer to someone who is in that Rite Body. "


In the US, it takes around 6 to 8 weeks to complete the York Rite degrees.

Wait a minute, now im not in the York Rite nor am I an expert on it but let me get this straight, you are saying that it only takes someone 6-8 weeks to progress through the degrees of the York Rite? This can't be true as it takes years for one to reach the degree of M.M. How is it possible that one can go through E.A. F.C. M.M Mark Master P.M Most Excellent Master and Royal Arch is 6-8 weeks?

Up here, it takes three months... this is only because we do not do the Virtual Past Master degree up here (except once a year, when it is given to people who want to visit RAM Chapters in the States). My understanding is that we don't give the VPM degree because it is too similar to our Inner Work up here (I don't know anything further on this, and I don't want to know until I become a W.M.).

So, Month 1: Mark Master
Month 2: M.E.M.
Month 3: R.A.M.

OK, I'm bursting with this, and I know this may not be the place to say it, but I'm just so happy! I've been asked to take a place on the Scottish Rite Leadership Council for my Province. Hee hee!

Now, I know that it's just because I'm a young Mason, and they want a "young, fresh, energetic perspective" on the committee, but I'm still so excited! Yaay!

Originally posted by Khonsu
Wait a minute, now im not in the York Rite nor am I an expert on it but let me get this straight, you are saying that it only takes someone 6-8 weeks to progress through the degrees of the York Rite? This can't be true as it takes years for one to reach the degree of M.M. How is it possible that one can go through E.A. F.C. M.M Mark Master P.M Most Excellent Master and Royal Arch is 6-8 weeks?

In my Jurisdiction, it takes a minimum of two months to become a Master Mason, as each Brother is required by regulation to wait 28 days between degrees at the Blue Lodge level.
I received all the York Rite Degrees over a period of about 5 weeks, but many states in the US also offer them in one day classes where they confer all the degrees at a Saturday session, beginning after breakfast, and concluding late in the evening.

Fiat Lvx.

Yes Yes,

Im well aware of the one day conferations, I just didnt think thatthe other degrees could be attained that quickly as well. I suppose its all up to ones lodge, as I know many who've been Mason's for almost a decade and still havnt attained the degree of M.M., additionally I know some that were confered all 3 in one day, and some over several months.

By the way, of the brothers present on this board how old is everyone, if you dont mind sharing.

J'ai vignt-sept ans.

I've also been a Mason for what I suppose must be three years... but every time I try to work it out in my head, the numbers don't add up This is partly because I joined the Scottish Rite two months after my Master Mason Degree, and became an officer in my second year of being a Mason, then got skipped three offices It's all such a whirlwind when you can't say "no."

Interesting stuff... Since there are so many different versions of the Rite, why is the Scottish one the one everyone hears and sees? What makes them so much bigger than all the others?

Originally posted by AlexKennedy
J'ai vignt-sept ans.

I've also been a Mason for what I suppose must be three years...It's all such a whirlwind when you can't say "no."

It must be all that Tai Chi that your Avatar is doing... it's helping your Karma, or not

Originally posted by ThunderCloud
Interesting stuff... Since there are so many different versions of the Rite, why is the Scottish one the one everyone hears and sees? What makes them so much bigger than all the others?

In English speaking countries, York Rite Masons outnumber Scottish Rite Masons. Scottish Rite seems to be more popular among conspiracy theorists because such people are apparently fixated with that Rite�s 33�. They pretend that members of that degree are some sort of elite �world controllers.� In reality, the 33� of the Scottish Rite is an honor bestowed by the Supreme Council upon members of our fraternity in order to recognize outstanding service.

Fiat Lvx.

In reference to the statement concerning the Masons footing the bill at the Scottish Rite Dorm for girls having financial need, that is not true.

There also seems to be this perception that the Scottish Rite Dorm is the most expensive private dorm at UT. That also is not true. SRD is no more expensive than most of the on-campus dorms and even cheaper than UT's newest dorms and many of the off-campus private dorms.