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Red Cross of Constantine

Companion Joe

Premium Member
I received the Red Cross of Constantine last night. I am truly blessed to have conferred on me such a distinguished honor. There were a number of past Grands in attendance. Our Intendent General made the 8-hour trip from the other end of the state. The degree was conferred by, and I was knighted by, a former Grand Master.
 

Companion Joe

Premium Member
Thank you.
I guess I haven't fully digested the full impact of being selected, but from everything that has been said by some pretty heavy-hitting Masons, so to speak, receiving the RCC means someone is breathing some pretty rare air. There aren't that many, comparatively speaking, nationally. We don't even have 200 in the state.
I am honored.
 

John Burchfield

Registered User
I received the Red Cross of Constantine last night. I am truly blessed to have conferred on me such a distinguished honor. There were a number of past Grands in attendance. Our Intendent General made the 8-hour trip from the other end of the state. The degree was conferred by, and I was knighted by, a former Grand Master.

Congratulations my brother. You are most deserving of this high and distinguished honor.
 

Pierre-Denis

Registered User
Thank you.
I guess I haven't fully digested the full impact of being selected, but from everything that has been said by some pretty heavy-hitting Masons, so to speak, receiving the RCC means someone is breathing some pretty rare air. There aren't that many, comparatively speaking, nationally. We don't even have 200 in the state.
I am honored.
Welcome Sir Knight to join this family, I was invited four years ago to join this order mine is Bedford Conclave of Canada in province Quebec
 

Companion Joe

Premium Member
NY.Light.II and Derek Harvey:

Being selected to receive the RCC is pretty much the highest honor you can get in the York Rite, at least that seemed to be the sentiment from several people, including Past Grand Masters and a whole bunch of KYCHs. The story of the degree is based on the conversion of Emperor Constantine, thus the name of the order.
 

chrmc

Registered User
First of all congratulations with the honor, I'm sure it is well deserved.

And I'm not sure how to ask this question without sounding negative, but I've never understood why the York rite has so many invitational bodies that one has to be invited too. Is there actually activity in them or is it mainly a lot of backslapping (again, no offence intended)?
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Gotcha. Many are not really part of the York Rite, regardless of the link. AMD has a Royal Arch requirement but is really its own beast, Royal Order of Scotland is for York or Scottish Rite masons, SRICF has no requirement beyond MM...
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
PS Note the header on the page you linked: "Honorary, Invitational, and National..." They aren't all invite-only.
 

Companion Joe

Premium Member
I can't answer why there are so many invitational, honorary, and side bodies in the York Rite. I can't answer for everyone, everywhere, but in my area, the bodies meet and have activities. The biggest thing (to me) is they all tell a different story. As previously noted, many of them are honors/awards bestowed on members who have presided over various bodies. For example, the Order of High Priesthood and the Silver Trowel don't meet regularly. It's a once a year thing during Grand Lodge week where those orders are conferred on Past High Priests and Past Illustrious Masters. KYCH is recognition of having presided over all four bodies.

One of the most active, and my favorite, in our area is our York Rite College.

If you add up all the various York Rite orders, bodies, etc., it probably comes out very close to the number of degrees and honors in the Scottish Rite, so we'll call it even.
 

chrmc

Registered User
Thanks for the info and perspective. I think the point about the different stories is a good one.

And whilst there's probably the same number of degrees in YR and SR, the fact that so many of the YR ones seem to be invitational or Christian only does give it an air of exclusivity to it that I've never quite understood. But that's probably a discussion for another day ;)

Want to ask though, why is the YR college one of your favorites? The degrees, activities or?
 

Companion Joe

Premium Member
Thanks for the info and perspective. I think the point about the different stories is a good one.

And whilst there's probably the same number of degrees in YR and SR, the fact that so many of the YR ones seem to be invitational or Christian only does give it an air of exclusivity to it that I've never quite understood. But that's probably a discussion for another day ;)

Want to ask though, why is the YR college one of your favorites? The degrees, activities or?

I like the College because it does have an air exclusivity and formality to it. In my opinion, the College hearkens back to what Freemasonry used to be. Everyone there is a Mason, not just a member. If you show up to a meeting not appropriately dressed (suit and tie), then you don't get in. Degree work is done with everyone wearing a tuxedo. Every meeting has a Masonic education presentation. We have a big banquet once a year and also hold a ladies' night where we take our wives out for an evening of dinner and entertainment. We have a third degree team that confers the MM degree by a strong group of ritualists wearing tuxedos. We promote the YR by visiting, upon invitation, lodges and doing a skit on each of the YR degrees; everyone wears a costume emblematic of the particular degree. The degree work for the Knight of York is set in Anglo-Saxon England. I am a high school English and history teacher who spends a good part of each year on that particular time period. I have used information from the College in my classroom and information from my classroom in the College.
 
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