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Diffusion of York Rite and Scottish Rite across the World

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
small note: a couple of months ago I visited the UGLE central Temple as tourist in London I found on the Northern side, near the organ the triple tau of the York Rite.(If I well recall). The museum and the small temple of the Duke of Kent were of an astonishing beauty. The guide was so smart and sarcastic. Really Brit sphere and delicious Brit humour. Culturally speaking I would try to replicate one funny pun, giving you my most profane compliments for the yesterdays 6-1 at the world cup
Great Queen Street is Indeed beautiful.

I think you mean the Temple where the Grand Master’s lodge meets.

It would be the tau for the Holy Royal Arch, considered a part of ancient Freemasonry.
 
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Mike Martin

Eternal Apprentice
Premium Member
small note: a couple of months ago I visited the UGLE central Temple as tourist in London I found on the Northern side, near the organ the triple tau of the York Rite.(If I well recall). The museum and the small temple of the Duke of Kent were of an astonishing beauty. The guide was so smart and sarcastic. Really Brit sphere and delicious Brit humour. Culturally speaking I would try to replicate one funny pun, giving you my most profane compliments for the yesterdays 6-1 at the world cup
You should have come to see me as that is where I work :)

The triple tau is displayed as a symbol of the Holy Royal Arch which is not exclusively a part of the "York Rite" but which is considered to be the completion of the Master Mason degree here in England :)

The football was interesting but only the beginning of a long tournament.
 

Center

Registered User
Ah ok, you were the skinny tall, kind of red hair(do not remember) witty guy, then.
I loved your joke about the corner stone that in the years become the belly of the brothers, brilliant.

And I appreciated the organization maintained the fama fraternitatis at the beginning of the museum, this means a lot to me.

EDIT: I saw your pic on the internet, googling it, no you were the friend, that remained in the museum, but anyway thanks because also you replied my questions there.
 

Taiuti

Registered User
I'm glad to have started such an interesting and kind conversation.

Besides esoteric topics, that is too early for me to deal with, I'm still interested on the original question about the presence of the Rites worldwide.

That's an interesting topic specially in Italy, because the Rites have had a premiere role in international recognition of Grand Orient of Italy in the last century.

If you permit me a little digression, here they are some events of primary importance for italian Freemasonry:

In 1805 the Grand Orient of Italy itself was funded in Turin by Brothers initiated in french Scottish Rite (55 years before the birth itself of Italy as a state!);

In 1908 have happen a split between GOI and italian Supreme Council (generating the Grand Lodge of Italy, that have women and no separation between Blue Lodge and High Degrees). The work of Brothers of the newborn Supreme Council related to GOI was essential to mantain/regain international recognitions;

In 1993 a new split in GOI (driven by UGLE, as they did in Greece and in other countries) generate a brand new, pure Emulation Grand Lodge, the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy. The RGLI was immediately recognized by UGLE as planned, to the detriment of GOI that lose it, but thanks to the Brothers of the pretty young York Rite in Italy (at that time), we kept almost all mutual recognitions with United States and world Grand Lodges.

Today, in Italy we are in a pretty strange situation: Grand Orient of Italy is not recognized by UGLE, but has mutual recognition with almost all Grand Lodges of the world, that are recognized by UGLE :rolleyes:
At the same time, italian York Rite has mutual recognition with UGLE, even if UGLE doesn't recognize GOI, but italian York Rite has mutual recognition with GOI! :D
 
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Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
n 1908 have happen a split between GOI and italian Supreme Council (generating the Grand Lodge of Italy, that have women and no separation between Blue Lodge and High Degrees). The work of Brothers of the newborn Supreme Council related to GOI was essential to mantain/regain international recognitions;

In 1993 a new split in GOI (driven by UGLE, as they did in Greece and in other countries) generate a brand new, pure Emulation Grand Lodge, the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy. The RGLI was immediately recognized by UGLE as planned, to the detriment of GOI that lose it, but thanks to the Brothers of the pretty young York Rite in Italy (at that time), we kept almost all mutual recognitions with United States and world Grand Lodges.

Today, in Italy we are in a pretty strange situation: Grand Orient of Italy is not recognized by UGLE, but has mutual recognition with almost all Grand Lodges of the world, that are recognized by UGLE :rolleyes:
At the same time, italian York Rite has mutual recognition with UGLE, even if UGLE doesn't recognize GOI, but italian York Rite has mutual recognition with GOI! :D
Whew!!! Making my head spin!
 

EVG Yumul

Registered User
I'm guessing there is a confusion here, Brethren.
When you say "Rite" it means differently depending where you are.
It could mean Rite as an Appendant Body of Freemasonry.
Or Rite as the rituals used in the Three Symbolic Degrees.

I think what Brother Taiuti is asking about is Rite pertaining to the rituals used in the Three Symbolic Degrees.
English Rituals, American Rituals (also known as York Rite), Scottish Workings, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and Swedish Rite are all examples of Rituals that are practised in Craft (Blue) Lodges, used to confer the three degrees.
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite has very esoteric elements and is practised in South America, Europe (France, Spain, Italy, et al), Africa, and some Lodges in the Pacific (Singapore, Papua New Guinea, and Australia).
I belong to a Craft lodge that practises the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite under the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
The majority of Australia uses rituals based on the Emulation (English) Rituals or the Scottish Workings.

As to your original question, your observations are accurate, Brother Taiuti.
Even if you're just an Apprentice, continue on your research.
I understand that it is a requirement for your degree progression and you're doing well, I might add.
The pursuit of Knowledge should ever be the priority of any Mason.
 

YHWH

Registered User
Dear Brother, your advice is very wise and I will observe it, thank you.
I ask that question because in recent Grand Lodge meeting in Rimini of Grand Orient of Italy, I met many Master Masons brothers belonging to different Rites, that gave me precious suggestions and teachings, applicable to my grade.

Anyway, I would like to share withyku that long list of Rites that we have in Italy!

- Scottish Rite
- York Rite
- Memphis and Misraim Rite
- Ancient Primal Noah's Rite
- Italian Symbolic Rite
And 10-12 more!

Sent from my WAS-LX1A using My Freemasonry mobile app

You are forgetting the Rectified Scottish Rite o Order of the Knights Beneficient of The Holy City.
:)
The Italian situation is complicated by the fact that there are 2 regular Grand Lodges: the Grand Orient of Italy, the oldest and most authoritative, and the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy, derived from a "political" split, and currently recognized only by the "English circuit".
GOI admits these Rites, RGLI admits "Side Degrees".
However, the Rites are currently "specialization courses", beyond the craft.
I recommend the following books:
- http://www.atanoreditrice.it/prodotto/natale-mario-di-luca-la-massoneria-storia-miti-e-riti/
- https://www.unilibro.it/ebook/salvatore-farina/libro-completo-riti-massonici-e-book-pdf/80611856
- of course Emulation Ritual of EA or the Simbolic Ritual of the EA
And the following italian forum: http://lodgeroominternationals.com/massoneria/phpBB3/index.php?sid=00998af209598885b5ae8dee904999d4
 
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