The 33° of masonry

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Masons earn degrees as they achieve higher levels of education.  There are 32 degrees of Masonry, with an honorary 33° given for exceptional service.

Scroll down to learn more about each Degree of Freemasonry.

1°
​Entered Apprentice

The first degree teaches the candidate many moral lessons and values through the use of symbols.  The Mason's moral code is based upon the teachings of the Holy Bible.  This degree represents youth, and is the beginning of a man's journey into freemasonry.

2°
fellowcraft

The second degree represents adulthood and hard work.  It is also a call to learning, celebrating continued education.  The Terrestrial and Celestial Worlds, the Orders of Architecture, the Human Senses and the Liberal Arts and Sciences are introduced and explained.

3°
​master mason

The third degree represents old age and relates to wisdom.  This degree deals with beliefs relating to the afterlife, such as the resurrection of the body and immortality of the soul.

lodge of perfection

4°
master traveler

The fourth degree deals with integrity and the necessity of secrecy in all confidential relationships.

5°
​perfect master

The fifth degree teaches the Mason that impure thoughts and selfish ambitions are destructive.  A man who forgets his duty to his family, his country, and God will be morally and spiritually destroyed.

6°
​master of the brazen serpent

The sixth degree teaches the Mason that a devotion to one's friends and an eagerness to perform one's duties are rewarding virtues.

7°
​Provost & judge

The seventh degree teaches the Mason to judge righteously.  It deals with treating everyone fairly and equally.

8°
intendant of the building

The eighth degree explains that each new honor is a step closer towards a perfect moral code.  It teaches that charity and benevolence are necessary virtues of leadership.

9°
master elect of the temple

The ninth degree teaches that man has searched for God in many ways, and has worshipped him in many tongues, but Universal Worship is found through serving our fellow man.

10°
master elect of fifteen

The tenth degree teaches that someone who does not fulfill their obligations and commitments will not go unpunished.  Any types of excuses or rationalizations will likely increase the severity of punishment.

11°
sublime master elected

The eleventh degree focuses on honesty and good citizenship.  Evil doings should be punished, while good behavior should be rewarded.  It teaches the Mason to be honest, kind, and sincere.

12°
grand master architect

The twelfth degree teaches the Mason to contemplate the many aspects of life as he progresses in learning the skills of his trade.

13°
master of the ninth arch

The thirteenth degree teaches the Mason that difficulties and hardships should not deter him from progressing onward towards perfection.  It teaches the Mason that the finest things in life often come as a result of great pain and sacrifice.

14°
grand elect mason

In The Scottish Rite, the fourteenth degree is the summit of Ancient Craft Masonry.  As the crowning degree of the Lodge of Perfection, this degree focuses on the Holiness of God and reverence for His Name.

​council of princes of jerusalem

15°
knight of the east or sword

The fifteenth degree teaches the important lessons of loyalty to conviction and devotion to right.

16°
prince of jerusalem

The sixteenth degree teaches loyalty to truth and fidelity to duty.

chapter of rose croix

17°
knight of the east and west

The seventeenth degree explains that loyalty to God is man's primary allegiance, and that any governments not founded upon God and His righteousness will fall.

18°
knight of the rose croix of h.r.d.m.

The eighteenth degree teaches lessons of universality and tolerance.  It teaches that man must worship God in spirit and in truth, and must practice the law of love.

consistory

19°
grand pontiff

The nineteenth degree explains the spiritual unity shared by everyone who shares faith in God with a hope of immortality, no matter which religious leader they worship.

20°
master ad vitam

​The twentieth degree deals with confronting the challenges of disloyalty and treason.  This degree condemns all people who conspire against the security of our nation and the happiness of our people.

21°
patriarch noachite

The twenty-first degree teaches that Freemasonry is not a shield for evildoing.

22°
prince of libanus

The twenty-second degree teaches appreciation for hard work.  Earning a living is looked at as a privilege,  Idleness, not labor, is disgraceful.

23°
chief of the tabernacle

The twenty-third degree teaches that those who have faith in God and love for their fellow man will make great sacrifices to help others.

24°
brother of the forest

The twenty-fourth degree teaches that a shared belief in a Supreme Power should act as a common thread, binding all men together in a worldwide Brotherhood.

25°
master of achievement

The twenty-fifth degree deals with the eventual loss of discipline, or loss of faith, that mostly everyone goes through at some point in life.  This degree serves as a call to faith in one's self, in each other, and in God.

26°
prince of mercy

The twenty-sixth degree teaches the quality of mercy.  It shows it as a sense of compassion and tenderness of the heart that allows the Mason to treat an offender better than he deserves.

27°
knight of jerusalem

The twenty-seventh degree teaches that Scottish Rite Freemasonry believes in Free State and Free Church working together for a common good, neither seeking to dominate the other.

28°
knight of the sun

The twenty-eighth degree, through symbols of architecture, teaches that by building high moral character, Freemasonry may advance man's quest for achievement of unity and peace throughout the world.

29°
knight of st. andrew

The twenty-ninth degree enforces equality and tolerance.  It reinforces that no man, no church, no religion, has a monopoly on truth.  The Mason must be true to his convictions but must respect the opinion of others.

30°
grand inspector

The thirtieth degree puts the Mason through a series of tests and ceremonies designed to build excellent character.

31°
my brother's keeper

The thirty-first degree has the Mason challenge himself in his obligation to help, aid and assist his fellow Brothers.

32°
sublime prince of the royal secret

The thirty-second degree deals with the victory of the spiritual over the human in man.  Thirty-second degree Masons learn that sometimes duty comes before self-interest, requiring sacrifice, sometimes the ultimate sacrifice.

33°
sovereign grand inspector general of the thirty-third and last degree

The thirty-third, and final degree of Freemasonry, is an honorary degree bestowed upon 32° Masons who have showed exceptional leadership in their community.  It cannot be applied for, and is given only to those who exemplify the Brotherhood of man under the Fatherhood of God.

He must be no younger than 33 years of age, and has to have been selected by the Deputy of his state.  At an Annual Meeting of the Supreme Council, he may be elected a Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the Thirty-Third and Last Degree, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council.