Grand College of Rites
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The Grand College of Rites is a Masonic organization dedicated to the collection and publication of various ritual texts from both Masonic ritual not currently used in the United States, and non-Masonic rituals used by other fraternities and societies of a ritualistic nature who generally keep their rituals private.[1]
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[edit] Overview
The Grand College of Rites has as one of its stated purposes the prevention, within the larger community of Freemasonry, of the revival or usage of any rituals that are not currently in use in the United States.[2] In addition to archiving rituals not currently in use in the USA, printing such rituals, and making them available to its members for study, the Grand College claims sole authority and jurisdiction over these rituals in the United States.[2] In order to join the Grand College of Rites, a Mason must promise never to join any Masonic or quasi-Masonic organization that uses rituals from the Rites of Memphis & Misraim, as well as many other Rites. However, many members of the Grand College of Rites join simply because they have a scholarly and historical interest in the materials in its possession, without any particular desire to prevent distribution of those materials to a wider readership or to discourage revival of the rituals in question.
Among the many rituals over which the Grand College claims jurisdiction in the U.S. are those belonging to the Antient & Primitive Rite, or the Rite of Memphis.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Grand College of Rites home page Accessed 17 April 2006.
- ^ a b Constitution of the Grand College of Rites Accessed 17 April 2006.
