Holy Royal Arch

Holy Royal Arch

The Royal Arch is a single degree of Freemasonry that typically follows directly from the 3rd Degree of Master Mason. Many masons will say it "completes" the Master Mason degree. The Royal Arch is present in all main masonic systems, though in some it is worked as part of Craft Freemasonry, and in others in an appendant ('additional') order. Royal Arch Masons meet as a "Chapter" (not a "lodge"); in the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch as practised in the British Isles, much of Europe and the Commonwealth, Chapters confer the degree of Royal Arch Mason.

Much of the story of the Royal Arch degree is taken from the Book of Numbers.

A key aspect of the Holy Royal Arch degree is that of the 12 Tribes of Israel.

The 12 Tribes of Israel - Masonic Attributions (according to Stephen Skinner)

Tribe	Astrological	Direction
Gad	Aries	South
Ephraim	Taurus	West
Manesseh	Gemini	West
Issachar	Cancer	East
Judah	Leo	East
Naphali	Virgo	North
Asher	Libra	North
Dan	Scorpio	North
Benjamin	Sagitarius	West
Zebulon	Capricorn	East
Reuben	Aquarius	South
Simeon	Pisces	South

The Four Holy Living Creatures

Tribe	Creature	Astrology	Element	Direction	Temperature	Tetragrammaton	QBL Four Worlds	Archangel	Weapon	Symbols
Gad	Man	Air	Aquarius	East	Hot/Wet	Yod	Atziluth	Raphael	Dagger/Sword	Feather/Incense/Perfumes/Rose
Ephraim	Lion	Fire	Leo	South	Hot/Dry	Heh	Briah	Michael	Wand	Flame
Manesseh	Eagle	Water	Scorpio	West	Cold/Wet	Vau	Yetzirah	Gabriel	Cup	Water
Issachar	Bull	Earth	Taurus	North	Cold/Dry	Heh	Assiah	Auriel	Pentacle	Salt/Soil

Terminology

Once accepted into a Holy Royal Arch Chapter the candidate becomes a "Companion" with Royal Arch meetings being described as "convocations". The advanced ceremony advanced to Companion is called Exaltation. Royal Arch Chapters are governed by three Principals, who conjointly rule the Chapter, sitting together in the east of the assembly.

In addition to the three Principals, who rule conjointly, a Royal Arch Chapter has elected and appointed officers with individual responsibilities within the Chapter.

These are:

Zerubbabel – Prince of Jerusalem

Haggai – the Prophet

Joshua or Jeshua – the High Priest

Scribe Ezra

Scribe Nehemiah

Treasurer

Director of Ceremonies

Principal Sojourner

1st Assistant Sojourner

2nd Assistant Sojourner

Assistant Director of Ceremonies

Organist

Steward (there may be several Stewards)

Janitor