Degrees | AASR Australia Region 1

The 33 Degrees of the Rite

1° to 3° are conferred within a Craft Lodge

The Rite holds the ancient teachings of the 1st to 3rd Degrees; however, accepts the three Degrees of Craft Masonry as equivalent to the first three Degrees of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite. Those Degrees are:

Degree	Title	Conferred in
1°	Entered Apprentice Freemason	Entered Apprentice Lodge
2°	Fellow Craft Freemason	Fellow Craft Lodge
3°	Master Mason	Master Mason Lodge

4° to 18° are conferred within a Sovereign Chapter

A Master Mason in Australia¹, who maintains membership of a regularly constituted Craft Lodge, may petition to be Perfected to the 18° in a Sovereign Chapter. Although the titles of the Degrees may vary slightly between Supreme Councils across the globe, under the Supreme Council 33° of Australia they are named as follows:

Degree	Title	Conferred in
4°	Secret Master	Lodge of Perfection
5°	Perfect Master	Lodge of Perfection
6°	Intimate Secretary	Lodge of Perfection
7°	Provost and Judge	Lodge of Perfection
8°	Superintendent of the Building	Lodge of Perfection
9°	Elect of Nine	Lodge of Perfection
10°	Elect of Fifteen	Lodge of Perfection
11°	Sublime Elect	Lodge of Perfection
12°	Grand Master Architect	Lodge of Perfection
13°	Royal Arch of Enoch	Lodge of Perfection
14°	Grand Elect Perfect and Sublime Master	Lodge of Perfection
15°	Knight of the Sword	Council of Princes of Jerusalem
16°	Prince of Jerusalem	Council of Princes of Jerusalem
17°	Knight of the East and West	Lodge of Knights of the East and West
18°	Knight of the Pelican and Eagle, Sovereign Prince Rose Croix of Heredom	Sovereign Chapter of Princes of Rose Croix of Heredom

¹Under a concordat agreed and signed by the Supreme Council 33° for Australia, and the United Grand Lodge of NSW & ACT, a Master Mason under the Jurisdiction of NSW & ACT cannot be received within a Sovereign Chapter until he has served the Craft for two years as a Master Mason.

19° to 30° are conferred within a Sovereign Council

A member of the 18° in Australia, who meets the prerequisites and maintains membership of both a Sovereign Chapter and a Craft Lodge, may petition to be Elevated to the 30° in a Sovereign Council. Although the titles of the Degrees may vary slightly between Supreme Councils across the globe, under the Supreme Council 33° of Australia they are named as follows:

Degree	Title	Conferred in
19°	Grand Pontiff	Assembly of Philosophers
20°	Venerable Grand Master	Assembly of Philosophers
21°	Patriarch Noachite	Assembly of Philosophers
22°	Prince of Libanus	Assembly of Philosophers
23°	Chief of the Tabernacle	Assembly of Philosophers
24°	Prince of the Tabernacle	Assembly of Philosophers
25°	Knight of the Brazen Serpent	Assembly of Philosophers
26°	Prince of Mercy	Assembly of Philosophers
27°	Commander of the Temple	Assembly of Philosophers
28°	Knight of the Sun	Assembly of Philosophers
29°	Knight of Saint Andrew	Assembly of Philosophers
30°	Grand Elect Knight Kadosh	Sovereign Council of Grand Elect Knights Kadosh

31° and 32° are conferred within a Grand Consistory

A member of the 30°, or the 31°, in Australia who meets the prerequisites and maintains membership of a Sovereign Council, a Sovereign Chapter and a Craft Lodge, may petition to be Advanced to the next Degree in a Grand Consistory. Although the titles of the Degrees may vary slightly between Supreme Councils across the globe, under the Supreme Council 33° of Australia they are named as follows:

Degree	Title	Conferred in
31°	Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander	Sovereign Tribunal
32°	Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret	Grand Consistory

33° is conferred within a Supreme Council

Admission to the 33rd Degree, the highest Degree within the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, is possible only by invitation. This protocol is universally observed by all Supreme Councils world wide.

Degree	Title	Conferred in
33°	Sovereign Grand Inspector General	Supreme Council 33°

A Comparitive Journey

Illustrating the sovereinty of Supreme Councils 33° across the globe

Australia

The Supreme Council 33° for Australia has directed that all members be afforded the opportunity to attain the full teachings and wonders of the Rite; however, a genuine demonstration of engagement and service to the Rite, in both time and Degree, is reasonably expected.

A member must serve three years at the 18° before being eligible for Elevation to the 30°. Further three year periods of service are required before the 31°, and then the 32°.

Each progression, therefore, acknowledges service to the Rite, adds immeasurably to the member’s sense of advancement and achievement, and underpins the respect, knowledge, and experience held for those who have attained the higher Degrees.

The United Kingdom

Under the Supreme Council for England & Wales, and also the Supreme Council for Scotland, advancement to the 31° and 32° is awarded strictly through invitation and merit.

Membership above the 30° in the UK is subsequently low when compared to membership numbers above the 30° in Australia.

Members of the Rite who visit England & Wales, or Scotland, will be warmly welcomed as visitors with full recognition of their higher Degree; however, if that visitor chose to affiliate under either Supreme Council he would be required, and reasonably so, to be welcomed at the 30° and thereafter advance through merit and service.

The United States

Under the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the USA, the 4° to 32° can be conferred through witnessing the working of each Degree, in sequence, delivered as a professionally choreographed and dramatic theatrical stage play.

These events are called Reunions and are conducted several times per year in regional areas. Master Masons may petition to join the Rite, attend a Reunion which is delivered over one or two weekends, and graduate at the 32°.

This method offers the unique opportunity to witness the complete ritual of all Degrees, from 4° to 32°, over one or two weekends which would otherwise require many years to attain in Australia.