The Royal Arch

Discover More
CONTINUE THE JOURNEY
 One Journey
One Organisation
From Initiation to Exaltation
Every Master Mason should aspire
to continue their journey from
Initiation in the Craft to Exaltation as
a Companion in the Royal Arch.

When the Antient and Modern

Grand Lodges came together to form
the United Grand Lodge of England
in 1813 they declared that ‘Pure Antient Masonry’ consists
of three degrees—the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft,
and the Master Mason including the Royal Arch.

This declaration still stands at the front of our Book

of Constitutions and means there are four parts to a
Freemason’s journey. For historical reasons, the first three
are governed by UGLE, while the Royal Arch is governed
by the Supreme Grand Chapter of England—but in real
terms we are one organisation.

Because of this link, our Grand Master automatically serves

as the First Grand Principal in the Royal Arch, and many
other senior roles are also shared.

This connection makes English Freemasonry unique

around the world and represents an important part of our
history and heritage.
Discover More
Whether you have just been Raised or have been
a Master Mason for some time, you probably have
questions, such as what is next?, how do I discover the
secrets that were lost?, or even perhaps, what does it
all mean?

You might also be wondering how to enjoy more of

what Freemasonry has to offer and how to expand your
social circle beyond that of your own Craft Lodge.

The Royal Arch provides answers to these questions

and is where you will discover more.

“When I joined the Royal

Arch, I did so not because
I was told that I should–it
was because I thoroughly
enjoyed my Freemasonry. I
was keen to find out more
and extend my knowledge of
Freemasonry in general.”
RICHARD
GRANITE CHAPTER NO.
2028, LEICESTERSHIRE &
RUTLAND

Photo by Kenji Kudo

Continue the Journey
“What I love most about the Royal
Arch is not just the beauty of the
ritual, but its depth. I feel like every
time I perform a different part of
it, it unlocks something new and
meaningful. I just know that for
years and years to come I’ll always
be discovering new depths to
the ceremonies.”
GUR
BARNATO CHAPTER
NO. 2265, LONDON

When you become an Entered Apprentice Freemason,

you are placed in the North-East corner of the Lodge to
represent the foundation stone of a new building, and
are encouraged to raise a superstructure perfect in all its
parts and honourable to the builder.

Your Initiation is the beginning of a lifelong journey in

which you discover more about who that builder is.

The degrees you pass through on this journey contain

allegorical lessons that aim to help you live a better
life in harmony with others, and serve as an example
that benefits society. But even though the world has
changed much since the Eighteenth Century when these
allegories were first conceived, the principles involved
are just as important now as they ever were.
Follow the Clues
By the time you become a Master Mason, you have
learnt a lot on your masonic journey and made great
progress. But you also learn that the journey is not
finished because the genuine secrets of a Master Mason
remain lost—this implies there is more to learn.

In the Royal Arch, you complete this journey and

recover the true secrets of a Master Mason through a
spectacular, colourful, and dramatic ceremony you will
remember forever.

But the ‘genuine secrets’ you discover in the Royal

Arch are not what you might think they are—they are
even better.

“I joined the Royal Arch

to complete the story
which began in the Craft.
I stayed for the deeply
rich, atmosphere-laden
ceremony.”
PHIL
THAMES MARINER
CHAPTER NO. 8628,
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Enjoy Companionship
You also learn the important lessons of companionship
and collaboration—just as the three original Grand
Masters worked together to build King
Solomon’s Temple, everything in the Royal
Arch is done as part of a team.

This emphasises the further friendship and

companionship to be found within the Order,
and the important value of working together
in harmony with others.

“I can’t tell a Brother when

they will be ready for the Royal
Arch, but I can tell them it is
worth every minute that they
spend talking to those who have
already joined. I look forward to
enjoying many more years on this
journey with the fantastic new
companions I will share it with.”
SCOTT
HAMPDEN CHAPTER NO. 6483,
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

In addition, what you learn as a Royal Arch Mason

encourages you to act as an example to support and
inspire others.
Discover Answers
If you have enjoyed the three Craft Degrees, then you
will be pleased to know there is still more left to discover
in the Royal Arch. You will not fail to be impressed by
the splendour and drama in the Ceremony of Exaltation
when you join—and you will learn more about the story
behind the rebuilding of King Solomon’s Temple.

You will also have a fantastic and enjoyable time on your

journey—and make many new friends and Companions
whilst doing so.

As the journey unfolds, you will

start to understand Freemasonry
in a whole new way—your
understanding of the nature and
duty of the ‘builder’ referred to at
your Initiation will be clarified,
and you will begin to understand
how to build the superstructure
that is ‘perfect in all its parts’.

“The ceremony was absolutely brilliant—we couldn’t ask for any more from
those involved—it was a fantastic experience—we loved it.”
ADAM & ARNOLD
TALKING TOGETHER IN A RECENT PODCAST ABOUT BEING EXALTED
TOGETHER IN ROYAL CHESHIRE CHAPTER, NO. 89, CHESHIRE
Freemasonry in the
Twenty-First Century
The journey through Pure Antient Masonry and the
discoveries each person makes in the Royal Arch are
very personal. But you will discover that, even today,
these allegories still represent valuable lessons we can
all learn from—and enjoy in the process.

By applying what we learn on this journey, we can

indeed become honourable to the builder in a way
that would still be recognisable to those who first
developed these messages hundreds of years ago.

Aspire to discover more

about Freemasonry, and
more about yourself, by
continuing your journey
from Initiation to
Exaltation in the
Royal Arch.
 The Next Chapter
What will I discover?
Follow the clues from the Third
Answers Degree to complete your journey
in Pure Antient Masonry

Work together with old friends

Companionship and new Companions to build
on the principles of the Craft

Learn more about our history

Splendour in a spectacular ceremony
you will remember forever

Uncover new perspectives

Yourself that will support you in a
personal journey of discovery
When can I join
the Royal Arch?
You are eligible to join the Royal Arch four weeks after you
have been made a Master Mason.

It was sometimes said

in the past you should
wait until you have
gone through the Chair
of your Lodge before
joining—but this myth
is based on outdated
ideas, and on old rules
that no longer apply.

The simple answer is that you should find the most

suitable Chapter and join at a time that is right for you.

Just like in the Craft, there are many different Royal Arch
Chapters, each with their own history and traditions, as
well as many special interest Chapters.

So just ask your Lodge Royal Arch Representative for

advice, or contact your relevant Metropolitan, Provincial,
or District Office. Or just speak to anyone wearing a Royal
Arch Jewel—they will be pleased to help you complete
your journey.
www.ugle.org.uk/royal-arch