The Order of the Knights of
the York Cross of Honour was formed in Monroe, North Carolina, on March
13, 1930. The intent of the Order was to
create an honorary group of York Rite Masons who had demonstrated
leadership and dedication to the several York Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.
It is an honorary
organization composed of individuals who have each been Master of a
Blue Lodge and High Priest of a Royal Arch Chapter and Illustrious Master of a Council of Royal and Select
Masters and Eminent
Commander of a Commandery of Knights Templar.
After serving as head of each of the four bodies, a candidate must
be proposed by one already a member and balloted on by the
membership of the state body, called a Priory. In many jurisdictions, there is only one
Priory, headed by a presiding officer called a
Prior.
The ceremony of initiation consists of an obligation, investing with
words and signs of the order, and a series of lectures on the Blue
Lodge, Chapter, Council, and Commandery, which recall to the
candidate's mind the principal lessons, obligations, and moral
instructions taught in those bodies.
The meaning of membership in K.Y.C.H. can best be explained by a closing statement of Most Eminent Knight Donald E. Friend, Grand Master General, at his Convent General Session in 1995,
“As a Knight of the York Cross of Honour, you are a proven servant of the Masonic Fraternity, your inspiration has came from your Past, your duty is in the present, your Hope is in the Future, I ask you always to remember — In all you do, In all you say, In all of your actions, take a good look at yourself, you are someone impression of Freemasonry.”
Knight of the York Grand Cross of Honor
If a member is elected
to preside over his Grand Lodge or other Grand York Rite bodies, he is
invested with the honor of Knight Grand Cross (KYGCH) upon completion of his
tenure. The Knight Grand Cross lapel pin is circular, with the KYCH emblem
in the center, surrounded by a quadrant of color representing each Grand
body over which he has presided. The colors are: blue--Grand Lodge;
red--Grand Chapter; purple--Grand Council; white--Grand Commandery. If the member receiving the Grand Cross of Honour is a Past Prior of
a KYCH Priory, the award emblem will have a purple background.
|
Examples
of KYGCH Award by filled quadrants |
| One
Quadrant |
Two
Quadrants |
| Past
Grand Master of a Masonic Grand Lodge |
Past
Grand Master of a Masonic Grand Lodge
Past Grand High Priest of a Grand Royal Arch Chapter |
 |
|
| Regular
KYCH Member |
KYCH
Past Prior
|
|
|
|
Three
Quadrants |
All
Four Quadrants |
|
Past
Grand High Priest of a Grand Royal Arch Chapter
Past Grand Master of a Masonic Grand Lodge
Past Thrice Illustrious Master of a Grand Council
of Royal and Select Masters |
Past
Grand High Priest of a Grand Royal Arch Chapter
Past Grand Master of a Masonic Grand Lodge
Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters
Past Grand Commander of a
Grand Commandery of Knights Templar |
 |
|
| Regular
KYCH Member |
KYCH
Past Prior
|
|
|
|
