York Rite Bodies of East Hartford

York Rite Bodies of East Hartford Pythagoras Chapter No. 17, Royal Arch Masons
Wolcott Council No. 1, Royal & Select Masters
Washington Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar.

The York Rite is made up of three distinct organizations, each with its own local, state, and national structure:

Royal Arch Masons Chapter:
Confers the four Capitular Degrees, which are: Mark Master Mason, Past Master (Virtual), Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason. They center on the construction phases of Solomon's Temple, with the exception of the degree of Past Master, hence the title

of Capitular. Chapter membership requires membership in a Lodge of Master Masons. Royal & Select Masters Council:
Confers the three Cryptic Degrees, which are: Royal Master, Select Master, and Super Excellent Master. The degrees get their name from the reference to a hidden or secret vault in the degrees, hence the term Cryptic. Council membership requires membership in a Lodge of Master Masons and a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. Knights Templar Commandery:
Confers the three Chivalric Orders, which are: Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, Order of Malta, and Order of the Temple. The Knights Templar exhibit a paramilitary structure and is the only branch of Freemasonry that is a uniformed body. Membership is open to Freemasons who profess a belief in the Christian religion. Commandery membership requires membership in a Lodge of Master Masons, a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and a Council of Royal & Select Masters.

05/15/2026

We’ve had a week of conservation maintenance and spring cleaning. Alex Kelly, of Eden Architectural Conservation, is seen here cleaning the famous Apprentice Pillar.

"Freemasonry certainly still maintains an aura of history and mystery. The organisation dates to the 14th century, when ...
02/11/2024

"Freemasonry certainly still maintains an aura of history and mystery. The organisation dates to the 14th century, when groups of stonemasons formed guilds to self-regulate. It grew through the Enlightenment period (Voltaire was initiated a month before his death, Rousseau was almost certainly a mason, too) and saw a golden age in the 19th and 20th centuries. The movement has counted world leaders among its ranks, including Winston Churchill, George Washington, 13 other presidents of the United States and five kings of England, including George VI."
-- Katie Tarrant is a news reporter at The Sunday Times

The ancient organisation, long shrouded in secrecy, is shedding some of the mystery to attract younger members. Our writer was invited in ahead of a swearing-in ceremony at Oxford University

A “blast from the past” shared by Sir Knight Michael Seamon.
01/12/2024

A “blast from the past” shared by Sir Knight Michael Seamon.

Address

York Masons Hall, 784 Main Street
East Hartford, CT
06108

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