RITES
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR in English) was officially born in the early years of the 19th century. The history of this Rite is the culmination of something called the "Scottish Movement" (what is today called Ecossism). This stream of Freemasonry likely appeared in England between 1733 and 1735 as some writings attest to the existence of "Scotch Masons" in this period. Ecossism according to the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry is defined in the following way: A name given by French Masonic writers to the 33 Degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. This in English. would be the equivalent of Scottish Freemasonry which was originally a movement characterized by a proliferation of degrees beyond Master Mason.
The first Scotch Masters appeared in the Grand Lodge of France in 1743 and this movement has evolved continuously since It took the form we now know on the 24th of June. 1801, in Charleston. South Carolina, in the United States. However, there have been various stages in its evolution
One person who contributed strongly to the creation of the Scottish Rite was Etienne Morin_ This brother (1717-1771) arrived in 1763 in Santo Domingo. He held a patent issued by the Grand Lodge of France, allowing him to confer some "higher degrees." Morin created and evolved a system totaling 25 degrees drawn from different degree work in use in Europe This Rite is known today under the name of "The Rite of Perfection" The original name was the "Rite of the Royal Secret "The ultimate degree in this Rite was the "Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret," which became the current 32 degree of the AASR today. Contrary to a generally accepted idea, this system was not in use in France.
The system designed by Morin was to be modified and restructured culminating in a 33 degree system: The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.
In December of 1802 a "circular thourought the two hemispheres" announced the creation of a Supreme Council of the 33rd degree of the United States of America the 31st of may 1801 in Charleston.
Tthe first three degrees of this Rite are in use mainly in the European Grand Lodges. with the exception of Israel and a few African Grand Lodges The United States of America practices the 4th to 33rd degrees, with the exception of a few blue lodges in Louisiana which work the first 3 degrees of this Rite The full system has 33 degrees which are:
Blue Lodges
1. Entered Apprentice
2. Fellow Craft
3. Master Mason
Lodges of Perfection
Chapters |  |  |  |
The “Grand Lodge of Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite” in Bulgaria is working only in Blue Lodges!
To know more about this Rite. we encourage you to read the "Manifesto of the Congress of Lausanne" and the "Circular throughout the Two Hemispheres," which are founding documents of this order:
Circular thourought the two hemispheres (Dec_ 1802)
Manifesto of the Congress of Lausanne (1875)
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