A PRESTIGIOUS MASONIC CHIVALRIC ORGANIZATION OPEN TO MASTER MASONS WHO ARE ALSO ROYAL ARCH MASONS. MEMBERSHIP IS BY INVITATION ONLY.
KNIGHT MASONS
The Knight Masons, also known as the Order of Knight Masons, is a chivalric appendant body of Freemasonry. Here’s a breakdown of its key aspects:
- Membership: Requires membership in a Master Mason lodge and additional degrees like the Royal Arch. Membership is by invitation only.
- Structure: Organized into Councils of Knight Masons overseen by a Grand Council at a regional or national level.
- Degrees: Confers three progressive degrees: Knight of the Sword, Knight of the East, and Knight of the East and West. Ceremonies involve symbolism and teachings related to the Knights Templar and the building of the Second Temple.
- Focus: Like Freemasonry, it emphasizes moral development, fellowship, and charity.
GRAND COUNCIL OF KNIGHT MASONS
The Grand Council of Knight Masons is a Sovereign Masonic Order with control of the ancient Irish degrees known as the Red Cross or Babylonian Degrees. These ancient Irish Degrees of Knight Masonry are of high esoteric and symbolic value and the building of the second Temple forms the theme.
Knight Masonry contains those Degrees which are worked within a Council of Knight Masons under the jurisdiction of the Grand Council of Knight Masons. Grand Council of Knight Masons was formally constituted in 1923 to look after the Degrees which were previously worked by Royal Arch Chapters, Preceptories of High Knight Templars and even a Prince Rose Croix Chapter.
In the US, Knight Masonry quickly flourished and eventually some American Councils formed a separate Grand Council of the U.S.A. This Grand Council governs Councils within many States within the US, however access to American Councils is strictly by invitation only, within the York Rite. Councils in the State of Ohio did not join the new Grand Council of the USA, but have chosen to remain a province under the original (Irish) Grand Council.
HISTORY OF PORTAE LUCIS COUNCIL
Portae Lucis Council was born after the process of founding Logos Council No. 590 Allied Masonic Degrees. The officers of Logos Council thought that Logos Council should have a Knight Masons council sister council.
AMD councils are limited to 27 members. Knight Masons councils do not have a membership limitation. Therefore, it made sense to charter the new council in order to honor Royal Arch Masons who wholeheartedly support the York Rite above and beyond just attending the stated meetings. The name was aptly chosen because it serves as the door towards further Masonic Light for the worthy Royal Arch Companions.
The effort to create a new council began when Cousins Brian Zeppa, Manuel E. Lozada, Charles G. Harper, II, Craig Frazier and Iván A. Becerra met online on Zoom meetings in the year 2023. The process was straightforward, as guided by the documentation provided by the Grand Council of Knight Masons, U.S.A. After gathering all the necessary information, creating the corporate entity, obtaining IRS EIN, and filling out and submitting the petition to create the council, Portae Lucis council obtained its dispensation. Shortly after, Great Chief Most Excellent Robert Officer visited us along with Florida’s superintendent, James Hogg. In this visit, Portae Lucis Council was officially instituted on July 20, 2024 at Orange Blossom Lodge No. 80 in Kissimmee, FL. Portae Lucis Council was assigned number 139.
The Founding Members of Portae Lucis Council No. 139 were the following:
- Brian J. Zeppa
- Manuel E. Lozada
- Charles G. Harper, II
- C. Craig Frazier
- Franklin M. Suco
- Iván A. Becerra
- Michael Catello
- Christopher Krusell
- Jay Techman
- Thomas J. Norush, II
- Johnny D. Halter
HOW TO JOIN
To be considered for an invitation, you must be a Master Mason and a Royal Arch Mason in good standing. Furthermore, you must be an active and supportive member of the York Rite Bodies. If you would like more information about the Order, please email us at here.
