As the Degrees of the Craft have evolved over time, so too have the Companion Orders of Freemasonry and rituals peculiar to them. Prominent among them in England and Wales is the Ancient and Accepted Rite, whose Chapters are grouped into Districts and administered by The Supreme Council 33rd Degree, whose headquarters are located at No. 10, Duke Street, St. James' London. The complete Order comprises Thirty Three Masonic Degrees, of which only the 18th Degree (The Rose Croix) is worked in full in the Chapters. The first three degrees of UGLE Craft Masonry are accepted as equivalent to the first three degrees of this Order and only the Supreme Council confers the Higher Degrees.
Of the degrees beyond the Craft probably one of the most thoughtful, beautiful and respected is the 18th Degree (or Knight of the Pelican and Eagle or Sovereign Prince Rose Croix) of the Ancient and Accepted Rite, normally referred to as the Rose Croix Degree. The Degree is open to any brother who has been a Master Mason for at least six months.
The ceremony requires a thoughtful consideration and a special understanding, as it is a mason's self-awareness and his personal faith which are key to his participation – especially as the Order amplifies the teachings of Craft Masonry.
