AROUND THE CAMP
WHAT’S WITH THOSE
RED CAPS? Written By KCCH Kevin Moultrie, 32°
Introducing the Knight Commanders of the Court of Honour
A
ncient and Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry is typically referred to as the College of Freemasonry and the Orient of the District of Columbia has certainly been living up to this moniker. With an established curriculum, Fraters of this Orient have been treated to a masonic educational experience that is unique and exciting. As a result, the Louis W. Roy Sr. Council of Deliberation has been generating a buzz, not only within the walls of 1000 U Street but throughout the entire Southern Jurisdiction. Our presence is being seen as much as it is being felt. One of the most notable visual changes within our Orient is the appearance of certain Fraters wearing red caps. Many questions have arisen as to what these caps represent. Well, allow me to provide some clarity. On October 7, 2022, during its
Above: Inaugural KCCH at the 136th Annual Session of the United Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction
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CHOKMAH | MARCH 2023
136th Annual Session, The United Supreme Council, 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, Southern Jurisdiction of the USA where the Honorable Corey D. Hawkins Sr., Esq. 33° serves as its Illustrious Sovereign Grand Commander, bestowed upon deserving Fraters, for the first time, the designation of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH). KCCH is not a degree; it is not conferred upon a Frater; he is invested with it.[1] It is a distinguished honor presented to Fraters who have demonstrated a work ethic, dedication, and commitment to the Rite that is worthy of distinction. Eight Sublime Princes from our Orient were bestowed with this honor. As many have noticed, the most distinctive apparel of the KCCH is his red cap “a symbol of the nobility of the soul, which is the
parent of all Knightly virtues”, and it replaces the black cap that he earned upon becoming a 32˚ Mason.[2] The Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, and the United Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction is the only Sovereign Grand Bodies that can rightfully bestow the KCCH upon deserving Fraters. So, if this sounds like a big deal, believe me, it is; one cannot ask to become a KCCH, he must be nominated. It is in and of itself one of the greatest honors to hear the Sovereign Grand Commander say at the investiture’s culmination, “I Dub and Create Thee, a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor, and may our Father in Heaven make thee a good Knight in the service of our fellow men”.[3]
[1] Phoenixmasonry.org Knight Commander Court of Honour [2] Knight Commander of the Court of Honor by Midnight Freemason Contributor Steven L Harrison, 33˚, FMLR [3] Scottishrite-stjo.org Knight Commanders Court of Honor Conduct Investiture October 2019 by Budd Gilfillen