French Rite

French Rite

Venerable Master Apron of the "Traditional" French Rite
Formation	1725 (Known as "the ritual") 1786 (codified as the French Rite)
Type	Freemasonry
Headquarters	Paris (originally) Decentralized (today)
Location	International
Parent organization	Premier Grand Lodge of England

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The French Rite (French: Rite français) is one of the oldest masonic rites, and the most widely practiced in France and Belgium. It is the direct heir and one of the best preserved ritual of speculative masonry as practiced by the Premier Grand Lodge of London in the early 18th century. Today, it is primarily practiced by over 900 lodges of the Grand Orient de France with approximatively 45,000 Masons and also by the Grande Loge Nationale Française and other French obediances, making it the predominant rite in France, it is also worked in several other masonic jurisdictions worldwide.^[1]

The French Rite consists of seven degrees: three "blue" or craft degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) and four additional Orders of Wisdom (Ordres de Sagesse), which were codified between 1781 and 1786 by the Grand Orient de France. It is characterized by its simplicity of ceremony, its emphasis on both tradition and progressive philosophical thinking, and its maintenance of practices from early speculative masonry that have been modified or abandoned in other jurisdictions.^[2]

Historically significant, the French Rite underwent several major transformations, notably in 1877 with the removal of religious requirements, establishing the principle of absolute freedom of conscience. Today, it exists in several variants, including the Groussier Rite, the Modern French Rite, and the Philosophical French Rite, each reflecting different approaches to masonic tradition and philosophy.^[3]

Unlike many other masonic rites, the French Rite maintains several distinctive features from early speculative masonry, including the placement of both Wardens in the West and the use of three large candlesticks in specific positions within the lodge. These characteristics, along with its historical development and philosophical orientation, make it a unique repository of early masonic practices while remaining adaptable to contemporary societal evolution.^[4]