The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 7 - Rituals 513
badge of the Rite
The Grand Standard of the Rite has a white background upon which is
embroidered or painted the above-mentioned badge of the Amaranth degree, the
All-Seeing Eye, and a descending dove with an olive branch in its beak. The four
virtues have much smaller banners which might either be all scarlet or in the
appropriate color of the station, and which bear each the station's name. Thus,
Truth's banner is blue and depicts an angel; Faith's banner is yellow, displaying a
female figure and a cross, Wisdom's banner is white and shows a Minerva figure
and an owl, and Charity's banner is green and represents a female figure with
children.
In correspondence to the Craft ritual, the Amaranth has an Opening and a
Closing Ceremony, and a ceremony simply called "Conferring the Degree." If
the candidate is a man, then there is a special ceremony, the "Initiation of a
Master Mason." Further included in the ritual are the Installation Ceremony of
officers of a Subordinate Court, the Installation Ceremony of officers of a Grand
Court, as well as the ceremony of constituting and dedicating a Court.
The Opening Ceremony of the Amaranth is similar to the Craft's Opening
Ceremony; however, the phraseology and the equipment are taken from the
setting of a queenly court during the period of chivalry (e.g. expressions like
court room, Honored Ladies, Sir Knights, Royal Matron, crown, throne, etc.)
instead of stonemasonry; the symbolism is Biblical. When the time to open the
Court has arrived, all officers retire to the anteroom with exception of the Royal
Patron, the Associate Conductress, and the Musician (and also the Associate
Patron, if this office is filled). With one blow of the gavel, the Royal Patron calls
the Court to order. The officers enter in two lines, and the Royal Patron descends