The Royal Arch - Back To Basics: Gerald Reilly

For all those non-researchers among us who often wonder about the history of the ritual we use today 

Many Companions throughout the world follow the articles of Gerald Reilly who writes for ‘The Square’, which is now a digital magazine published monthly. His latest article in the August 2021 edition is about the Royal Arch and could be of interest for all those non-researchers among us who often wonder about the history of the ritual we use today.

Without going into great detail of how our founders used examples from the ancient world to represent the changes taking place during the Age of Enlightenment and symbolically illustrate our ceremonies with them, Gerald gives an interesting explanation of the origin of some of the basics found in the Royal Arch.

In a well-researched and informative article, The Royal Arch – Square Magazine (thesquaremagazine.com), of less than 750 words the reader is guided through the implications of:

• the sun at its highest
• everlasting as opposed to eternal
• stone buildings as statements
• the Roman emperor who ordered the Temple to be rebuilt in 363 A.D. and,
• an excerpt from the writings of an historian who recorded what took place.

There are several pictures illustrating the main points which make the article more colourful, interesting and easier to follow. Although written academically, because of its brevity, each element is well worth further personal investigation and research by Companions who have an enthusiastic interest in the Royal Arch and want to discover more about those hidden meanings used by our founders in the ritual. This may also help put our own knowledge on a firmer footing by getting back to basics.