Freemasonry



Freemasonry is, broadly, the ritual practice of initiated brothers (Freemasons), as orchestrated through the structure of local Masonic lodges, each operating under the jurisdiction of various supreme bodies that govern the rites, degrees, and general hierarchy of the order. The most common of the Freemasonic rites centres on the legend of Hiram Abiff, the Widow's Son, architect of King Solomon's Temple, where each degree of initiation re-enacts a different part of the legend; while Masonic-related side degrees &mdash; such as those of the Knights Templar &mdash; use different myth structures in their initiations.