3056_Fourth Degree

The following statement is taken from the Supreme Council:

On February 22, 1900, the first Fourth Degree exemplification or degree ceremony was held in New York City. The Fourth Degree imparts a lesson on the virtue of patriotism. The primary purpose of this degree is to foster the spirit of patriotism in members and the community at large and encourage active Catholic citizenship. Today there are some 300,000 Fourth Degree Knights out of the total 1.9 million member Knights of Columbus. Local units, called Assemblies, draw their members from Knights of Columbus councils.

The need for a patriotic degree was first considered in 1886 and a special plea was made at the National Meeting of 1899. The first Fourth Degree exemplification followed in 1900 with 1,100 Knights participating at the Lenox Lyceum in New York City. Today there are more than 2,500 Assemblies.

The Fourth Degree is the highest degree of the order. Members of this degree are addressed as "Sir Knight". The main purpose of the Fourth Degree is to foster patriotism and to encourage active Catholic citizenship. Fewer than 18% of Knights join the optional Fourth Degree.

Assemblies are distinct from Councils and are led by a separate set of elected officers. The Supreme Board of Directors appoints a Supreme Master, currently SK Dennis Stoddard, and twenty Vice Supreme Masters, to govern the Fourth Degree. Each Vice Supreme Master oversees a Province which is then broken up into Districts. The Supreme Master appoints District Masters to supervise several assemblies.

Each assembly is led by a Navigator. Other elected Assembly officers include the Captain, Admiral, Pilot, Scribe, Purser, Comptroller, Sentinels and Trustees. A Friar and Color Corps Commander are appointed by the Navigator. Assembly officers are properly addressed by using the title "faithful" (e.g. Faithful Navigator). Assemblies are numbered in the order in which they chartered into the Order and are named by the local membership.

Only Fourth Degree Knights may purchase the uniform and join the Assembly’s Color Corps. The Color Corps is the most visible arm of the Knights and is often seen in parades and other local events wearing their uniform. Official dress for the Color Corps is a Navy Blue Blazer with Fourth Degree Emblem Crest and Knights of Columbus Emblem of the Order buttons, Official Fourth Degree Gray Trousers, Official Fourth Degree Necktie and a Official Fourth Degree Black Beret with Fourth Degree metal badge and Rank/Officer patch worn over the left eye. In the United States, baldrics are red, white and blue. Service baldrics include a scabbard for a sword and are worn over the coat.

The triad emblem of the Fourth Degree features the dove, the cross and the globe. The dove, classic symbol of the Holy Spirit and peace, is shown hovering over the orb of the Earth (globe). Both are mounted on a variation of the Crusader's cross, which was found on the tunics and capes of the Crusading knights who battled to regain the Holy Land from the pagans.

Spiritually, the sacred symbols on the emblem typify the union of the Three Divine Persons in one Godhead, the most Blessed Trinity.

The Globe – God the Father, Creator of the Universe.
The Cross – God the Son, Redeemer of Mankind.
The Dove – God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of Humanity.
The colors of the symbols are:

A blue globe with the land of the Western Hemisphere in white.
A red cross with gold borders and gold knobs at the end of the points forming the ends of the arms of the cross, also known as the Isabella cross.
A white dove.
Red, white and blue are the colors of the flag of the country in which the Knights originated. They are used to stress patriotism, the basic principle of the Fourth Degree.