What is the Royal Arch banner and what do its emblems mean?

Banners used in a Royal Arch Chapter derive from those traditionally associated with the twelve tribes of Israel during their wilderness encampment 1. While scriptural passages note that the tribes pitched by their own standards, the specific devices and colors stem from Talmudic tradition rather than the biblical text itself 1. English Chapters display twelve banners corresponding to all the tribes, whereas American Chapters use four banners attributed to the principal tribes of Dan, Reuben, Ephraim, and Judah 1.

These four principal banners combine specific emblematic figures with distinct colors: an eagle on a blue banner representing Dan, a man on a purple banner representing Reuben, an ox on a scarlet banner representing Ephraim, and a lion on a white banner representing Judah 1. In American practice, these are assigned respectively to the Grand Master of the First Veil, the Grand Master of the Second Veil, the Grand Master of the Third Veil, and the Royal Arch Captain 1.

Symbolically, the four emblems of the lion, ox, man, and eagle constitute an ancient glyph illustrating the evolution of the human soul 2. Under this interpretation, the figures denote a progression from a passional wild-beast stage to disciplined service, moving upward to human rationality, and ultimately culminating in soaring spirituality 2. The full array of twelve banners symbolizes the zodiacal divisions of the heavens and the archetypal canopy of the heavenly hierarchies 2.

Historical documents record the Three Sojourners as travelers returning from Babylon to Jerusalem who, having made a discovery of importance, entreat permission to impart it to the august Sanhedrim and assist in rebuilding the Temple, as Quatuor Coronati Lodge notes.

Beyond this narrative role, the journey of the Sojourners serves as an allegory for the candidate's internal spiritual progress 2. In this interpretation, the candidate seeks freedom from the confusion of mundane existence in order to rebuild the ruined temple of the self 2. Positioned at the Western pole of the Chapter, the three Sojourners represent the materialized and psychic aspects of human nature, acting as transient pilgrims upon a plane of impermanence 2. They form the physical reflex of the overshadowing Spirit personified by the three Principals in the East 2.

Within this symbolic framework, the triad of Sojourners corresponds to the unitary human personality 2. The Principal Sojourner represents the central directive Ego and force of will, while the two assistant Sojourners represent passive subconscious intuition and active practical intelligence 2. Clothed in white, they are structured to reflect and react to the spiritual attributes situated at the opposite pole of the organism 2.

In contemporary practice, the United Grand Lodge of England notes that modern ritual initiatives divide ceremonial duties between the Sojourners and the Principals to foster broader member engagement and cultivate a sense of belonging.