Why do we take 9, 12, and 15 inches long steps in initiation?
The candidate is instructed to advance to the altar by three distinct steps of increasing length: nine, twelve, and fifteen inches. This practice serves to subliminally impress upon the candidate the recurring theme of three, which is emblematic of this Degree. Furthermore, these lengths provide a subtle clue to the great Masonic secret – Pythagoras’ Theorem, which relates to the 47th Problem of Euclid. When rationalizing the lengths of the steps, one finds that they are all divisible by three, leading to the numbers 3, 4, and 5, which correspond to the sides of a right-angled triangle. This mathematical principle was crucial for determining right angles and constructing significant edifices throughout history.
Thus, the steps symbolize not only the journey of the candidate but also the foundational principles of geometry that underpin Masonic teachings.