Knight Commander of Zerubbabel

The Knight Masons, an invitational appendant body stemming from the Royal Arch, is considered a great honor in itself, but this body also awards to Knights who "exhibited the precepts of Knight Masonry above and beyond the call of duty" the Knight Commander of Zerubbabel. The award takes the name of Zerubbabel who is a central character in the three degrees of Knight Masonry: Knight of the Sword, Knight of the East, and Knight of the East and West. The Knight Commander of Zerubbabel was created under the auspices of Most Excellent Great Chief of the Grand Council of Knight Masons, USA, in the Fall of 2011.

The Past Excellent Chiefs act as a nominating committee for their respective Council. This nomination is passed on to the Grand Superintendent of that jurisdiction before being sent onto the Great Chief who, along with the Deputy Great Chief and Grand Senior Knight, will choose no more than one recipient per jurisdiction as long as it doesn't violate the 5% Rule. The 5% Rule means that no more than 5% of any Council or jurisdiction’s total current membership (as determined by the Grand Scribe) may be entitled to receive the Knight Commander of Zerubbabel. The Knight Commander of Zerubbabel may not be given to any past or present elected officers of the Grand Council, including Past Great Chiefs.

The recipient of Knight Commander of Zerubbabel receives a jewel that is a silver Celtic cross enameled in shamrock green. In the center of the cross is a circular emerald green field with one gold equilateral triangle inset into a green field on which are superimposed two Crossed Swords, encircled in gold with the words "KNIGHT COMMANDER OF ZERUBBABEL." The jewel is suspended from a green silk ribbon with a red silk ribbon superimposed in the center.