Knights of the York Cross of Honor (KYCH), was established as an Honor Group for York Rite Masons. The requirements for membership are that each proposed candidate for membership must have presided over a Lodge as a Worshipful Master, over a Chapter as Excellent High Priest, over a Council as Thrice Illustrious Master and over a Commandery as Eminent Commander. Knights of the York Cross of Honor are an Honor Group of York Rite Masons who are dedicated to serving the Masonic Fraternity as a Labor of Love.

No individual should aspire to membership in KYCH, when he has done the required work, and done it well, he will be invited to membership. Those who labor will be rewarded by being invited. After a Mason has fulfilled the requirements of membership, his name may be proposed for membership by a member of the K.Y.C.H. The prospective member should not know that he has been proposed. When a Priory receives a proposed, such proposal must be held over until the next stated meeting of the Priory before it is Balloted on. Some of the Ballot rules vary in different Jurisdictions, to comply with Grand Lodge Rules and Regulations.

If this rule is followed, no one that is proposed and rejected should ever know that he was proposed and rejected, thereby saving much embarrassment to everyone.

The meaning of membership in K.Y.C.H. can best be explained by a closing statement of Most Eminent Knight Donald E. Friend, Grand Master General, at his Convent General Session in 1995, “As a Knight of the York Cross of Honor, you are a proven servant of the Masonic Fraternity , your inspiration has come from your Past, your duty is in the present , your Hope is in the Future, I ask you always to remember—In all you do , In all you say, In all of your actions, take a good look at yourself, you are someone’s impression of Freemasonry”.