Discalceation is the taking off of shoes.

Clearly there is an essence of reverence in taking off one’s outdoor shoes, upon entering a building – especially a religious building – but the Masonic Rite of Discalceation involves only one shoe and is therefore a gesture with a different meaning.

Roman calceus or shoe.

In the Masonic work of the First Degree, we are told of the reference in the Book of Ruth
“Now this was the manner in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was a testimony in Israel.”

But it continues in the Bible, and adds a little more light…
“Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for Thee. So he drew off his shoe.”

There is an agreement to purchase. What may be a little opaque is the meaning of ‘redeeming and changing’.
“Redeeming” means the recovering land or property that you had previously pledged for a debt.
“Changing” refers to the transfer of ownership of land or property. In Western society nowadays we would seal such an agreement with a handshake at the very least, or with a notarized signature. In Eastern society a significant concord was sealed by taking off a shoe. One shoe. It was a pledge of honor and fair dealing, and such an allusion is thoroughly Masonic.

In Latin, calceus is a shoe (from calx = a heel), calceatus is ‘shod’ and discalceatus is ‘unshod’. Discalceation is the act of taking off a shoe or shoes, just as disrobing is the act of removing clothing. You can (if you so wish) use the English word discalced (hard c first, soft c second) meaning barefoot. The ritual just might have been phrased “neither calced nor discalced”. Thank goodness for small mercies.

From Newsletter 16
10 March 2006