Do the Knights Templar still exist?

The Order of the Knights Templar is a religious institution that is thought to have disappeared seven centuries ago. The Knights Templar continue to fascinate people to this day. Their story, as most people know it, is full of myths and legends. We have therefore decided to write this article to reveal to you the whole truth about the Knights Templar, also known as the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.

If you have friends and family who would also like to know more about the history of the Knights Templar, feel free to share this article with them! ⚔️ 🙏

What is certain is that the Knights Templar were servants of God. Their role was to protect the Christians of Jerusalem. But was this famous and mysterious religious military order really disbanded? You will find the answer below. Moreover, this article answers the following questions:

• Who are the Knights Templar?
  
• What is the true story of the Knights Templar?
  
• Do the Knights Templar still exist today?
  

If you want to learn more about the Knights Templar, here are several articles that might interest you:

• The meaning of the Templar cross
• Why did the Knights Templar disappear?
• Discover Templar jewelry
  

Who are the Knights Templar?

The Knights Templar, also known as the Poor Knights of Christ or the Knights of the Temple of Solomon, were a religious and military order. The order was founded in 1118 in the Holy Land, in Jerusalem. The Knights Templar's job was to protect Christians from attacks by Muslim troops when they were gathered at the tomb of Jesus, our Savior. The Knights Templar were soldiers and monks at the same time.

The Order of the Temple was totally dependent on the Catholic Church, which has always been governed by the Pope. Thus, the Pope was the head of the order even though, of course, he did not physically participate in the knights' battles. At the time, the order had considerable income and could easily finance its military activity in the Middle East. Indeed, many Christians, particularly in the lands scattered throughout Western Europe, made donations to support the Knights Templar. The order managed its possessions, money and land, by grouping them into commanderies.

In addition, the Knights Templar were bankers, both in Europe and the Middle East. They lent money to European sovereigns who had joined the Crusades. As for the Knights Templar of France in particular, they were also the guardians of the royal treasury. In all situations, they put themselves at the service of Christianity and their fellow man.

Recruitment of a Knight Templar

Before being recruited, a Templar was either a knight from the nobility or a sergeant (a free man who was not a noble). Membership of the order was entirely free and voluntary. Once inside, the soldier had to take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. In this respect, he could be considered exactly like a monk. Once a Templar, always a Templar! In other words, membership of the Order of the Temple is for life, unless the Pope excludes a member for a serious offense.

In addition to volunteering, the recruitment criteria for a Templar are:

• Be at least 18 years old;
  
• Be single;
  
• Not be a member of another order;
  
• Not have any debts;
  
• Be in good health, both physically and mentally.
  

The philosophy of the Knights Templar

Like monks, the Knights Templar live according to the Rule of Saint Benedict. This is a monastic rule established and written by Saint Benedict of Nursia with the aim of guiding his disciples in cenobitism, a monastic community life. It was written between 530 and 556 and explains the life of the monks in detail. The liturgy, work and relaxation methods are therefore Benedictine-inspired.

According to this rule, all Templars form one big family. Each of their days is well regulated. Like the disciples of Saint Benedict, for example, the community gathers several times a day at fixed times to pray together. St. Benedict's motto is: “Nothing shall be preferred to the Work of God”. That of the Knights Templar is “NON NOBIS DOMINE, NON NOBIS, SED NOMINI TUO DA GLORIAM”. It is Latin for: NOT IN OUR NAME LORD, NOT IN OUR NAME, BUT IN THE NAME OF YOUR GLORY. 🙌

The Rule of Saint Benedict contains many more clauses, but the Knights Templar had to adapt some of them to their lifestyle as warriors. For example, they fasted in moderation because they had to remain in very good physical condition.

The Knights Templar's attire

Within the order, the knights wore a white cloak, while the sergeants wore a frock. Both types of coat are adorned with a red cross on the left shoulder. The red color of the Templar cross was chosen as a symbol of the blood of Christ shed for our salvation. The shape of the cross may vary, but in any case, the loss of the habit is a serious offense punishable by temporary or permanent exclusion from the order.

In theory, the Knights Templar had to shave their heads for reasons of practicality and hygiene. It also prevented them from worrying about their physical appearance. Shaved hair is also a sign of belonging to the monastic order.

The equipment of the Knights Templar

Three horses were provided for each Knight Templar: a destrier for combat, a palfrey for transportation and a litter to carry personal belongings. Dignitaries were an exception, as they received an additional horse: a Turkopole, which was faster in combat. The horses did not really belong to the Templars and were placed under the stewardship of the marshal of the order. These mounts often came from the Templar possessions in the West and were transported by ship to the Near East.

In addition, the Templar received a trousseau when he entered the Order of the Temple. The trousseau contained military equipment such as a hauberk, a helmet, iron chausses, an iron hat, a sword, a lance, a shield, a mace with Turkish-style pointed weapons, three knives, armour shoes and an armour skirt. He is also given his Templar clothes, including two white coats with the red cross, a fur coat, a cape, a coat of mail, a belt, two shirts, a petticoat and a horse blanket.

To sleep, the Knight Templar uses a straw mattress, a sheet and a blanket. He has two bags to store his clothes and another to store his hauberk. For grooming, he is given a bath towel. Another towel is provided for meals. To take care of his horses, he has a sieve for sifting barley (the horses' main food) and a cauldron. In the event of assignment or exclusion, all this equipment is returned to the order.

What is the true story of the Knights Templar?

Let's talk now about the history of the Knights Templar to see if everything you've heard or read on the subject so far reflects the truth!

The origin of the Order of the Temple

It all began in 1120 in Christian Palestine, more precisely at the Council of Nablus. Nine French knights had been fighting there for years. They grouped together around Hugues de Payns and Godefroy de Saint-Omer. Their mission was to protect the roads and pilgrims from attack. The King of Jerusalem, Baldwin II, installed them in a wing of his palace, where the Temple of Solomon had once stood, hence their name the Knights of the Temple.

The development of the Order of the Knights Templar

In 1127, a number of Knights Templar returned to France to request financial aid and recruit new soldiers. They took the opportunity to establish and draw up a set of rules of life for the group (inspired by the Rule of Saint Benedict). Their stay lasted several months. They then traveled through many regions of France in search of new Knights Templar. They even went as far as England.

In 1129, the Knights Templar traveling in Europe participated in the Council of Troyes. There they met dignitaries of the Catholic Church as well as great French lords. The creation of the Order of the Knights Templar became official during this event. Shortly afterwards, the papacy took over the leadership of the order and decided to grant it certain privileges as a token of support.

In 1139, Pope Innocent II therefore ensured the protection of the Knights Templar and allowed them to have their own priests, known as the brother chaplains. The latter were not under the authority of the local bishops. In 1145, the Order of the Knights Templar was answerable only to the papacy, which exempted it from vassalage. In addition, land belonging to the Knights Templar was exempt from tithes, even if the order could obtain tithes.

The sanctions for a Knight Templar committing a fault

As we have already indicated, the Knights Templar lived according to certain rules, like monks. Failure to observe one or more of these rules led to punishment. The sanctions against errant Templars are graded according to the seriousness of the offense. Here are a few examples:

• For a minor offense, the knight must fast on a Friday.
  
• For a more serious offense, he must fast for two to three days and perform menial tasks.
  
• For a fault considered very serious, the Templar must eat on the ground, fast for three days in a row, do chores and lose custody of his horses.
  
• For disobedience, the punishment is the loss of the habit for a maximum of one year and one day. This means that the punished Templar becomes a slave laborer during that time.
  
• Loss of the house or exclusion applied in the case of heresy, sodomy, simony, violation of the secrecy of chapter deliberations, unauthorized departure, fleeing the battlefield, murder of a Christian and treason.
  

The end of the Order of the Knights Templar

After many decades of service and combat in the name of God, our Lord, the Order of the Knights Templar came to an end in 1314 after its leaders were executed. The King of France, Philip IV the Fair or the Iron King, then accused them of every possible crime of infamy, including heresy, idolatry and sodomy. He ended up condemning them following a show trial. The last Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, was burned alive on March 13. The surviving Templars were persecuted and tortured until they confessed to the crimes of which the king accused them.

But was the order really and definitively disbanded?

Do Templars still exist today?

Given that the reason for the creation of the order was to protect Christians on pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, it may seem absurd to become a Templar nowadays. But over the years, Christians, those who know the true values of the Knights Templar, have wanted to follow their example. Some wear Templar jewelry with the cross and the slogan NON NOBIS DOMINE, NON NOBIS, SED NOMINI TUO DA GLORIAM engraved on it. Others even decide to become monks and adopt the same way of life as the Templars of yesteryear.

The neo-Templars cultivate the commitment of the 12th-century soldier monks and dedicate their lives to serving God and the Church. They follow the same rules on a daily basis. Recently, journalists discovered Templar commanderies in Cambrésis and Courtefontaine. The new knights wear a white cape with a red cross and carry swords. They swear an oath of obedience and discretion. In fact, they are so discreet that most of them preferred to flee from the journalists.

Today's Templars keep the same slogan NON NOBIS, DOMINE, NON NOBIS, SED NOMINI TU DA GLORIAM. They follow all the rituals of their ancestors, including the ceremonial sword salute that symbolizes justice. So, 7 centuries after the supposed end of the Order of the Knights Templar, it turns out that it still exists. France has a number of commanderies scattered throughout many towns and cities, such as Épinal, Metz and Luxeuil-les-Bains. The largest of all is undoubtedly the Commanderie André de Montbard in Courtefontaine, which is part of the OSMTH or Ordo supremus militaris templi hierosolymitani order.

The missions of today's Knights Templar

There are around a thousand neo-Templars in France, belonging to different orders. Their mission is to ensure the survival of the most famous religious order of the Middle Ages, in all discretion. They do not expect any recognition from the Church. Indeed, the Vatican only recognizes the orders of Malta and the Holy Sepulchre. In short, the true missions of the neo-Templars are:

• To unite believers (men and women) with a chivalrous spirit.
  
• To protect the cultural heritage and traditions of our civilization.
  
• To ensure the spiritual fulfillment of the members of the Order of the Temple while respecting its traditions.
  
• To preserve the traditions of the Knights Templar of Jerusalem.
  
• To engage in charitable works.
  
• To sponsor philosophical and historical studies.
  

Now you know that the Templars still exist and that some of the legends about them are completely false. The mission of the Knights of the Temple of Solomon was to protect the Christian pilgrims who prayed at the tomb of Jesus. They were accused of many vile acts, but in reality the Templars were believers with unshakeable principles. They devoted themselves entirely to God by protecting his faithful. Furthermore, they were severely punished within the order itself if they committed even one of the offenses of which they were accused by the King of France. Today, it is possible to pay tribute to these brave warriors by wearing a T-shirt, signet ring or necklace adorned with a red cross with or without the inscription NON NOBIS, DOMINE, NON NOBIS, SED NOMINI TU DA GLORIAM.