Do the Templars Still Exist?

The Order of the Knights Templar is a religious institution that is believed to have been extinct for seven centuries. The Knights Templar continue to fascinate people to this day. Their history, as most people know it, is full of myths and legends. So, we 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 the Temple of Solomon.

If you have loved ones who would also like to know more about the history of the Templars , do not hesitate to share this article with them! ⚔️ 🙏

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

• Who are the Templars?

• What is the true story of the Templars?

• Do the Templars 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 Templars disappear?
• Discover Templar jewelry

Who are the Templars?

The Templars or the Poor Knights of Christ, or the Knights of the Temple of Solomon , are a Christian religious and military order . The order in question was founded in 1118 in the Holy Land, in Jerusalem . The work of the Templars was to protect Christians from attacks by Muslim troops when they were visiting the tomb of Jesus, our Savior. The Templars were soldiers and monks at the same time.

The Order of the Temple was totally dependent on the Catholic Church, which was always governed by the Pope. Thus, the Pope was at the head of the order, even if, 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 Near East. In fact, many Christians, especially in lands scattered throughout Western Europe, made donations to support the Templars . The order managed its possessions, money and land, by grouping them into commanderies.

In addition, the Templars were bankers, both in Europe and in the Near East. They lent money to European rulers who engaged in the Crusades. In the case of the Templars 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 neighbor .

Recruiting a Templar

Before being recruited, a Templar is either a knight from the nobility or a sergeant (a free non-noble man). Membership in the order is entirely free and voluntary. Once in, the soldier must take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience . In this respect, he can be considered exactly like a monk. Once a Templar, always a Templar! In other words, membership in the Order of the Temple is for life, unless excluded by the Pope for serious misconduct.

Besides volunteering, the recruitment criteria for a Templar are:

• Be at least 18 years old;

• Being single;

• Not be a member of another order;

• Have no debt;

• To be healthy in body and mind.

The philosophy of the Templars

Like monks, the Templars live according to the Rule of Saint Benedict. This is a monastic rule established and written by Saint Benedict of Nursia in order to guide his disciples in cenobitism, a communal monastic life. It was written between 530 and 556 and explains in detail the life of the monks. The modalities of liturgy, work and relaxation are therefore of Benedictine inspiration.

According to this rule, all the Templars form a large family . Each of their days is well regulated. Like the disciples of Saint Benedict, for example, the community meets several times a day at fixed times to pray together. The motto of Saint Benedict is: "We will prefer nothing to the Work of God". That of the Knights Templar is "NON NOBIS DOMINE, NON NOBIS, SED NOMINI TUO DA GLORIAM". It is from the Latin which means: NOT IN OUR NAME LORD, NOT IN OUR NAME, BUT IN THE NAME OF YOUR GLORY. 🙌

The Rule of St. Benedict still has many clauses, but the Templars had to adapt some of them to suit their warrior lifestyle. For example, they practiced fasting in moderation, because they had to stay in very good physical condition.

The Templars' outfit

Within the order, knights wear a white cloak, while sergeants wear a sackcloth. Both types of cloaks 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 can vary, but in any case, the loss of the habit is a serious fault punishable by temporary or permanent exclusion from the order.

In theory, the Templars were required to shave their heads for 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 Templars

Three horses are provided to each Knight Templar: a steed for fighting, a palfrey for moving around, and a bedstead for carrying personal belongings. Dignitaries are an exception, as they receive an additional horse: a turcopole which is faster in combat. The horses do not really belong to the Templars and are placed under the control of the marshal of the order. These mounts often come from the Templar possessions of the West and are transported by ship to the Near East.

In addition, the Templar receives a trousseau upon entering the Order of the Temple. The trousseau contains military equipment such as a hauberk, a helm (helmet), iron hose, an iron hat, a sword, a lance, a shield, a mace pointed in the Turkish fashion, three knives, battle shoes and a battle petticoat. He is also given his Templar clothes including two white coats with the red cross , a pelisse, a cope, a coat, 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 washing, he receives a bath towel. Another towel is offered to him for meals. To take care of his horses, he has a sieve to sift the 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 Templars?

Now let's talk about the history of the Templars to see if everything you've heard or read on the subject so far reflects the truth!

The origin of the Order of the Templar

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 gathered around Hugues de Payns and Godefroy de Saint-Omer. Their mission was to protect the roads and pilgrims from attacks . The King of Jerusalem, Baldwin II, installed them in a wing of his palace, where the Temple of Solomon was located, hence their name the Knights Templar.

The development of the Templar Order

In 1127, some Templars returned to France to ask for financial aid and recruit new soldiers. They took the opportunity to establish and write a rule of life for the group (inspired by the rule of Saint Benedict). Their stay lasted several months. They then traveled through many French regions in search of new Templars. They even went as far as England.

In 1129, the Templars 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 Templars became official during this event. Shortly after, the papacy took over the order and decided to grant it certain privileges as a form of support.

In 1139, Pope Innocent II therefore ensured the protection of the Templars and allowed them to have their own priests named chaplain brothers. The latter were not under the authority of local bishops. In 1145, the order of the Knights Templar depended only on the papacy which exempted it from vassal homage. Furthermore, the land belonging to the Templars was exempt from tithes even if the order could obtain tithes.

The sanctions of a templar committing a fault

As we have already indicated, the Templars live under certain rules in the manner of monks. Failure to comply with one or more of these rules leads to punishment. The sanctions against the offending Templars are graduated according to the seriousness of the faults. Here are some examples:

• For a non-serious fault, the knight must fast on a Friday.

• For a more serious offence, he must fast for two to three days and perform chores.

• For a fault considered very serious, the Templar must eat on the ground, fast for 3 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 this time.

• Loss of the house or exclusion applies in cases of heresy, sodomy, simony, violation of the secrecy of the chapter's deliberations, unauthorized exit, flight from the battlefield, murder of a Christian and treason.

The end of the Templar Order

After many decades of service and fighting in the name of God our Lord, the Templar Order ended in 1314 after its leaders were executed. The King of France, Philip IV the Fair or the Iron King, accused them of every possible crime of infamy including heresy, idolatry and sodomy. He eventually condemned them following a trial of conception. 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 the king accused them of.

But has the order really dissolved definitively?

Do the Templars still exist today?

Given that the reason for the creation of the order is 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 then 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 lifestyle as the Templars of yesteryear.

The neo-Templars cultivate the commitment of the soldier monks of the 12th ^century and devote 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 arm themselves with swords. They take an oath of obedience and discretion . Moreover, they are so discreet that most of them preferred to flee from journalists.

The Templars of our days keep the same slogan NON NOBIS, DOMINE, NON NOBIS, SED NOMINI TU DA GLORIAM. They take up all the rituals of their ancestors including the ceremonial of the salute of the sword which symbolizes justice. So, 7 centuries after the supposed end of the order of the Templars, it turns out that it still exists. France has a few commanderies scattered in many cities such as Épinal, Metz, Luxeuil-les-Bains, etc. The largest of all is certainly that of Courtefontaine, the Commandery André de Montbard which is part of the order OSMTH or Ordo supremus militaris templi hierosolymitani.

The missions of today's Templars

There are about a thousand Neo-Templars in France and they belong to different orders. Their mission is to perpetuate the most famous religious order of the Middle Ages in discretion. They do not expect any recognition from the Church. Moreover, the Vatican only recognizes the orders of Malta and the Holy Sepulchre. In summary, the real missions of the Neo-Templars are:

• To bring together believers (men and women) with a chivalrous spirit.

• Protect the cultural heritage and traditions of our civilization.

• Ensure the spiritual development of members of the Order of the Temple while respecting its traditions.

• Preserving the traditions of the Jerusalem Templars.

• To practice charitable works.

• Sponsor philosophical and historical studies.

You now know that the Templars still exist and that some legends about them are completely false. At first, the Knights of Solomon's Temple had the mission of protecting the Christian pilgrims who prayed at the tomb of Jesus. They were accused of many infamies but in reality, the Templars were believers with unwavering principles . They devoted themselves entirely to God by protecting his faithful. In addition, they were severely punished within the order itself if they committed even one of the faults of which the King of France accused them. Today, it is possible to pay tribute to these brave warriors by wearing a t-shirt, a signet ring or a necklace decorated with a red cross with or without the inscription NON NOBIS, DOMINE, NON NOBIS, SED NOMINI TU DA GLORIAM.