Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem

A simplified chart of the various splits within the Order.

The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, (Latin: Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani, OSMTH), is a self-styled order and international NGO. OSMTH is often referred to simply as the Knights Templars but asserts no direct lineage to the original Order.

OSMTH does not officially recognize the claims laid out in the Larmenius Charter as historically valid,[1] but makes a moral and ethical claim to follow in the same spiritual path as the original Order of the Knights Templar.[2]

OSMTH, which is open to Christians of any denomination, operates as a charity,[3] and engages in diplomatic and humanitarian works.[4]

History

The self-styled l'Ordre du Temple, founded in France in 1705, claimed to be the continuation of the medieval Knights Templar, using the Larmenius Charter as evidence of its pedigree. The order was officially reconstituted in 1804 by Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat,[5] and recognized as an Order of Chivalry by its patron Napoleon Bonaparte in 1805;[6] In 1945, Antonio Campello Pinto de Sousa Fontes (1878-1960) claimed that the OSMTH was the continuation of l'Ordre du Temple,[7] Fernando Campello Pinto Pereira de Sousa Fontes (b. 1930) succeeded his father as the head of the order in 1960.[7]

In 1970, a split occurred within the OSMTH when General Antoine Zdrojewski was unexpectedly elected as the new Grand Master of the OSMTH at the Convent of Paris in September, 1970.[8] Zdrojewski became the head of one faction of the Order, which he referred to by the French translation: "Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem" (OSMTJ), until his death in 1989. Zdrojewski was succeeded by George Lamirand as the new head of the OSMTJ until his death in 1994.[9] George Lamirand was succeeded by Dr. Nicolas Haimovici Hastier who is the current OSMTJ International Leader today.[10]

In 1997, OSMTH voted to expel Grand Master Fernando de Sousa Fontes from the order. This resulted in another schism with those loyal to Grand Master Fernando de Sousa Fontes forming a new organization presently known as OSMTH-Regency while the remainder of the organization continued on as OSMTH.

While OSMTH rituals and traditions are currently based upon those of the historical Knights Templar, according to its website[1] and their present leader, Grand Master Patrick Rea,[11] there is no direct historical lineage claimed by OSMTH and the 12th century Templars.

In 2001, the Order was accredited by the United Nations Economic and Social Council as a non-governmental organisation, in special consultative status, one of over 2,000 organizations to hold this status.[12] The Order is an associate member of the International Peace Bureau and an affiliate of the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy,[4] which was founded by one of OSMTH's members.[3] In 2014, OSMTH was elected as a board member of CoNGO (Conference of NGOs in consultative status with the United Nations.

Organisation

The order exists in each country under different jurisdictions. In America, the OSMTH is known as the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, Inc (this being the English rendering of the Latin name).[13] They should not be confused with a multitude of other self-styled "Knights Templar", or the Masonic Knights Templar.

OSMTH is registered in Geneva, Swiss Reg No: CH-660.1.972777-4 and is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations has over 5000 active members in Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, England & Wales, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, Ukraine and in the United States.[14][15] OSMTH operates in a number of countries providing humanitarian aid [16] such as the River Jordan Project that is supported by HM King Abdullah of Jordan.[17]

The ecumenical organization operates as a modern-day network of educated professionals.[18] As of August 2007, the organization had approximately 5,200 members.[11]

Christian men who join the organisation are self-styled as "Knights" with the title of Chevalier and females are termed "Dames" with the title of Chevaleresse (or Chevalière).[19] The modern Order claims over 5000 members, allegedly including leaders in the military, business, government and ecclesiastical communities.[20]

The Order's Royal Patron, who is also a Chevalière of the Order, is Her Highness Elisabeth, Princess of Schleswig-Holstein.[21] The Religious Patron is H.E. Archbishop Dr. Vicken Aykazain, Legate of the Eastern Diocese Armenian, Orthodox Church of America. [22]

Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ)

The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ) is an American autonomous Grand Priory of the Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH).[18] branch of the Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani.[23][24] The SMOTJ broke with the OSMTH-Regency in 1995 when it refused to recognize the sovereignty of OSMTH-Regency Grand Master Dom Fernando de Sousa Fontes.

This name Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ) has been trademarked and is used exclusively in America by the SMOTJ and thus does not refer to the group of organizations tracing lineage to OSMTH but rather to the current OSMTH only.

The royal patron of the SMOTJ is HH Princess Elizabeth of Ysenburg-Büdingen-Wachtersbach (b. 1945). She is the widow of HSH Prince Ferdinand Heinrich of Ysenburg-Büdingen-Wachtersbach and the eldest daughter of Prince Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1913-1989).[25]

Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem (OSMTJ)

The OSMTJ is split of OSMTH in 1970 after the former Grandmaster Fontes refused to obey the laws of succession when General Antoine Zdrojewski was elected. Some of the Grand Priories, including the French, Belgian, Swiss, and Polish, followed the newly elected General Zdrojewski, and some stayed loyal to Fontes.  Alfred Zappelli (Grand Prior of Switzerland), General Georges de Bruyn (Grand Prior of Belgium), and Badouraly-Somji Alibay (Commander of the Polish Commandery)  were also backers of General Zdrojewski.  After the election of Zdrojewski, those who followed him became known as OSMTJ.  Those who continued to follow de Sousa Fontes were known as OSMTH (or “OSMTH-Regency”).  “OSMTJ” is the French acronym  for  “Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem.” [26]

In late 1973, Grand Master Zdrojewski carried out a re-organization of the OSMTJ and a reform of the Statutes. He approved the Grand Priories re-asserting the independence of the International Federation of Autonomous Grand Priories of the OSMTJ (Each member Grand Priory was recognized as autonomous). The Swiss Grand Priory accepted these reformed statutes in 1973, while the Belgian and United States Grand Priories accepted them in 1975. Zdrojewski was succeeded by George Lamirand as the new head of the OSMTJ until his death in 1994.[27] George Lamirand was succeeded by Dr. Nicolas Haimovici Hastier who is the current OSMTJ Regent today.[28]

The United States Grand Priory of OSMTJ is also known as the OSMTJ Knights Templar of America.[29]

References

  1. 1 2 "OSMTH Templar legacy page". Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  2. ↑ Thomas, Brian. "Templar Legacy". Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  3. 1 2 "OSMTH brochure, p. 3, 5, 6" (PDF). Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  4. 1 2 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
  5. ↑ "OSMTH "History and Goals of the Contemporary Templar. This is patntly incorrect as any visitor to the archives of the Cistercian Order also fouded by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, can find for theselves. Alternatively Versailles records now in the National Archives of France can attest to the emergence from secrecy of the Order under the name of Knights of the Orient. All denials of the transfer of power to the Duke of Orleans are based on prejudice and mainly inspired by some very bizarre Masonic thoeries about all the documents leading up to the resurfacing of the Order and which they call forgeries albeit the fact that this new movement founded in 1727 by the Duke of Connaught with the necessary help of the Scottish, much older pedigree connections, created false versions of many established orders to ensure that British citizens did not need to join "foreign" ones. Ben Johnson in his diaries mentions the Jesuits regularly entering Templar Houses- The Jesuits themselves were suppressed in 1773 for helping and assuming identity with Templars and all well before Palaprat comes to the scene. Palaprat inherited the post from the Duke of Chevrillon who had great faith in his talents and who in turn had taken it from the Duke de Brissac just before his imminent execution as head of the Royal National Guard of France. Palaprat was ousted for wild indiscretions by Chevrillon and other members of the hidden Grand Magistry. Palaprat appeared to have been shocked by the content of some of the documents he had inherited and the Duke took the office back despite the dangers of aristicratic involvement. Palaprat took it over for a second time no doubt better versed and prepared to move on. He was prompted and aided by Church hidden hands to form a Templar Order of the Rosy Cross to take care of those aspects of the Order which could prove socially conflictive. Napoleon was well informed about its authenticity and saw in it a chance to restore some of the aristocratic families to the new Oligarchy which would come under his Imperial Crown. It takes little understanding to see the complexities which such moves would bring about in a post revolution France. The Templars had shared Lodging houses which were in fact teaching centres and which inspired the Masons to call their discret secret meeting places Free Houses "Franc Maisons" like the Templars did and also the term lodgings since that also refers to knowledge and eventually to living spaces for students. From outside and non initated they were merely eating houses but secret access to hidden areas were utilised for the dissemination of knowledge supressed by Church and State. Freehouses stem from these systems which in turn refer to more ancient places like "the cenacle" without windows and where the Nassarenes met. The Jesuits even put their motto on the 1705 Versailles Statutes which no future imagined inventor, especially masonic ones. would have thought of any value if they were set on fostering red herrings to detract value from the menace of a revived or survival of the Templar Order. Both Templar and Jesuit Mottos are essentially of the same essence. Order"". Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24. line feed character in |title= at position 2065 (help)
  6. ↑ "Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem" (PDF). Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  7. 1 2 "Chronologie Raymond Bernard - AMORC - Mouvements templiers". Fghoche.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  8. ↑ James R. Lewis, The Order of The Solar Temple: The Temple of Death, page 24 (Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2006). ISBN 0-7546-5285-8
  9. ↑ "Modern Order". Theknightstemplarorg.
  10. ↑ "Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem" (OSMTJ) – Modern Order". Osmtj.net
  11. 1 2 "Real Knights Templar are philanthropists". Readingeagle.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  12. ↑ "outreach.un.org.ngorelations". Un.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  13. ↑ "Wayback Machine". 24 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-03-24.
  14. ↑ "Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani". Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  15. ↑ Christopher Hodapp, Alice Von Kannon, The Templar Code for Dummies, pages 206-207 (Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2007). ISBN 978-0-470-12765-0
  16. ↑ Watson, Kathy. "Humanitarian Projects". www.osmth.org.
  17. ↑ Watson, Kathy. "Jordan River Project". www.osmth.org.
  18. 1 2 "SMOTJ About Us page". Smotj.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  19. ↑ "OSMTH Knight's manual" (PDF). Osmth.org. p. 3. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  20. ↑ Thomas, Brian. "Modern Order". Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  21. ↑ Thomas, Brian. "Royal Patron". Osmth.org. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  22. ↑ Carney, GCTJ, GMTJ, Chev. Patrick M. "Carpe Diem Winter 2018". osmth.org. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  23. ↑ "SMOTJ About Us page, International section". Smotj.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  24. ↑ "OSMTH List of Priories". Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  25. ↑ Thomas, Brian. "Royal Patron". Osmth.org. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  26. ↑ "Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem (OSMTJ) – History". osmtj.net. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  27. ↑ "Modern Order". Theknightstemplarorg. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  28. ↑ "Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem (OSMTJ) – Modern Order". Osmtj.net. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  29. ↑ "Home". The Knights Templar. Retrieved 2018-09-21.

Further reading

  • BBC Website 'What are the Knights Templar up to now?'. News Magazine 2007-10-19
  • BBC Radio 4. On the Trail of the Templars Program audio, first broadcast 2007-06-18
  • Stephen Howarth. The Knights Templar, 1991. ISBN 978-0-88029-663-2
  • Chev. Leo Thys, KCTJ. "History of the Order of the Temple of Jerusalem: From 1118 to 2005", ISBN 90-901931-7-0
  • Templar Order, the templar's path à path toward the wisdom, Domizio Cipriani, Bastogi libri, 2016, translated in tree languages, ISBN 8899376867

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