The Knights Templar

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Category:	Religion & Beliefs
Created:	Mar 25, 2005
Type:	Public
Members:	192
Owner:	Ferreirinha Paulo
Language:	English
Country:

For those who believe ....

The Knights Templar are a military order, a collective of Christian soldiers, who are pilgrims to Jerusalem. The order was born out of a desire to do something practical for God, and since they were fighting men, they used their sword-power to protect other Christian pilgrims to the East.

They formed shortly after the Crusades began in around 1120 and were headed by a French knight called Hugues de Payens. Their true name is Knights of Christ in the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. They had indeed established themselves in the Temple of Solomon but became known as the Poor Knights of the Temple, or The Knights Templar.

The Knights Templars were the earliest founders of the military orders, and are the type on which the others are modelled. They are marked in history by their humble beginning, by their marvellous growth, and by their tragic end... or not...

The virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity are the guiding lights of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, which members aspire to serve faithfully as Knights of God's Temple. The motto of the Order, "Non Nobis, Domine, Non Nobis, Sed Nomini Tuo Da Gloriam" is from Psalm 115, verse 1 -- "Not For Us, Lord, Not For Us, But To Thy Name Give Glory."

Many who have read accounts of how Templars, fleeing the French oppression of 1307, set the fleet towards Portugal where they joined the newly formed "Order of Christ" are left with the impression that the "Order of Christ" had been established with the express objective of offering sanctuary to the Templars.

The Portuguese Templar Master, Gualdim Pais decided to construct a new fortress in the area, in 1160. This fortress was to be built in nearby Tomar. This particular piece of Templar architecture survives to this day and is not only a principle tourist attraction in Portugal, but is considered by many to be both a mystical and spiritual place.

The castle itself is known by the name, "Convento de Cristo" and remains an impressive epitaph to Templar abilities in architecture........