Knights Templar

The Great Priory of the United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders
of the Temple and of St. John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta
of England and Wales and its Provinces Overseas

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KT Clement 300According to legend, the Knights Templar was founded in 1118 AD to protect pilgrims heading for Jerusalem and the Christian Holy places, where the small band of warrior monks established a headquarters. In the year 1118 AD King Baldwin II granted the Templars quarters on the Temple Mount and this forms the link to the Royal Arch.

Many men, of noble birth, joined the ranks of the Templar Order. Those who were unable to join often gifted the Templars with land and other valuables.
Modern Masonic association with these medieval defenders of the Christian Holy places is linked by the ceremony of Installation in which the Candidate takes the part of a Pilgrim who, by symbolically embarking on a Crusade, is elevated to Knighthood.

The earliest reference to modern Masonic Knight Templar activity in England can be found in the minutes of the Chapter of Friendship (Royal Arch) in Portsmouth, dated 1778, where it was worked as an Appendant Degree. In 1791 a Grand Conclave was formed comprising seven ‘Encampments’ with Thomas Dunckerley as Grand Master. By 1873 ‘Grand Conclave’ was now known as ‘Great Priory’, and ‘Encampments’ were now known as ‘Preceptories’.

The ceremony is very realistic and the regalia spectacular, based upon that worn by the Medieval Knights.

Prospective Candidates must be a Master Mason, a Royal Arch Mason and Christian.

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Knights Templar

Knight walks over hot coals to help Charity

Having recovered from what had been thought by his doctors to be a terminal illness, E.Kt. Angus Rhodes is part of the way through a series of challenges based on the heroes of old: Samson, the Twelve Labours of Hercules and the three impossible tasks of Thor. These have included multiple runs from 5k to 10k, the gruelling Glasgow Half Marathon and then, last year, three Marathons in fifteen days (Brighton, London and then Stirling) plus successfully completing the hundred press-up challenge.

Last Sunday he completed a fire-walk as part of an overall four elements challenge (the others are to follow plus a two hundred press-up challenge!).

Why?

To provide funds for treatment for children like the girl pictured, plus other people in Jerusalem and the surrounds, who would be blind or partially sighted, but for the care of our friends at the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital. He said that he would walk through fire to help children like her... and he just did!

At present, the appeal is just short of five thousand pounds, but when recent generous sponsorship from a Surrey Preceptory comes through shortly it will pass that total. In 2018 he was seeking to hit the £3970 target to hit the symbolic individual Swift sponsorship target the Eye Hospital has set up. Having exceeded that he  is seeking to raise a further £7,700 to sponsor a Surgeon’s Chair to enable further operations to be undertaken.

if you wish to support the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital generally please visit the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group Donation Forms Page.

Rulers

M.E. & S.Kt. Paul R. Clement, G.C.T.
Grand Master

V.H. & R.E.Kt. Andrew C. Rainbow, G.C.T.
Great Seneschal

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