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A BRIEF DESCRIPTION and INTRODUCTION
World's Premier Order of Ecclesiastic / Chivalric Knighthood
The Order of the Temple, or "Knights Templar," is almost 900 years old, and rich in history. It was founded in 1118 A.D. by nine French knights who traveled to the Holy Land. They banded together as the first religious / military Order of Knighthood, initially formed to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. Later they became the first soldier / monks of the ancient Christian (Roman Catholic) Church, wrestling the Holy Land from the Islamic Saracens, and helping establish and maintain the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem for almost two hundred years. The Order was later suppressed by the same Church of Rome it protected, under the hands of a greedy French King controlling a weak French Pope. Instead of dying (as is incorrectly reported by many main-line historians), the Order instead secularized and continued its existence in secret. It resurfaced privately in France in 1705, and became fully public a century later with historical documentation of its continued-but-secret previous existence.
The Order of the Temple Today
Today the Order remains a true, historical Order of Chivalric Knighthood, now entering both men and women to membership as Knights and Dames. It is both a Religious and secular Christian Ecumenical Order. It does not require membership in the Roman Catholic or any other Christian-denomination Church, and has its own Internal Monastic Order. It is not a church itself, nor a "religious movement," Masonic Order or "historical re-enactment" organization. It simply requires that its members be baptized Christians, accepting the teachings of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Spiritual Master.
Non-Political, Non-Profit Charitable / Historical Organization
The Order is fully non-profit. It does not have its own charity, but rather raises funds for and donates time and talent to already-established charities and relief groups, philanthropic endeavors and historical studies. It does not involve itself in political activity, nor adhere to any political party or doctrine.
The Great Preceptory of North America, OPCCTS
It is fully ecumenical in membership, accepting baptized Christians of any denomination for selective membership.
The Manus Minor of the Great Southwest, OPCCTS
A Manus Minor means “Small Group” more than 3 but less than 9 members. The Great Southwest consists of in total four states, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.
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Proposal for a Manus Minor.doc
