Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Restoration of Knights Templar?

VATICAN CITY — A Spanish group claiming to be the heirs of the Knights Templar have filed a law suit against Pope Benedict XVI, seeking the "rehabilitation" of the once-powerful Catholic religious order that was disbanded 700 years ago.

The Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ also demands recognition — though not restitution — of $156 billon in assets that it claims the original Templars lost upon their dissolution.

The Knights Templar, officially known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, were founded in the early 12th century to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. But their growing military and economic power inspired envy, suspicion and accusations of heresy. Pope Clement V, under pressure from King Philip IV of France, disbanded the order in 1312.

The Templars' glorious and tragic history has figured prominently in legend and popular culture, including Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.

Last year, the Vatican published a document only recently discovered in its archives showing that Clement had actually absolved the order of heresy before dissolving it for political reasons.
According to statements appearing on the plaintiffs' website, the current law suit was originally submitted to a Madrid court last December, and dismissed two months later. The group says it has appealed the dismissal, and expects a decision in October.

A report by the EFE news agency said the first judge dismissed the case on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction, since events so far in the past are "properly the subject of historians."

By Francis X. Rocca, Religion News Service

2 comments:

Sea Angels said...

I love to read your posts Anne as they make me think!!beleive me after a days work that is a REAL acheivement. But I always find myself at odds with different and varied beliefs, read in their own right they always make sense, but considered as part of a multi racial global belief...I always find my mind becomes overwhelmed. I will carry on enjoying them though, just the same.
Thankyou for your lovely comments about my cushions, you are so lovely, and it is so nice of you to write and say this to me, thankyou.
Hugs Lynn xx

Pear tree cottage! said...

Annie, A very good description of a bizzar part of history and yet they still part of our lives today as the Knights Templers work now not to guide pilgrims to the holy land but rather for no other reason here in Australia but to help charity of any religious orders. I wonder why the Spanish choose this path in life seeking restitution.

The Knights Templer's Order were told to disband and many were hunted and killed by the Catholic order but the Templers to this day still exist..........they are part of the Masonic Freemasons and my Husband is not only in the Masonic orders but a Knights Templer too.

A very interesting subject, my friend.

Lee-ann