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Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem

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The Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH), is a self-styled order founded in 1945 by Antonio Campello Pinto de Sousa Fontes (1878-1960),[1][2][3] claiming to be a continuation of the self-styled l'Ordre du Temple founded in 1804 by Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat.[4] Fernando Campello Pinto Pereira de Sousa Fontes succeeded his father as the head of the order in 1960.

OSMTH-KTI does not officially recognize the claims laid out in the Larmenius Charter as historically valid,[5] but makes a moral and ethical claim to follow in the same spiritual path as the original Order.[6]

The order exists in each country under different jurisdictions. In America, the order is known as the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, Inc (this being the English rendering of the Latin name).[7] They should not be confused with a multitude of other self-styled "Knights Templar", or the Masonic Knights Templar.

OSMTH-KTI 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 and in the United States.[8][9] OSMTH-KTI operates in a number of countries providing humanitarian aid [10] such as the River Jordan Project that is supported by HM King Abdullah of Jordan.[11]

OSMTH-KTI, which is open to Christians of any denomination, operates as a charity,[12] and engages in diplomatic and humanitarian works.[13]

Christian men who join the organisation are termed "Knights" with the honorific title of Chevalier and females are termed "Dames" with the honorific title of Chevaleresse (or Chevalière).[14] The modern Order has over 5000 members, many of whom are accomplished leaders in the military, business, government and ecclesiastical communities.[15]

History

Antonio Campello Pinto de Sousa Fontes in 1945 claimed that the OSMTH was the continuation of the neo-Templar order founded by Bernard-Raymond Fabre-Palaprat in 1804, using the Larmenius Charter as evidence of its pedigree.

OSMTH broke away from the organization led by Mr de Sousa Fontes in 1997. While OSMTH-KTI's rituals and traditions are currently based upon those of the historical Knights Templar, according to its website[5] and their present leader, Grand Master Patrick Rea,[16] there is no direct historical lineage claimed by OSMTH between 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.[17] The Order is an associate member of the International Peace Bureau and an affiliate of the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy,[13] which was founded by one of OSMTH's members.[12] in 2014, OSMTH was elected as a board member of CoNGO (Conference of NGOs in consultative status with the United Nations)

Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem

In 1970, a split occurred within the OSMTH and Fernando Campello Pinto Pereira created the The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ), having previously succeeded his father as the head of the OSMTH in 1960.[2] This was caused when General Antoine (originally Antoni) Zdrojewski was unexpectedly elected as the new Grand Master of the OSMTH at the Convent of Paris in September, 1970.[18] Zdrojewski became the head 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.[19] George Lamirand was succeeded by Dr. Nicolas Haimovici Hastier who is the current OSMTJ Grand Master today.[20]

The SMOTJ has an American autonomous[21] branch of the Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani.[22][23] The ecumenical organization operates as a modern-day network of educated professionals.[13][21] As of August 2007, the organization had approximately 5,200 members.[24]

References

  1. ^ http://www.chivalricorders.org/orders/templars/templars.htm
  2. ^ a b http://www.fghoche.com/tribunes/chronobio.html
  3. ^ Neo-Templarism (Religious Movement)/
  4. ^ OSMTH "History and Goals of the Contemporary Templar Order"
  5. ^ a b OSMTH Templar legacy page
  6. ^ http://www.osmth.org/templar-legacy
  7. ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20100324131657/http://us.osmth.org/
  8. ^ http://www.osmth.org
  9. ^ Christopher Hodapp, Alice Von Kannon, The Templar Code for Dummies, pages 206-207 (Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2007). ISBN 978-0-470-12765-0
  10. ^ http://www.osmth.org/humanitarian-projects
  11. ^ http://www.osmth.org/humanitarian-projects/jordan-river-project
  12. ^ a b OSMTH brochure, p. 3, 5, 6
  13. ^ a b c OSMTH International Overview, accessed 29 Jul 2011
  14. ^ OSMTH Knight's manual, p.3
  15. ^ http://www.osmth.org/modern-order
  16. ^ Real Knights Templar are philanthropists accessed May 15, 2011.
  17. ^ United Nations NGO page
  18. ^ James R. Lewis, The Order of The Solar Temple: The Temple of Death, page 24 (Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2006). ISBN 0-7546-5285-8
  19. ^ [1]
  20. ^ http://osmtj.net/modern-order/
  21. ^ a b SMOTJ About Us page
  22. ^ SMOTJ About Us page, International section
  23. ^ OSMTH List of Priories
  24. ^ Reading Eagle on-line report and interview quotes statistics for early 2010.

Media related to The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem at Wikimedia Commons

Further reading

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