From Spain (and NPR) comes news that a group claiming to be the descendants (actual? honorary? spiritual?) of the Knights Templar have sued the Pope in an attempt to reclaim the land and treasures that they lost when members of the order were declared to be heretics, and their leader was burned at the stake. (Many people prefer just to pay a fine.) They're seeking about $ 150 billion (which is approximately 93 Euros).
"A group called the Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ has filed suit in a Spanish court, asking for an apology from the pope and recognition that land and property worth about $150 billion today was seized from the Templars."
Pope Clement V disbanded the order in 1307 for allegedly denying Christ, worshiping the Devil and committing sodomy--the Big Three back then (before Lawrence v. Texas made sex betewen consulting males legal). The "descendants" now, post-Lawrence v. Texas, claim to have newly discovered evidence, and want to open up the record.
One group of self declared Templars say on their website (what? You doubted they'd have a website?) that they are recognized the the United Nations:
"Our official name is Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani, Latin for “The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem”, and often shortened to the initials OSMTH or SMOTJ. Our Order was founded on the principles first adopted by the original Templar Knights in France in the Year 1118 and carried out in those early days from their home in the Temple of Solomon in the Holy City of Jerusalem, provided for them by then King of Jerusalem Baldwin, the Second. In these modern times, OSMTH is international in nature with members from over 40 nations, ecumenical Christian in our religious beliefs welcoming Members of all Christian religions, and focused on matters of human rights, political and religious freedom, and humanitarian aid to the world's less fortunate. We are officially recognized by the United Nations in Special Consultative Status and furnish OSMTH Official Delegations to the United Nations in New York City, Vienna, and Geneva." (There is no indication at the website whether they follow the Templar rules reprinted below, and sleep with the light on, only glance at women, or stable their horses in mosques.)
If you want to join the British branch (and get the neat membership card that accompanies this post, and your own membership certificate, tie, sword, etc. at their shop on line) check it out here.
The Vatican will never reimburse the group, it says, because its members cannot prove that they are descendants of the Knights Templar.
It may be difficult for these descendants from the monks/knights founded by a Knight of Champagne to liberate the Holy Land (Clement V is not the only one who has regretted a night of Champagne) since the Templars took a vow of chastity. Their rules were:
- They could not look lasciviously at women. They could only look long enough for identification.
- They slept in lighted dormitories.
- They wore their breeches tight when sleeping.
- They kept their doors unlocked.
- Individual letters to the Templars were read aloud in the company of the Master as a form of censure. Most often, the master himself could not read (it says here.)
What will they do about the statute of limitations? Is it greater than 700 years? Can the Pope plead the defense of Infallibility? Shouldn't they be suing the creators of Indiana Jones and The Da Vinci Code who made a lot of bucks using the Templars as a plot device?
When you sue the Pope does Canon Law apply? If they win, are all the victims of the Inquisition waiting in the wings? Are the Muslims who are descendants of the defenders of Jerusalem going to sue the Templars for all the death and destruction they caused? Will the Ayatollah issue a fatwah on the Templars who stabled their horses in the Al Aksa Mosque?
I'm looking forward to the depositions. Do you suppose they'll depose the Pope?
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