Sovereign Brotherhood of Dames and Knights of The TempleOSMTJ-SPAIN

+ N o n N o b i s D o m i n e , N o n N o b i s S e d N o m i n e T u o D a G l o r i a m +

September 2015N 1

+The First Templar Knight++The Orig in of the Temple+

M a g a z i n e

Digital MagazineSovereign Brotherhood of Dames and Knights of The Temple

OSMTJ-SPAINSeptember 2015 Murcia Spain

Calendar of EventsSeptember

Opening of the Third of Andalucia HSDCT

NovemberCelebrate its First Templar

ElevationThe South Florida Priory of

Saint Martin de Porres" of the OSMTJ-USA

Director:Ms. Fuensanta Santos de la RubiaContact: hsdct2014@gmail.com

Editorial Board:Priory Council of HSDCT.OSMTJ.Mr. Jose Maria Fernandez NuezMr. Luis Antonio Coln Arce

Writers:Mr. Jos M Fernandez NezMr. Julio Marvizn PreneyMr. Emilio PerezMr. Juan Antonio Cabezos Martinez.Ms. Claudia Llanes BeltrnMs. Fuensanta Santos de la Rubia

Designer:Ms. Fuensanta Santos de la RubiaMr. Jose Antonio Navarro

International Order Contact:Mr. Agustin Ibaez AguirreTfno: 0034 672 110 817hispaniatemple@live.com

International Translator Contact:Mr. Luis Antonio Coln Arcemarineronoble@icloud.com

Translators:Mr. Luis Antonio Coln ArceMs.Natalia Ballesteros HuescaMs.Mary Angeles SantiagoMs. Alba Navarro Salvador Mr. Jess de las Heras Jimenez,

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T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Index....................................................................................... 2Editorial.................................................................................. 3The First Templar Knight................................................. 4The Sacred Shroud and The Templars.............................. 14Jerez de los C. Bahiliato of Templar Order.................... 20Compassion Christiand and Buddhist Contribution............. 25Simbology of Sigillum Militum Xpisti............................... 29Eleanor of Aquitaine Great Dame of Middle Ages......... 35Calendar of Events............................................................... 41The Grail Translator Team............................................... 42Posting Rules........................................................................ 43

E d i t o r i a lDear brothers:You have in your hands the ability to read in English the magazine that publishes the

Sovereign Grail Brotherhood of Ladies and Knights Templar.Until now only published in Spanish but the Temple is universal and, therefore, its

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Its free, embrace it, because from this moment on, The Grail is also your child and we all want the best for our children.

Aeneas Prior

The Grail

By Juan Antonio Cabezos

The Firts Templar Knight The Origin of the Temple

By Jos Maria Fernandez Nuez

Causes, When it was Created, How it was Created,

Who Created It.

Causes

Following the conquest of Jerusalem, there was a great deal of general discontent. Many of the combatants saw their dreams go up in smoke, how they turned to dust on the road and with but a light breeze, they vanished into the air. They found themselves on the streets of Jerusalem, lac-king everything, absolutely everything. Some had lost their patronage, as they became aware that their needs were always tethered to the continued support and con-tribution of the personal preeminence of a determined leader...afterwards to again forgotten, they were neces-sary instruments at critical moments, passing swiftly into irrelevance, where they were perhaps promised a social change within the new collective, they saw only a con-tinuation of where they had started. Other lords, second string there, landed gentry here, some would rule with unprecedented tyranny, with no superiors to rein them in, recreating the same social si-tuation as before, saw their dreams dashed. The same situation that existed under the Turks that des-tabilized the area. They witnessed how relatived and the friends of friends, were occupying positions of power and relevance in the nascent state.Many were the knights that wandered everywhere through the narrow and winding streets of the city, easy prey to forming groups of bagaudas (1), although not their original intention, became, in many cases their fatg

At the onset enemies of their rivals, they soon coalesce in order to seize greater combat capability, until an amal-gam was achieved that tnited these people that were so different by creed, race, nature and position. The unprotected open air encampments, made them bolder and more aggressive attacking even royal cara-vans of either side.These, the disconnected of various places, accustomed to battle, had no place to return to, thus, it was there, in that place where they should seek their fortune, and the paradigm offered:

Seize what you can, when you can and defend as you know how.

When there was nothing left to sack, they set their sights on the caravans and afterwards towards that which they came to defend and protect...the palmists (pilgrims). One of the reasons for the Crusades was precisely the protection of pilgrims that journeyed to the Holy Land. From their arrival by boat at Jaffa, and until their arri-val in Jerusalem, they were subject to all sorts of abuse and violence, that ranged from simple theft to murder, as well as rape or kidnapping, in the strictest sense of the word, what obliged them to integrate themselves into caravans which offered them greater protection, not ex-posing themselves to the journey nor its real dangers on their own. These chronicles that never ceased to reach Christian lands via the liberating crusaders of the holy city, appa-rently one of the objectives of the epic was not forthco-ming. The outcome failed to please those that predicted the Crusade, and thus it was made known to Baldwin and his court, that never ceased from the times of the Advocatus to demand of the west more soldiers to

sustain the incipient kingdom and the protection of the Holy Sites.It is common knowledge that the caravans were compo-sed mainly, of merchants who transported their goods, from one place to another.in the Middle East regions.

Some were from distant lands, such as the ones that tra-ded in silk or spices, so crucial for the consumption and commerce of that region.The caravan as such, was an assorted amalgam of people with no social or sedentary cohesion who, fa-cing constant danger from these bands of thieves and cutthroats, these travelers grouped together to cross cer-tain territories, some more and others less, but always with the specter of assault. On occasion these travelers had their families and all their wealth with them. Having sold all their belongings at their point of:Ideparture and were relocating to another in hopes of a better life. These, were but tasty morsels for the highwaymen who had at their disposal, spies and informers at key locations along these trade routes.

Among these assailants, social composition was simi-lar, as soon as natives encountered each other, be they Christians, Greeks, Armenians, etc., they would form veritable small armies so structured in hierarchy, as well as anarchical in combat, unable to resist the onslaught of an organized force, they appeared strong to face a guard or escort, who in principle were no more than former soldiers, who in times of peace were left without employment, people that previously were hired by the caravan organizers. Generally their numbers were, according to the impor-tance of the caravans. They defended themselves with equal force to that of the aggresors, without order or strategy, the important thing was to cause the maximum of casualties among the guards by the ones with the training and discipline of well disciplined military units.This is where our knights would lend support and pro-tection in the event of an attack, this did not mean that they alone would engage:an armed force impossible to vanquish, this would have been certain and needless sui-cide, failing on the first attempt. It was not just a matter of facing the attackers and over-coming them, but also to protect the caravan or pilgrims (generally attached to them) to avoid another attack that by strategy could occur, in addition, they had to regroup it and lead it to a safe location, all the while, leaving the rest of the knights to hold back with their weapons the onslaught of the bandits, that was a labor of giants im-possible to execute if one does not dispose of effective and appropriate means.

WHEN IT WAS FIRST CREATED, CAUSAL ASPECT, FIRST COUNTERPOINTS

Once Jerusalem was conquered, the most urgent task was to endow the new territories with a structure si-milar to the previous one, with institutions to channel the needs of the new society, in short create a kingdom, but the syndrome of disagreement and misunderstanding plus the false protection of its new propertys, would cause them to be weaker, an endemic characteristic that would follow them always.

The detonator to put an end to this situation that was leading them towards a total debacle, ocurred during one of those attacks which because of its crudeness, had great transcendence. The chaos that emerged from the rivalries and internal animosities that threatened to pull apart and place in jeo-pardy all the military potential that swept them to the first victories, coupled with the difficulty of governing the lands envisioned by christian princes, eased the victory of the Oghuz Tttks (2) at the battle of Sarmeda (Ager Sanguinis), on 28 June 1119. It is then that King Bald-win II (3) and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Garmond de Picquigny (4) promote the necessary and urgent conve-ning of the Aulic Synod in the city of Nablus, in Samaria (5) to give greater and improved integrity to the tender state as well as justifying to Rome, the implementation of social and territorial realighnment in all is aspects. At the same time that no less important but more im-pactful event was playing out in old Europe. The attack and imprisonment of a group of seven hundred unarmed pilgrims, traveling from Jerusalem to the River Jordan, during Holy Week of 1119 (6).

They were taken prisoners by the Saracens (7), many were killed and the rest sold into slavery.It was an assembly of prelates and nobility of the king-dom of Jerusalem, it took place on 16 January 1120, in it the first written laws of the kingdom were established. In this Synod they brought up the dangers of carving up into smaller states, the conquered lands. Rivalries cropped up at an early stage, as in the caseof Edesa and Antioch, if this continued, all could be lost. They see the need to create an official force of highway police to protect the pilgrims as well as the caravans, crucial to the survival of the conquered lands, all the while silencing the voices of critics that arose in their places of origin thatnthey still depended on and did not accept that there was yet no solution, one of the reasons of the Crusade, which provoked suspicion when it cane time to send representatives in support. In the Middle Ages, the notion of police was defined as:

The good order of civil society presided by a state authority, leaving good moral and religious order in the charge of ecclesiastical authority. (8)

Nablus was especially important as much for the re-covery and final settling of ecclesiastical prestige and authority, as well as for the rooting of its subjects and institutions, avoiding being affected morally or senti-mentally by the locals. In short they tried to prevent the easternization of the Crusaders that could lead to the dissapearance of the new realm.Hotl debated during this synod, was the militarization of all Christians including the clergy, the lack of ready funds was made clear, the loss of human resources were nu-merous and with clear way of replacing them, therefore, ecclesiastical norms would have to accept the imposed mobilization of the religious community for the very sur-vival of the Latin states. This was of great concern for the crusader states. In ec-clesiastical legislation, clergy were generally forbidden to participate in wars, but for the Crusaders all available human resources were necessary. Just the prior year, Antioch had been defended by the Patriarch Arnulf Malecorne de Chocques, after the batt-le of Ager Sanguinis (Field of Blood), a disaster that pla-ces in doubt the activity and solidarity of the newcomers.

Canon 20 was approved declaring that, a member of the clergy will not be declared guilty if he takes up arms in defense of self, but cannot bear arms for any other reason, nor can he act as a knight. Even thought the war against the infidels that occupied the Holy Lands was just and legal. Canon law absolu-tely prohibited the clergy, under penalty of excommuni-cation, to kill another man with any weapon, unless he

were a Muslim and even then, only in self defense.However, the decision had been made, and as of now they would participate in the defense of the places just the same as any other soldier, Among other topics the creation of the canonical con-gregation, Militia Christi Hierosolimitana, was created, and charged with guaranteeing safe passage to the pal-mists or pilgrims from the West, after the conquest of Jerusalem.

They had already been at this task for several years when the Easter disaster of 1119 occurred. After the approval and in light of the lack of a solid, permanent and parti-cular infrastructure that would lend support to the new Brotherhood, the authorities did what was necessary to cover the problem. As much for the familial connections of its components and their narrow relationship with the conquering elite, owners of posts, titles and lands, (we will see later) such as the fact that Hugh de Payens was related to the Count of Champagne and probably a distant relative of Bald-win, who caused said king to give him_a place to rest his bones at the end of an intense journey, granting him certain rights and privileges.Among these rights were lodgings within the kings pala-ce, this unusual demand, was a defining moment of the social position of the new Militia. What is known today as the Al-Aqsa (the far) Mosque which the crusaders called the Lords Temple, squarely in its south wing. This was coupled with another that was ceded by canons (not the Equestrian Order) of the Holy Sepulcher, separately in the style of a patio, of some 15 hectares (52 acres) of area that surrounded the palace, where they could train with their arms and be ready for combat.

The knights would cede the stables and adjacent areas as barracks All this was directed towards, conceding the entire com-

plex to the new brotherhood. The king did not delay for long to transfer his seat to the Tower of David, erected by the gate of Jaffa, that was in the hands,by power of conquest of Raymond de Saint-Gilles, IV Count of Tou-louse, of whom it was requested to serve as the seat of the kingdom and of the king. All the former installations passed into the hands of the new Militia, who in this manner, acquired not only their general headquarters, but their name as well.

They were granted the first rule of St. Augustine (known as the Latin as it came from the Latin kingdom of Pales-tine) for their close relationship with the Canons of the Holy Sepulcher and for being the only one that viewed belligerence as a proper defense of faith. There were no others like this in the realm, beside, the others had not yet reconciled themselves to this new concept of warrior monks. As a matter of fact the Templars as they were becoming known after their recognition and the taking of temporal vows, were not yet friars, later, in the Council of Troyes and from the popes hand, they would confirm theitzs-tatus. Their behavior during these nine years and the support of the patriarch and king Baldwin, would constitute the determining factors of acceptance by the Roman Curia.

The differences between the Knights of the Holy Sepul-cher and the friars of the new Militia Christi Hierosoli-mitana (not yet known as the Templars) are several, not only in their charisma, but also in their raiment (mode of dress). These (the newly minted) wore a drab white mantle (that they would forever wear) as a sign of humility, with the double beamed red cross thus indicating a presumed dependence on the church of Jerusalem who created it. Whereas the members of the Holy Sepulcher wore pure white and others pale blue, which I believe to be secular and these bore the Jerusalem or Tau cross of St. Helena that was granted to the crusaders by Urban II, and these added the four Greek crosses, separated by

the extensions of the Tau cross that symbolize the five wounds of Christ. This sign has its roots in that the mother of Constantine the Great, had bestowed on the laity of the Holy Sepul-cher in the year 313.Paul Piers tells us the creation of the Templar militia had as one of its objectives, aside of surrendering their lives to God (living forever as regular canons, no personal property and under vows of chastity and obedience), to protect the high ways and routes to Jerusalem against attacks from thieves and brigands in order to grant safe passage to all, but specifically the palmists (pilgrims). (9).

Under the reformative tendencies of Nicholas the IIs pontificate, many priests saw in the ascesis (10) a greater perfection in the creation of regular canons, in confor-mity with the decree of Synod of Letran, in 1059, it was approved by the canons that wish to pradtide an apostolic life. Thus the title of Regular Canons of St.Augustine The Templars are the first to incorporate the figures of friars and warriors.For some authors, this is the date of foundation of the Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon. (11) The concept of paupers (poor), on the one hand is related to what is stated in the chronicle of Ernoul, where it sates that these knights faulted themsel-ves for leading a comfortable and licentious life, instead of defending the faith and the pilgrims, in those, yet un-safe lands, comparing the poverty of spirit that does not avoid that situation. It is more a case of self criticism than of a lack of capital properly stated. Another concept is better justified that poverty and mi-sery provokes sin, moreso than the actual financial rea-lity.That they received alms? perhaps, but their condition and position say that they had no need of these as we shall see further on. For other authors the creation commences as of 1118, many take it to the Council of Troyes, but it will not be until 1139 in the bull Omne Datum Optimum when the Order becomes officially and definitely established, in the time of Pope Innocent II.William of Tyre also places it erroneously on this date (1129) when he speaks of the reasons for its demise, he says ...they disdained the Patriarch of Jerusalem for whom their Order was founded and from whom they received their first benefits and to whom was denied the obedience that their precursors had offered... , he speaks of Troyes in place of Rome where the bull of 1139, Omne Datum Optimum was published, where they were released of said obedience to the patriarch by will of the Pope, not the Templars. It was not the pa-triarch that created them. Their beginning is laic and not

qui intra Ecclesiam.Williams errors are continuous, due to his utter disdain towards the Order, therefore biased and it must be re-garded as a source of scarce reliability.Ralph de Caen, principal chronicler of the First Crusade, does not name the christian militias of Jerusalem, in his opus on the Norman campaigns of Cilicia that transpire between the years of 1096 and 1105 nor of the exploits of Tancred, between 1097 and 1108, which could ser-ve us as a point of departure.Simon, monk of Saint Bertin de Artois very close to the vicinity of Saint-Omer, contradicts William of Tyres ver-sion, with his own writings (he is not alone) in relation to the mode and date of the founding. This one being closer in time (1135/37) and more cer-tain in his explanations than William, he states that the first Templars were crusaders that had decided to remain in the Holy Land instead of returning to their homes, with the counsel of the princes of the army of God they took the vows of the Lords Temple always respecting the following rule: renouncing the world, eschewing all personal goods, they would surrender themselves to a life of chastity and lead a communal life, donning a sim-ple habit and using arms only in defense against Pagan attacks(4th vow) (12). Simon writes that 15 years after Nablus, distancing the influence of the patriarchy of its founding and subse-quent dependency, as Tyres version sustains.

The Anglo-Norman monk, Orderic Vitalis writes in 1125 that Fulk V of Anjou Milites ed Terminum of the Temple, considered them to be more pious knights than monks, he speaks not of the date of founding, but assures us that in 1120 it was activated. For Richard de Poitou, monk of the Great Abbey of Cluny, who writes around 1153 about the death of Bernard, making it coincide with the death of the Abbot Hugh de Cluny, and in the year that Louis VI assumes the throne of France. He dates the creation of the Order (even in its brotherhood stage) as 1099.For Walter Map, secular cleric, they wore austere gar-ments from their very beginnings, even before their re-cognition at Nablus. He speaks of palmist knights that invested all they owned in the acquisition of the necessary accoutrements of war for the defense of the faith (again the 4th vow), he offers relevant data from the mouthsof Ernoul and Bernard, treasurers of the abbey of Corbie in France, he sates that the brothers still bore (before 1129) the distinction of their origin, on their garments a two armed cross of scarlet and the sign of the Holy Sepulcher. The chronicler offers us yet more, he states that the Hos-pital granted themaa patron called Bausant (pius) (13).

As stated by Helen Nicholson, albeit a much later chro-nicle , (1187) and in this we are in agreement, this one has a certain credibility, being that its founders were pal-mists. -That it was created by the initiative of the knights themselves. -That they became aware of the need for a police force in defense of the pilgrims. _That the palace within Solomons Temple was granted to them, and that they had the acknowledgment of the king and the church of Nablus. It also delves into the deep relation-ship that existed at the onset between the Temple and the Hospitaliers as stated by Mexias, from whom they received the standard that would ac-company them into all their battles.

For Francisco P. Mellado when he speaks of the Order of St. John Hospitalier of whom he qualified as glorious, says that In the time of Raymond Dupuy, the Order (Hospitalier) reached great glory. This glory received a new splendor with the founding of the new Military Order; that of the Templars, that had just been elevated to the side of the Hospitaliers, and although threatening at the beginning to eclipse it through its valor and power, on the contrary, it raised it, thanks to the ambition and covetousness that it displayed from its very beginning. (14)Raymond Dupuy, Second Master of the Hospitaliers, serves from 1120 to 1160. Upon the death of Gerard de Tom, he takes charge of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem proposing that the Order should carry out acts of war in defense of Chris-tianity. (15). He established the rules whereas by not abandoning the primitive role of guardians and protectors of pilgrims, they will come to constitute a Militia of Christ akin to the Templars, founded around that time and although fighting on the same side and for the same cause, they never truly got along. (16) Faithful reflection,-of the con-temporary secular world.It is officially understood that the year of founding of a religious order, cthat one where they receive approval from the pope in Rome, (Council of Troyes) or he as-signs them certain rules. Naturally, and first it must be requested, (by the king and patriarch of Jerusalem of the Holy See) for which there must previously be a group of persons willing and of means, that demonstrate a good disposition having taken temporal vows (Hugh and his comilitants). This is where the confusion usually arises as to the diffe-rence in dates from the momentthat the group of knights organizes itself, swears allegian-ce and enters battle, until such time in which its existen-ce is officially confirmed as a military order.

JURISPRUDENCE, on what do they base themselves to give legislative body to

its creation.

If they are received in 1120 by the patriarch as friar according to William of Tyre, until 1129 when they are officially established. During those nine years they abi-ded by the rules set by the patriarch that they took to France and in which the council, alone would add its grain of sand, but this does not imply that it would aban-don the primary Augustinian rule in favor of the Cister, as suggested by one author or another (17).

Bernard, did not change the rule nor did he substitute it with that of his Order, he was but one more member of that council, his suggestions could be accepted or not, just as equally as the others, as a matter of fact he was drafted as a scribe from the onset, not as counsel or exe-cutive member. On another note, sources gather that all orders inclu-ding the one of the Holy Sepulcher, in its heroic phase, adopted the rules the Temple and it is quite clear in their constitutions that they are Augustinian. On the other hand, to what means? based on what? and under what argument was he to change these, precisely for those of Cister. At Bernards suggestion and by pe-tition of the council, the Cistercian monk Jean Michel takes charge of the editing and makes it very clear.There exists a translation of the primitive rule, based on the 1886 edition by Henri Curzon, La Regle du Tem-ple as a military manual, where the paleographer Judith Upton Ward, informs us of the possible existence of a previous one, although in all honesty we must say that this document has undergone so many revisions that we cannot know if it is original or a copy of a copy which was copied. one must not forget that the order had

been in existence for several years and had developed their own traditions and customs prior to the arrival of Hugh de Payens at the Council of Troyes, therefore to a certain degree the primitive rule is based on established practices. )Judith Upton Ward. pp 11) (18)At no point does she speak of the editing of a new rule, but instead of approval and conformity of what they have followed since its founding as a congregation, not order (another error), had it been constituted as an Or-der, besides being illegal, why repeat the process? the only one that has the power to elevate an order is the pope in council, not the patriarch.In its transcription it is only retouched placing its results in writing. The changes are of military character, with respect to the life of the friars and not monastic. They approve the white mantle for all its members that Etienne La Ferte would later correct. It is definite that the Templars take the the rule of san Augustine or Latin to Troyes where it is modified but without substantial spiritual loss, giving origin to what is known as primitive rule, it returns to the patriarch, who also retouches it. In 1140 there appears a French translation known as the French rule in the same manner of the previous ones.As we can see, the different versions correspond to the adaptation of the Augustinian rule in its different sequen-ces.This monk has been credited with great involvement with respect to the Temple. His publicity and support, were important factors, for those who wish that their congregation gain admission as an order within the bo-som of the Catholic Church, and doing this through the large door is important. The Laude Novae Militiae, offers extensive informa-tion to how a Knight of Christ must be, that in no way resembles a traditional monk, it is a literal copy of the Augustinian rule, while at the same time a backing of the measures taken at the Synod of Nablus, concerning the clergy and its responsibility in armed defense of conque-red lands.There are authors that lean towards modification, total overhaul and including the rewriting of the prime rule (19), in the Council of Troyes adopting the Cistercian one of Bernard the reformer and they even venture into things and cases that never occurred, such as the crea-tion of a rule in 1131.They could not be Cister as they would have been con-templative, contrary to active. St. Thomas remarks this dichotomy quite well in his opus Suma Teologica. Bernard in his Laude makes it quite clear ...being that it was illicit for me with the lance, I employ the quill, assuring you all that it will not be of little help, if what I cannot accomplish with weapons, I will help you with writings.

This is a tacit acknowledgment of the impossibility of arming the monks of his Order, as the labor concerning his rule was focused on prayer and work, they were not soldiers.The Templars were Augustinians, from their inception until their total disappearance. Later adaptations camou-flaged in general, the rules principles, this often occurswith these institutions that live through time, but their essence, their Augustinian roots were not modified on bit along the way. All the Orders of the Holy Land were under the rules of Saint Augustine, none were Cistercian or Benedictine.They neither were monks. Monks normally never leave their monastery, within where they dedicate themsel-ves traditionally to prayer and daily chores, whereas a brother differs from a monk in that his ministry and apostleship takes him to work throughout the realm of God and away from the convent or hermitage.The monk identifies with his monastery, whereas the brothers are usually sent to different locations according to where their superiors need them (if you wish to be on this side of the sea you will be taken to the other, process of admission). Templars are more brothers than monks. To understand the difference one only has to analyze the etymology. Monk comes from the Greeks root signifying.Singular or isolated: monos. Friar on the other hand, comes from the Latin frater or brother.The monks were the first devout Christians that isolated them-, selves from-the world and its sins. On occasion, they spent their lives at a desk as scribes. Others in tree tops, like dendrites. In many cases they simply went into the desert and lived in caves like the eremites or hermits. To be precise, a group of eremites was called a monoi, from the Greek, living in caves on the side of a hill in the desert, they formed a monastery, or a residence of monoi or monks. Much later, monasterys went up in different places other than the desert, but always reflecting the idea of devout Christians that wish to isolate themselves from the world.The friars, fratelli in Italian, are on the other hand another very different thing. In fact, the total opposite. They are preachers that act in a group to evangelize and raise funds (Mendicant Orders). -That is why they are justly called brothers, which suggests an idea of plurality, not singulatity, as in the case of monks. And the place where the friars congregate was precisely a conventum, which is a word from the Latin verb meaning to gather (convenire). Convent places the emphasis on:a group of people, whereas monastery places it in the realm of isolation.Effectively it was the case of a new fashion very remo-ved from the official one, until now not practiced nor

allowed, it caused the most orthodox to gnash their teeth.

The vanguard of the new postular vision headed by Bernard de Clairvaux was more than ready to not only recognize, but to empower this type of soldier of Christ, that would fight to the death in defense of the purity of faith. Bernard new ,perfectly well that his stance left scratches upon the skin of those who contemplated the teachings of the Master with greater sweetness. Lit was not proper for clerics to brandish swords and thus it becomes the subject of great debate during the 20th prerogative of the Synod of Nablus, but he also knew that before the unstoppable power of the new orthodo-xy sprouting from the Book, the word was not enough. Fancy words and proper manners were not going to stop the warriors of the different Muslim states thirsty for vengeance, more was required and that more, was precisely the new Military-Conventual constitutions that presented themselves as censoriis fidei, (legal and se-vere judges).The Christian church went slowly from the established pacifism of its founder and the martyrs of its early begin-nings, to the warlike state of the holy war created by St. Augustine of Hippo in his Civitatis Dei, through which for almost 600 years of transition, support was given to holy war, leaving behind the peace of God. This brand of new christianization also created, at the same time, a new concept, that of demonizing ones ad-versaries which rightly justified battling them, giving no quarter and this becoming the main goal of the bellige-rent church.The concept of holy war can be traced in christianity through the conception of a doctrine of just war, which is continued by other authors throughout the Middle Ages, such as Thomas Aquinas (Suma Teologica, 11-11, Qu. 40) (20) for the purpose of a phrase from the Gospel of Luke: ...And the Lord said unto his servant, go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14,23).

Augustine comments (in his Enciclica Gaudium): Why cannot one force anyone to see the truth? the Catechism of the Catholic Church considers that every citizen and all governors should strive to avoid wars. Yet still, as long as there exists a risk of war and lacking a competent international authority with the means of co-rresponding force, once all means of peaceful settlement are exhausted, one cannot deny governments the right to legitimate defenses (21).

This same right was recently acknowledged by Pope John Paul II (22), in his encyclical where he justified the death of an adversary in a case of conflict and that this would not be taken as a sin, in the just defense of life or property.The very founder of the rule, St. Augustine of Hippo condemns violence and armed conflict as an excuse for maintaining the peace of for the conversion of souls, but at the same time he reflects and acknoTiledges that vio-lence must be fought with violence, wherever negotia-tion has been exhausted and the perhicious action of the first persists.

Bernard de Clairvaux would say to this, which he would rely on to bolster his speech,:That is the sort of wars in: vhich the Order of the Tem-ple were embroiled in, good!, evil requires a pulling out by the roots, when you slay an infidel there is no homici-de but instead malicide. (23; thus justifying and sanctio-ning without a doubt this situation that was not fully ac-cepted especially by many clerics. For Gerard Winkler in his work, he illustrates: Bernard de Clairvaux, himself had much to do:with this college of canons of St. Vic-tor in Paris. Gerhoe de Reichersberg (1093-1169), along with Rupert de Deutz and Hildegatde Von Bingen, was

the most original German theologian of this time, a *Ger-man Bernard* (24).Isaac de Etoile a Cistercian philosopher and theologian, who was the Abbot of the Monastery of Etoile near Poi-tiers, composed a sermon for his followers in 1147, in which he stated, there has appeared a new monster, a certain knighthood whose order emanates from the fifth Gospel (25) as it has been established to force the infi-dels to convert to the christian faith by means of lances, maces and swords and capable of freely stripping non christians of their belongings and killing them, albeit, reli-giously, but if one of their own were to fall during these acts of pillage, he is classified as a martyr of Christ (26). He does not directly condemn them, but he does display an absolute rejection of the use of arms as a substitute for preaching. For Walter Map Canon of St. Pauls in London and in 1196, archdeacon at Oxford. The only existing work of this author that survives is De Nugis Curialium (super-fltity_ofL:the courtiers) on pages 59/67, he wrote some considerations in 1187, referring to Peter and the Tea-chings of the Master. He pens a critique on the use of arms, and places an in-terdiction to the Templars vocation. He stated that Christ and his message obliged preaching in place of the sword. Christianity had gained more converts and lands with the former than with the use of violence and that these were motivated by their lust for war, in place of sear-ching for the soul and spirit of Christ.On the other hands were the defenders of the militariza-tion of the Orders, who maintained that the use of arms was as ancient as the presence of Christ on Earth, they traced it back to war of Constantine the Great against Magnentius and the incident of the Milvian Bridge in Rome, there had always been a sword ready to defend christians and their faith, without which the latter would have been impossible to maintain.Turold, the author of the Song of Roland, an epic poem based on the Battle of Roncevaux, in the year 778 as they crossed the port of Cisa, writes in the voice of the bishop Turpin who perishes battling alongside his companions, You do well companion, dismembering the vile enemies of the cross, a knight must be fierce and strong in battle, or he is worth nothing and better suited to becoming a monk in one of those churches and dedi-cate himself to praying all day for oursins. (27)For those who criticized the seizing of booty, Hugh Pec-catore, stated that it was necessary for the upkeep of the Soldiers of Christ, and it was rightly won, but not fought over, it was a consequence that permitted the continued effort in the defense of faith. They firmly believed that God needed swords more than supplications, in short, they placed a higher value on an

active religious life, rather than a contemplative one.All these opinions, without being all, demonstrate how long and difficult the process of the Militia was, its defini-tive acceptance never was realized, due to fear by some, by envy of others and others less speculative, who were made up of opponents that eased the fraternal rejection of those that had sworn to pledge their lives to Christ defending He Is faithful and his message.

Besides, this novelty clashed with the most orthodox tradition of the church who repudiating the spilling of blood, declared irregular and suspended from any cleri-cal office, not only any cleric who even in self defense, had provoked wounds or death of another human being, but also and including any sacred place where human blood had been spilt, was defiled and it must be purified before celebrating divine rites.The legislative body by which the friars of the Temple govern themselves underwent many logical adaptations to suit the times, along its existence. In spite of this, they channeled themselves in two different and complimen-tary but equally valid points:On the one side papal bulls and on the other the general chapters.1. Aulic Synod of Nablus where the canonical con-gregation is formed or the Brotherhood of the Milithia Christi Ierosolimitana , on 16 January of 1120, where vows are sworn by a roomful of defenders of the faith, they are given a rule, uniformity, a dwelling and a certain charisma-2. Council of Troyes on 13 January of 1129, for the sole purpose of officially creating the Order of the Temple: Swearing of solemn vows, they fashion the pri-mitive order based on the previous one, as of now they are friars of full right.

3. The bull Omne Datum Optimum of Pope In-nocent II of 29 March 1139 for the purpose of officia-lly creating the Order of the Temple. In it, aside from recognizing the Order, granted its members any spoils won from the Saracens in the Holy Land and they were exempt from paying a tithe to the corresponding bisho-prics, not having to explain their actions or behavior to any one save the Pope. The name of this bull corresponds to the first three words of Chapter 1, Verse 17 of the Gospel of James: OmneADatum Optimum et omne donum perfectum de sursum est transmutatio nec vicissitudinis obrumbatio. ( All good presents and every perfect ability come from on high, from the Father of lights, in whom there is no shift or variation of shadows). Along with the bulls Milites Templi and Militia Dei, constitute the lawful base of the Order.4. The bull Milites Templi (Soldiers of the Temple) was pro-mulgated by Pope Celestine II in 1144 with the purpose of increasing the privileges of the Templars. In it the clergy was ordered to protect the knights of the Order andcto the faithful, contributing to their cause, for which he allowed, once a year, an act of comparison of virtues. This measure had very little appeal to the secu-lar community, and it very likely, increased the already heady dislike towards the Order. 5. The bull Militia Dei (Soldiers of God) was pro-mulgated by Pope Eugene III in 1145 with the purpose of consolidating the privileges of the Order by reinfor-cing its independence with respect to the secular clergy. In it is recognized the Orders right to collect tribute, to bury its dead in their own ceme: teries and to have their own churches. Many are the complaints of the bishops and thus they decried it, upon seeing their congregations flocking to Templar churches, with the resulting loss of tithes and donations and adding to this the non obedien-ce from those whom they considered their inferiors.

END OF PART ONE PART TWO WILL CONTI-NUE IN NEXT ISSUE............

The Footnotes of part one.1 The word may have a double origin or a Latin root meaning thief , or one of Celtic origin It means warrior. Although they tended to attribute this movement to a mere purpose of banditry inhis time, some authors acknowledged its nature social revolu-tion.2. The Oghuz, a small Turkish tribe associated with the Se-ljuqs.3. Baldwin de Bourcq or Baldwin II of Jerusalem, was one of the leaders of the 1st Crusade who became Count of Edesa and afterwards the second monarch and also the second to assume the title of of King of Jerusalem. He was a cousin of the two previous kings, Godfrey and Baldwin I de Bouillon.4. In 1120 he convened the Council of Nablus along with King Baldwin II. He was an uncle of Godfrey and Hugh de Saint-Omer.5, It was not a church council in all aspects, but it was nota meeting of the royal court according to Hans Mayer, ggiven the religious character of many of the canons, it may be con-sidered as much a parliament as an ecclesiastical synod. The agreement between the king and the patriarch was similar to the one at Worms two years later.6. They were attacked and many were killed, the rest were sold as slaves, a fact that caused much pain among the Latin community of Jerusalem.7. Read, Piers Paul, Os Templarios, Rio de Janeiro. Ed.Imago 2001, pp 1028. Durand, Julius Caesar. On the concepts of police, power of police and activity of police (pdf). Commentary on opinion of procurement of national treasury, 13 July 2004, Review of Administrative Law (REDA) # 51, Lexis Nexis, consulted 22

June 2011.10. It refers to the philosophical and religious doctrine that seeks to purify the spirit by means of rejecting material pleasures or abstinence.15. History of Malta and Gozoi Frederic Lacroix, 1840, Barcelona, pp 6519. Not only is this affirmation.jgrattitous, it contradictscontemporary chroniclers, where they announce, not only thecanonical character but also the adopted rule, the Augustinian, due to the impossibility of becoming an order of congregation without the mandatory rule, which is why one must not take into consideration any affirmations that are generally a product of a lack of exhaustive research on the subject.20. Text quotes of Thomas Aquinas, some referring to Au-gustine of Hippo. and other_authors in a traditionalist catholic page.21. Encyclical Gaudium et spes 79, 422. Knowing that violence creates violence, the Pope seeks that all, especially world leaders, prime ministers, representa-tives of different groups and organizations to say NO TO WAR, NO! until all means of peaceful and diplomatic solutions arecX hap 5 e A. http://encuentra.com/sin-categoria/juan_pablo_ii_y_la_guerra 13352/23. From Hail to the new Militia of the Soldiers of theiTem-ple, Bernard de Clairvaux. Works of St.Bernard Madris, 1947 pp 1427/1464 Chapter 3. Justifying the death of an infidel in battle when there is no other course of action,..24. Gerhard Winkler, Monkhood and religious orders, the Canons of St. Augustine.25. Refers to the positive value of a fact condemned by the church and not accepted by the clergy.26. Helen Nicholson, The Templars. Ed. Critica, Barcelona, Jan 2010, pp 58/5927. Manuscript 39, Monastery of Saint Milan of Cogolla

Jos Maria Fernandez Nez Degree in History Regional delegate of the UNEE (National Union of

Writers of Spain) to Zaragoza

Member of the Medieval Foundation for Genealogy.

University of Cambrigde

The Sacred Shroud of Turin and the TemplarsBy Julio Marvizn Preney

From Constantinople to France.

We know that the Sacred Shroud of Turin once was in Constantinople via diverse accounts that have become known to us.

The important relics that the emperor of Constantinople had in his possesion were stored in the chapel.of Pharos and in the basilica of Blachernae and they had, logically, a very well cared for status. Anything that was done with them or any visits that took place, was carefully noted in an official document. They were kept in sealed cases to avoid theft or substitution, and they were entrusted to keepers of great confidence. They were documented with certificates of authenticity that guaranteed their provenance, that bore the gold seal of the Emperor of Byzantium.One of Crusaders that entered Constantinople in 1204, Robert de Clari, described an Ostentation of the Sin-don.* celebrated in that city shortly before the mass. Thus he recounts it: There also is, among them (chur-ches) an abbey called Our Lady of Blachernae, wherein we find the shroud that Our Lord was wrapped in. Every good Friday, it is unfolded and held high so that

one may see the figure. None, neither Greeks nor Frenchmen, know what be-

came of it when the city was conquered.In the years 1200 and 1201, there ocurred an uprising in the imperial palace. The historian Nikolaos Mesarites, who was the official caretaker of the relics had to con-front the insurgents to prevent them from defiling them. He was able to dissuade them by invoking the sanctity of the space. The objects gathered there constituted a new Jerusalem that connected heaven and earth and must remain outsi-de of all political maneuvering.Nikolaos describes the shroud in very clear terms:A funerary cloth upon which the image of Christ is out-lined as a silhouette without any contours. It is of linen, a simple and humble material, and still emanates the fra-grance of myrrh. It defies decay because it has swathed the unspeakable corpse, naked and anointed after the Passion.Afterwards it is quite probable, not to say with any cer-tainty, that the Holy Shroud of Turin was in Constanti-nople until the year 1204. But what occurred after that date?From that moment the Sindon (shroud) vanishes, and Neither Greeks nor Frenchmen know what became of it, Robert de Clari tells us.

* An act consisting of the prodigious elevation of the Sa-cred cloth, by a priest, and before an icon of the Blessed Virgin.We have two theories in which the Templars are very involved.

The first concerns a medieval Frenchman named Geof-froy de Charny (also spelt Charnay), eldest son of Jean de Charny, Lord , of Charny, and of Marguerite de Joinville, daughter of Jean de Joinville, celebrated bio-grapher of St. Louis IX, King of France and who, accor-ding to some investigators, is connected with Geoffroy de Charny.Geoffroy de Charny was Preceptor of Normandy for the Knights Templar. de Charny was accepted into the Or-der at a very early age by Brother Amaury de la Roche, the Preceptor of France. Present during the ceremony was Jean le Franceys,Preceptor of Pedenac. De Charny was burned alive at the stake, alongside Jacques de Molay (Grand Master) for heresy in 1314, on the Isle de la Citein Paris.

The Templars fell into disgrace and Philip IV, King of France, also called The Fair, decided to finish them off. Thus he ordered their detention, imprlsonment, trial and death for them, after suffering horrible questioning.Gerard Castel, the historian tells us: It occured that two Templar Knights, MonfocOn, Prior of Montfalcon in the province of Toulouse and Nofey Dei Florentin, escaped from the prisons they had been sentenced to by order of the Grand Master and condemned to death, and who uncovered that Philip of France had accused the Order of horrible and heinous endemic crimes, such as no ears had heard, eyes had seen, nor were ever harbored in any mans heart.

This prince related said crimes to Pope Clement V, while together in the city of Poitiers, in which the latter issued a bull on 13 August of 1306, the same King Philip declared the inquiry that he was to make concerning the case.

The king who considered that the Pope was slow in his decisions, sent, on 14 September of 1307, secret orders to Reynauld, Lord of Pinquon and Jean de Verenis and to the Bailiff of Amiens, ordering the immediate arrest, without personal distinction, all Templars, and that their property, without exception, be applied to the national treasury.In carrying out this royal decree, dawn or sunrise of Fri-day the 13th (hence the bad luck that this day portents) of October, 1307, all the Templars that were present in France, including the Grand Master of the entire Order and lands beyond, were arrested and imprisoned.

The Grand Master was alone ordered held under house arrest in the Templar castle in Paris. At the same time King Philip sent missives to all the prin-ces and governments of Europe, informing them as to what he had done in France, and exhorting them to fo-llow suit in their respective states.

The principle charges that the Templars were accused of were: that novices upon entering the Order, blasphe-med against God, against Christ, the Virgin Mary and the Saints. They were accused of spitting on the Cross and upon the image of Jesus Christ that they trod upon stating that Christ had been a false prophet, and that the Passion was false and that He had not been crucified for the redemption of mankind.

That they worshipped a half human head that did not belong to any saint (Baphomet) and which was ador-ned by black and curly hair, and that before it, they had recited certain prayers and would bind it with bands, which they afterwards wrap around their bodies as if they were meant as sort of pro tection. Against the Tem-plars that were priests, they stood accused of failing to speak the words of Consecration during the mass. That the knights used the novices, committing against them all sorts of abominations. They were also accused that under oath they promised to reveal to no man, what they did at dawn or at its twilight, this last charge was believed to be, according to Cardinal Petra, the most serious.Was this image of a head, as some affirm, the face of the Man of the Sacred Shroud?In 1959, in a Templar church of Templecombe, U.K., a tablet was discovered that showed the face of a man that bore a certain resemblance to the Man of the Sacred Shroud.

Was Baphomet a representtion of the Man of the Sindon?

Geoffroy de Charny (1300-1356) was a French knight and author of at least-,three works on knighthood. Geoffroy, was also .a knight in the service of King JeanII of France and a founding member of the Order of the Star, an order of knighthood that was founded on 6 No-vember of 1351 by Jean II of France. It was nothing more than a copy of the Order of the Gar-ter, created in 1347 by Edward III of England.

He was also the bearer of the Oriflamme, which was the battle standard of the French Crown, an immense privilege and honor, not to mention a dangerous one, as it made its carrier, the key target of enemy forces on the field of battle. Geoffroy de Charny was perhaps during his lifetime, an example of a true European knight, with a reputation of not only skill with weapons, but also of compassion and honor. It was said that in his time he was known as a true and perfect knight.This condition alongside the King of France obliged him to take part in numerous battles, thus losing his life atPoitiers, using his body to shield that of the king, receiving the fatal arrow that was directed towards the monarch.Along the way during his great career, he was created Lord of Lirey and there, he would build a church. An account that has remained, until now unpublished, of the Canons of the church of Lirey around 1525, cre-dited the construction of the church to a promise made by Geoffroy when he was held a prisoner of the English.The legend states that the English had taken control of the town of Calais in 1347 (this is factual) and that Geoffroy had gained through bribery, the complicity of a

member of that citys garrison, so that he would open its gates, to allow a small French detachment, led by Geof-froy, could enter and retake the city. The plan failed and the traitor alerted King:Edward III who organized a raid against the assailants who were defeated and Geoffroy along with other French knights were taken prisoners.

According to the narration of the Canons, Geoffroy was locked away in a tower and the English king treated him inhumanely and would not return him to France in exchange for any sum of money, whereupon at that time Geoffroy made a promise that if he were saved he would btild a church in Lirey in honor of the Virgin Mary. The Canons, continue their tale, telling of the presence of an angel in the form of a young servant of the tower who opened up the doors , at nightfall.His aid did not end at this, but provided him with the means of disguise as an Englishman and urged him to join a troop of them that were going out on a sortie against the French. Geoffroy trusted him, went out and allowed himself to be captured by his countrymen, to whom he revealed himself, thus safe and sound.Historians do not accept this romantic narration, as it is known that Geoffroy as well as his countrymen were sent to England where they enjoyed a certain amount of freedom and that, after several refusals, King Edward, at last assented to their release, in July of 1351, in exchan-ge of a 12,000 ecus ransom paid by King Jean the Good.The tale of the Canons is nothing more than the fruit of a vivid imagination.

But what is certain is that Geoffroy built a church in Li-rey, a collegiate founded on 20 June of 1353.But, let us return to the Templars.According to the theory of Ian Wilson,Geoffroy de Charny was a descendent of the Geoffroy de Charny, immolated, as we have read, in 1314 along with Jac-ques de Molay.Did the Templars possess the Sacred Shroud and what they venerated was the face of the Man of the Sindon and not that of an idol?Did the Sacred Shroud pass into the hands of the latter Geoffroy de Charny, as a descendent, and did not wish to reveal where or how he had come to possess it, be-cause his ancestor had been burned alive for having it? It could be, but it seems that Geoffroy de Charny has no ties of relationship with the Other Geoffroy.But in all the books that speak to us of the manifesta-tions of the Sacred Shroud, we are told that Geoffroy de Charny inherited it from Geoffroy de Charnay who had it because a Templar, one of which commanded the ill named Fourth Crusade, stole and took it to France, concealing it among the Templar treasures.But, why does Geoffroy de Charny, not speak of it whenhe erects his church that, in principle, would serve to en-tomb his family? why, when already deceased Geoffroy I, his wife, Jeanne de Vergy and his son Geoffroy II, are the ones that place it in the church of Lirey?Now, many years ago a medal was found in:the River Seine in Paris, a medal that was presented to pilgrims as a souvenir upon visiting and venerating the Sindon, the medal is known as Mereau, and its image is below.

Mereau

As one can see, it is a schematic and rough represen-tation of the Sacred Shroud. At its base there appear two crests, one on the left, another on the right, and, between them, an empty tomb and a cross.

The upper part seem to be the stoles of bishops that are displaying the Sindon, held in their hands by its upper edges, which was the way it was displayed at that time.

At that time, was the woman so important that her crest was depicted on the same level as that of her husbands on a medal? why does her crest appear on this medal? Does this mean something as to the ownership of the Sacred Shroud?These questions have no answers, but I believe that they offer some clues as to how the Sindon came to Lirey. According to his son Geoffroy II and his granddaughter Marguerite, it had come to him as an act of grace or, rather, as spoils of war. But we know not for certain.We go on with these questions that have no answers.

Could it be that the true owner of the Sindon was Jean-ne de Vergy and that she brought it into the marriage? which is why her crest is represented on the Mdreau granting her the same relevance as her husband?How did the Sindons proprietorship come into her hands?We cannot overlook that Jeanne de Vergy is the Great Granddaughter of Othon de la Roche.Othon de la Roche was a Templar and one of the com-manders of the Fotrth Crusade that, after the sacking of Constantinople, was named Duke of Athens.

There is a theory, that Othon kept thez Sindon and, being that it was a relic of the Passion, it should have corresponded to King Baldwin I of Jerusalem, thus to avoid discovery, he sent it to his family in France and they guarded it in their castle of Montigny-Monfort, as well as in the cathedral of Besancon.Years later his great grand daughter, who wed Geoffroy de Charny in that cathedral, took it as part of her marria-ge dowry.Both theories could be true, but there is something that knocks them down. In 1247, Baldwin II, at that time Em-peror of Constantinople, makes a gift of a fragment of the Sindon to his uncle, Louis IX of France.

The French king orders the construction of the Sainte Chapelle (Holy Chapel) to place therein all the relics that he had acquired such as: Christs Crown of Thorns, a fragment of the True Cross, a portion of the Sacred Shroud,etc. this last relic has vanished.Later, the Sacred Shroud had to be sold due to a great economic crisis between 1247 and 1261, as there is evi-dence that he no longer had it during this time.

It is most certain, and we come back to the Templars,that he sold it to them as only they had ample means to acquire it and an equally great desire of securing relics. Through the Order of the Temple it could have come to Geoffroy de Charny as well as to the family of Othon de la Roche and end up in Lirey.

This would lead us to believe that the hypothesis of Besancon is invalid. Albeit that within the cathedral of that city there are numerous works of art and details that speak to us of the Holy Shroud. My wife and I have been in this beautiful city, on three occasions, investigating the Movements of the Sindonand have never discovered anything. At City Hall we were told that there were no documents that corrobora-te-the presence of the Sacred Shroud in Besancon.

The Sacristan at the cathedral gave us two versions: one, that it had been there but was divided into pieces during an epidemic, so as to heal the sick.The second, thatiit was destroyed in a fire during an uprising.What seems probable is that this cathedral had a replica of the shroud, and this was the one that suffered one of the two fates that were offered to us, as to its disappea-rance.But we must not forget that Jeanne de Vergy was the great granddaughter of Othon de le Roche and that she married Geoffroy de Charny in the cathedral of Besan-con.Was it part of her marriage dowry? is this why it is she, who brings it into the marriage?We do not know but there is a pervasive tradition that the Sindon was in Besancn and the castle of Montigny-Monfort, owned by the de la Roche family.According to Daniel Raffard, President of the Inter-national Center of Studies on the Shroud of Turin, at the International Scientific Conference on the Sacred Shroud,in Nice, exposedthe possibility that Othon de la Roche, 1st Duke of Athens, was one who confiscated the Sindon and sent it to the castle of Ray, near Besancn, another property of the de la Roche. According to this account the Sacred Shroud turns up in this castle as the property of Pons de la Roche, Othons father.In another of their castles, at Rigny, there is an inscription in stone, dating to that time, the XIII century, in which it explains that the Sacred Shroud was brought from Constantinople by Othon de la Roche.

Following the knowledge of this gentleman, in Manus-cript 826 of Besancpn cathedrals library, it states that Pons de la Roche surrendered the Sindon to Amadeus de Tramelay, Archbishop of Besancon, who deposited it within the cathedral.

I have been able to see this manuscript.Historians continue to say that, in order to better defend it, the linen was guarded during a certain period within the castle of Montigny-Monfort.

Jeanne de Vergy, great granddaughter of Othon de la Roche, as already stated marries Geoffroy de Charny in 1340 at the cathedral of Besancon and according to these historians, it is she who brings the cloth to the marriage and who deposits it at the church of Lirey.What is certain is that there and on display for the veneration of the faithful who, because of the plague that lay waste to France in those years, they gather en masse in

pilgrimage and deposit vast sums of alms. This fact will cause a confrontation between the canons of Lirey and the Bishop of Troyes, Henri de Poitiers, who forbids such showings because the Gospels make no mention that about the shroud of Jesus having an image, and therefore, said cloth was but a painting that tricked the faithful. Read between the lines, that it drew away pilgrimages to his city as well as alms.

The Pope bids him to hold his tongue. Several years later, the now Bishop of Troyes, Pierre d Arcis, renews

the controversy and writes to the Pope a supposed memorandum in whieh he shows the Pope that the linen is painted and that he knows the artist.

After several disc cussions in which the Pope orders him to to keep his counsel under penalty of excommunication, the showings continue, although the Pope urges the canons to not say that it is the shroud of Jesus, a mandate that is soon forgotten.

The supposed memorandum of Pierre d Arcis is not considered to be factual as it does not bear a signature, entry register number, bishops seal or heading, at most it is a draft that was never delivered. Afterwards, through one way or another, the Sindon turns up in 1357 in Lirey and since that time, we most definitely ha a complete historic documentation as to all its movements.

Notes:This conference is for the Cap. Book VI.The Shroud of Turin further progress in their study. Edic. Giralda Nov.2012. And was held in Seville at the Conference on the Temple in December 2013

Julio Marvizon Preney Industrial engineer.

Journalist. Lecturer and writer

Jerez de los Caballeros Bahiliato of The Templar Order

By Emilio Prez

To elder Jacques de Molay

Who died with dignity

At the stake 700 years ago .

The king of Len, Alfonso IX, won to muslins Villa Xe-rixa (Jerez) with the help in the battle of the knights of the Templar Order in 1230; in gratitude for their help, he donated them the city and he entrusted them the su-pervision of its borderlands with the powerful Arab king-dom of Sevilla and Niebla (Huelva ).

The Templars were strong in the Arab Castle rebuilding and fortifying, raising an important network of walls and towers to the defense of the town and organizing a lar-ge Templar Commandery; the biggest in south of the Iberian peninsula, that the Christians had managed to establish in their efforts to reclaim lands from the great Muslim kingdoms of Sevilla and Granada.The Templar Order defended and governed Jerez de los Caballeros and surrounding lands, enlarging the city, making it the most important Christian center of southwestern Iberia. The Templar knights changed the muslin name Xerixa by Xere Equitum (Jerez de los Ca-balleros), in order to be the head of its powerful com-

mandery, set to become the great Baylia of Jerez .Jerez and its region, with the help and protection of the Templar knights, expands and enlarges in size and people, who are attracted by work in the news lands conquered from the muslims, for the repopulation of the farmhouse of the vast district of Jerez and the creation of wealth and security offered by the Templar knights .Templar guaranteed many privileges in their area of in-fluence, which helped the expansion and repopulation (many of those privileges still persist today). The Law of Baylia is one of those; which consisted of the following: the goods supplied by the spouses are common; and as result of separation, divorce or death, the partition would be half of the goods for each.But what benefits brought this legal regime?Nothing more and nothing less, in that time, the recog-nition of soldiers s women, ownership of the lands, when husbands marched to war, and incentive for wo-men to settle in the conquered lands and won by their husbands.In this way, the place of Jerez de los Caballeros beca-me one of the most important enclaves for the Templars on the peninsula, adding, in their donations, villas of Bur-guitos, Valencia del Ventoso and further south Fregenal de la Sierra, and westbordering Portuguese lands, Olin-veza, Alconchel, Villanueva del Fresno and Oliva de la Frontera, reconquered from the arabs.

Templar Castle of Jerez de los Caballeros

Given the huge expanse of land and populations and rebuilding castles like Burguillos, Fregenal and Oliven-za and creating new parcels inside, the area became a Baylia , a word of French origin, Baillie( Baylia, hence, bailiff or bailiato) which designates a large territory un-der the jurisdiction of the knights of the Templar Orden .Complying with norms and the rules of the Templars, with the regrouping of the vast resources of the area, which governed the Templar knights, the administrati-ve institution was called Baylia; which included several parcels each one directed by a commander, which in turn depended on a major or general commander from Bayliato.The territory ruled by the Templars from Jerez de los Caballeros, south of Badajoz and north of the Sierra de Huelva was almost 3000 square kilometers, an exten-sion that exceeds 30% of the current province of Viz-caya, becoming so in the most important domain of the Order in the Iberian peninsula As Isidoro Terrn says in his book The Templars in Ba-ylia of Xerex : this double condition of entrustment and strength, plus the inmense alfaz that possessed: three thounsand kilometers of lordship and jurisprudence , gave it great power placing it in a privileged position compared to other baylias of the Tem-ple. It was , likewise main headquarters of the militia, mother church and administrative center from where all farms, cattle and mining which might be found, within the perimeter of its alfaz, were headed .According to Feliciano Correa in his book Territorio Templario the Jerez city became the capital of the Tem-plars in the kingdom of Len.Authors like Campomanes, doubted if the head of the party of the Templar knights, was the city of Zamora or Jerez in the kingdom of Len.

But there is no doubt that Jerez de los Caballeros, was the capital of bayliato of its name, the most important of southern Spain and vital for the conquest of Sevilla and

expansion of the kingdom Castellano-leons , against the Muslim kingdoms of Sevilla , Niebla y Granada .The best testimony that Jerez was the capital of the Ba-ylia of its name, is a record of the chapter that the Tem-plars hold the day of San Juan ; the 24 of June, in 1272, to mark the edge of the term Valencia del Ventoso ; in it is said .the Baylia of Xerex..

The Contribution Of Baylia Of Jerez De Los Caballeros To Conquer The

Kingdom Of Sevilla For Castilla

King Fernando III, started in 1246 the reconquest of the kingdom of Sevilla in muslim power, with the invaluable contribution of the Templar knights, estimated at about five hundred armed men, from the Commandery of Ca-ravaca de la Cruz (Murcia) and Baylia of Jerez de los Caballeros (Badajoz).The armies of king Fernando III besieged the city for almost two long years, but to get the victory, the Tem-plars collaborated taking neighboring populations with the kingdoms of Niebla, La Rbida, Lepe and Villalba del Ascor, for that way, they cut food supplies and rein-forcement of armed men to Sevilla.In taking Sevilla, the master Pedro Alvarez Alvito was in command of the Templar force. Following the tradition of all Christian kings, Fernando donated to the Order several farms around the Aljarafe of Sevilla, La Rbida, Salts, Lepe and Aracena.Once established, by Fernando III, the Capital of the kingdom of Castilla in the city of Sevilla, priors and com-manders Templars settled in the city, being part of the court of Castilian king.Two Templar knights playing chess in the gothic palace of the Royals Alcceres, can be master Juan Fernndez Cay and the prior of Fregenal de la Sierra, Pay Gmez Barreto. According to Juan A. Romero Gmez in The Templars in the kingdom of Sevilla

THE DISHONOR HICTORIC TO THE TEMPLARS OF JEREZ

The Templars helped king Fernando III to conquer Se-villa and his descendat Fernando IV sent army to finish them.

With the bull PASTORALIS PRAEMINENTIAE (No-vember 22, 1307) Pope Clemente V orders the Christian kings and princes to arrest all the Templars, and to seize their property in the name of the church.Fernando IV, of Castilla is limited to ask for the castles of the Templars, but the Pope Clemente V urges the king of Castilla with the bull AD OMNIUM NOTITIAN , to stop and seize assets to Templars in Castilla and provide to bishops of the place before Dicember 30, 1308.

While king Jaime II of Aragn y Valencia imprisons and tortures the Templars of Aragn, Fernando IV of Casti-lla takes the commandery of Alconetar in Extremadura, with the help of Calatrava Order .

Fregenal castle is removed to the Templars, in august 1309 by the army council of Sevilla and troops of Fer-nando IV, after six months of siege.

The fence is closed to the capital of the powerful Ba-yliato of Jerez .The Homage Tower of Jerez de los Caballeros was witness the tragic end of the last knights of the Templar Order in Extremadura.The Christian kingdoms, of the Iberian peninsula, did not believe the accusations against the Order, which was surrounded by great prestige, which was won by the honor of the spilled blood in the reconquest of the lands to Islam; however, they were forced to obey the bull of Clemente V, and ordered all the Templar parcels, distributed by the Christian kingdoms, to denounce the

Order and to hand over their lands, their property and their weapons, otherwise they would die at the stake as heretics.

They did so in all commandery , but the knights of the great Baylia of JEREZ refused to give up the Templar Order , which had sworn eternal loyalty, and they deci-de to defend the site until death.

Though the fight was uneven; more than ten soldiers against a Templar knight, they withstood the siege of the fortress until finally, in the limit of their forces, they were cornered in the Homage Tower, where they were finally beheaded by the kings troops Fernando IV and Council of Sevilla and their bodys thrown viciously vacuum, from the battlements of the tower

HOMAGE TOWER ( BLOODY TOWER )

Since then, the Homage Tower is known among peo-ple of JEREZ , Bloody Tower, and the spirit of those gentlemen, demanding justice, was impregnated for the eternity, in the castle walls they helped enlarge.

Thus it was consummated, after 62 years, the dishonor to kill, by Fernando IV, the descendants of those who helped Fernando III, to add Sevilla to Castilla.

Time does not forget

And the tower recolls

The injustice of a king

To he noble knights

That in its sad battlements

Their spirits wait

The repair of the affront

There is not clear documentation of when it was taken by force, but the Pope, on November 25 of that year, requires the return of templars property to king Fernando IV. Setember, 9, 1312, died the king Fernando IV of Castilla and Len at the age of 27 years, three years after to finish unworthily with the Templar knights of Jerez de los Caballeros.

JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROS AND SACRED GEOMETRY

About JEREZ and the Templars, the writer Juan Gar-ca Atienza writes, in his book The secret goal of the Templars, there are certain places that, not coinciden-tally, coincide with the magical landscapes of which I have been talking about; where along the historical de-velopment are concentrated in a special way, facts and circumstances that condition and typify the area, fix its unusual nature and fertilize, century after century, with special characteristics.If I had to choose now the right place to serve as exam-ple..a typical area that lies in the limits of ANDALU-CIA and EXTREMADURA and is limited, more or less, by the localities of JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROS , ZAFRA, FREGENAL DE LA SIERRA, the mountains of TENTUDIA and ARACENA.

In that territory, full of megalitic remains and shelters in caves, where the primitive man expressed his idea of transcendence, the knights Templars were established in the thirteenth century, conveniently monitored by SANTIAGO and CALATRAVA orders, and there were Jewish centers in which the Qabbalah was studied.And it is precisely that part magic place of Jerez that the Atienza master speaks us, who is expert like few others in Spain, of which we will consider now.In conversation with writer and researcher Emilio Ca-rrillo, whom we have interviewed, several times on our radio program (Live Earth) in the Seville town of QUI-LLENA, he recounted us his discovery relating to the Temple, the sacred geometry and JEREZ DE LOS CA-BALLEROS.

Carrillo was wondering, in his investigations, why the Templars requested to king Fernando III lands located in the province of HUELVA, which it was not bordering, curiously, with the limits of their bayliato, but rather with coastal towns, such as LA RBIDA, SALTES and LEPE.

Why these places? The answer is obvious and meridio-nally clear; because the temple wanted an outlet the At-lantic Ocean in the south of the peninsula, with access to the MEDITERRANEO sea and the coasts of AFRICA.

We do not forget that Order had a supranational cha-racter and possessed the biggest and best prepared ma-ritime fleet of any european Christian kingdoms and the Middle East, hence they granted the highest priority to

this objective instead of to increase the limits of a baylia-to, already sufficiently broad and strong.But also the interest of the Templars by an exit to the sea, E. Carrillo discovered something else: a triangle between: JEREZ DE LOS CABALLEROS, LEPE and SEVILLA .Now is the time to remember the definition of GOD, provided by the theological father of the Temple Order, St Bernardo de Claraval: what is God? Is length, width, height and depth, that is to say, God is geometry (of Consideratione).That is clicking with compass in Jerez de los Caballe-ros, an arc is formed that connects perfectly Lepe and Sevilla through La Rbida and Salts island, thus is for-med a triangle which we can call Templar triangle; one of four that form the Temple cross, and if we draw a straight line from Jerez to both locations, the distance is the same and equidistant, 124 kilometers which transla-ted to fit length of the time, gives us 23 castilian leagues. Undoubtedly this situation emphasizes, the knowledge of the Order by the sacred geometry, the design map location of their parcels, forts and temples and other pos-sessions ( such as seaports) and also it demonstrates that they moved following a planned geostrategic model for territorial expansion.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Notes on the location of the foster home of Templars in

Sevilla ( Fernando Vzquez Brea)

The secret goal of the Templars (Juan Garca Atienza)

The Templars in the kingdom of Sevilla (Juan A. Rome-

ro Gmez)

Historical dissertations about the Templars Order, and

their chivalry or historical summaries of their principles,

foundation, institution, progress and termination at the

Council of Viena.( Pedro Rodriguez de Campomanes)

The Templars in the Baylia of Jerez (Isidoro Terrn Cal-

vo)

Templar Territory (Feliciano Correa)

Consideratione ad Eugenium Papam (Bernardo de Cla-

raval )

History of the kingdom of Badajoz during the Muslim

domination (Matas Ramn Martnez)

Emilio Jose Perez Garcia Knight Templar Order Encomienda Magistral San

Juan Macias de Olivenza (O.S.M.T.H.)

Creator of the blog The House of the Temple in Jerez de los Caballeros.

This Templar brother died last June. Rest in the Peace of Christ.

AbstractCompassion is one of the great contributions of both Christianity and Buddhism but the way to address compassion is different, even if they share common criteria. We approach compassion from both religious perspectives, which apparently are different but really are more common than apart.

After nearly three hundred years of history Buddhism is a philosophy that has much echo in the West, not by the figure of the Dalai Lama but by the internal elements of Buddhism practiced in many of the first world countries.

Christianity is the religion with most followers in the world if we add together the believers of the different Christian Churches.

We ran into a reality: Christianity is the first world religion in the number of believers but Buddhism spans the countries of Christian tradition.

One aspect of confluence of Christianity to Buddhism is compassion. In this regard the Dalai Lama wrote:

All religions emphasize the improvement of human beings, a sense of brotherhood, love, and all these things they have in common. Therefore, if we consider the essence of religion, there is not much difference among them.

If the essence is the same or very similar, the way to practice compassion is very different in both Christianity and Buddhism.

Compassion appears in the Bible in Exodus as one of the

characteristics of God, as a content of his being, because God is merciful (Exodus 34.6) and further requests the Jewish people it is because it must not abuse the stranger, nor vex the widow or the fatherless, nor charge interest on loans or return the material presented.

A first look at what is meant by compassion is to protect the weak (the stranger, the widow, the orphan), not to practice usury and return what was borrowed.Christianity, which was born within Judaism as a religious sect (school) as were the Sadducees, the Pharisees or the Essenes, evolved quickly when the pagan world joined the project of Christian life, why Christianity added to its corpus belief compassion content found in the Old Testament and also the concept so broad that transforms the contents of compassion.

For the theologian Martin Gelabert Ballester all the preaching of Jesus is moved with compassion (Martin Gelabert Theological sense of compassion in Theology number 215 selections, a great article where theological studies the evolution of compassion is studied, and then ether is the contribution by Pope Benedictus XVI defining compassion as eros and agape).What Jesus transformed the content of compassion in? Jesus, that great master of knowledge, takes it into the human realm, because now it is not God who is compassionate God, the one who has compassion as his quality, but people, individuals, as Mt. 6.34 reads:

On landing he saw many people, he felt COMPASSION, as they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began teaching them many things.

We see at once that in the group many people there not only would outsiders or widows or orphans but a collection of individuals, many people, so we can say that many people means humanity.

Compassion: Christian contribution,Buddhist contribution

By Juan Antonio Cabezos

More beautiful and tender it is when fighting the disea-se (one of the faces of evil) and so in Mt 1.41 to 42 we read:

A leper and begged on his knees:If you want, you can make me clean.

Feeling pity, he reached out and touched him, saying: I do; be clean.

Then his leprosy was cleansed. He pushed him out saying seriously:Tell this to none; but go show yourself to the priest and make a sacrifice for your cleansing, what Moses com-manded, so that they know (New Spanish Bible, page 1554)If compassion in the Old Testament was for groups of people(strangers, widows, orphans) and at first Jesus felt compassion for humanity, now compassion beco-mes the fight against one of the faces of evil: disease.

The Gospels reflect the continuing struggle of Jesus against evil, against disease, against a social evil and through the Gospels we see other social evil things such as poverty and poor application of religious law to oppress and not to release the people, the rejection of exclusion of children, protecting prostitutes.

The sociological axis of Christianity are the poor; so in the Beatitudes Jesus said:

Blessed are you poor,because you have God as a King.

Blessed are those who are hungry nowbecause you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you those who weep nowbecause youre going to laugh.

Lc 6,20-21 (New Spanish Bible page 1602)

The first Christian groups were aware of poverty as a social evil, as a manifestation of evil about it, from the early days, they fed the hungry, protected widows and orphans; why it should not surprise us that Christian compassion has a social component lacking other reli-gions and philosophical schools.

The Roman Empire collapsed for many reasons (his-torians have counted up to 300) and then the Middle Ages came, when the nobles made war because they were bored. Christianity imposed the truce of God, opened monasteries for children not to be killed by their parents through the winch system for which it is intro-duced to newborns in the wheel, the bell was played, he turned and child a child was collected, fed, educa-ted by the monasteries and convents. Christianity, true to itself, rejected infanticide, morally condemned such social practices as murder, and thou-sands of children had an opportunity to develop their talents.If housands of children were saved from the clutches of death, they also gave a dish of food to the hungry, the poor, they healed the needy in their hospitals while still protecting children. Christians were the inventors and leaders of the Social Security in the historical moments that it did not exist. Life is for Christianity a gift from God that must be pro-tected. Thats why we should not wonder that exists in the affluent society like ours the institution of Caritas, meaning love, who fights hunger and despair.

The social component of compassion brought by Christianity is recognized by the Dalai Lama when he writes: Christianity has for many practical methods that are useful to the service of humanity, especially in the fields of education and health (Dalai Lama Ap-proach to the clear mind, page 23).

Finally on the contribution of Christianity to compassion lets keep in mind that when talking about Christianity it is safe to say Christianity is this and something more. Perhaps it is strange the idea that Christianity is this and something more but it is enough an example to unders-tand this: When we say that Christianity is compassion with social content and something more, we see is that something else is written in the Bible in one of the most tender parables, reaching the hearts of men, as is the parable of the good Samaritan because in this parable the good Samaritan helps the stranger, the unknown, pays for his recovery and shares with him his pain and suffering, therefore Christianity has a personal content, inclusive of the social component of compassion.

Jesus teachings say this:And who is my neighbor?

And Jesus answered:

A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and was attacked by bandits, who stripped him and battered him with sticks and departed, leaving him half dead. And it happened that a priest came down that way, and as he saw him, he made a detour and went away. So did a clergyman who came to the place; to see it made a detour and passed. But a Samaritan, as he jour-neyed, came where the man was and saw him, he had compassion; he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring in oil and wine; and then he mounted his own animal led to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took some money and gave them to the innkeeper, saying look after for him, and if you spend more than this I will pay on my return.

How about this? Which one of these three became neighbor to the one that fell among the robbers?

The lawyer replied:

The one who showed him mercy.

Jesus said:

Well, go and do likewise.

Buddhism lacks social content of compassion because being a philosophy centered on the mind, it comes from the fact that the individual is responsible for his situa-tion while for Christianity it is both the individual and something that transcends the individual: the structures of sin.

Social structures that lead men to steal, kill and live in sin and were exposed and denounced by the late Pope John Paul II.

Buddhism considers suffering a noble truth, and it stems from the Four noble truths, and so Dalai Lama writes:

The four truths are made up of two groups of cause and effect: the suffering and its sources and the end of suffering and the ways to achieve this objective. Suffering is like a disease; external and internal condi-tions that cause the disease are the sources of suffering

(XIV Dalai Lama, an approach to lucid mind, page 24). Later he tells of the three types of suffering, such as the suffering of pain, suffering of change and suffering of the future.Bokar Rinpoche (the meditation pages 19 and 21) tells us that it is true that some sufferings are related to external circumstances and it is more or less possible to provide materials solutions (in this coincides with Christianity).