The Templar Order is shrouded in myths and secrets, has numerous followers, admirers and several officially existing Orders of the modern sense. Speculators from history bring forth new fragmentary facts, building on their basis dubious conclusions, which does not help to find the truth. Even the symbolism of the Templars cannot be easily dealt with: the historical thread dating back to the early Christian centuries is illusory, and there are few sources that shed light on the emergence of both the community itself and the distinctive signs in the hierarchy of the Order.
Variety of heraldry
There are not so many people who have studied the original documents of the Templar Order, but among those grains of information that have been made publicly available, it can be authenticated that the Templar cross has several forms. The change in the outline of the cross is due to several reasons: firstly, the geography of the distribution of the Order entailed changes in heraldry, which made it possible to identify the knight at meetings; secondly, the hierarchy within the structure itself changed. The number of the first templars did not exceed a hundred; by the time of the defeat, this organization had actually replaced the state power in Europe.
In the name of Pope Eugene III, only the Knights of the Temple could wear a red Templar cross. Evidence of this is in the documents cited in the book The French Monarchy. This right was granted to them in 1141, perhaps no one argues with this date, but around the meanings laid down in the outline of the cross, disputes will go on all the time.
Papal mantle
According to one legend, the Templar cross first appeared on the right shoulder of the Knights of the Order of the Temple at the moment when Pope Urban II sent them on a holy mission to Jerusalem to conquer the Temple of the Lord from the invaders. The Roman pontiff delivered a fiery speech and blessed one hundred and thirty soldiers for the feat. In a fit of religious ecstasy, he tore the scarlet mantle from his shoulders and tore it into thin strips. Parts of the papal mantle were distributed to the knights as a material expression of blessing.
To maintain their spirit, the militant monks, embarking on a long journey, crosswise found them on their robes. Those who did not get a piece of papal vestments were sewn with red fabric crosses. Subsequently, the symbol became official. The first images of the Knights of the Templar, found in temples, show a kneeling warrior in a white cloak, on whose right shoulder is a red cross.
Charter from Masters
Another version claims that all the symbols of the Order of the Templars were invented by the first managers of the organization, or rather, the masters of Hugo de Payne and Bernard of Clairvaux. They created the charter of life of wandering monks, uniforms and lifestyles. According to the treatise “Praise to the new knighthood”, a monk warrior should not wash himself, he must be a beggar, his clothes should be white, like his thoughts, and the cross symbolized the blood of Christ. Where the symbol of belonging to the order will be located was not so important, and the discrepancies in the form of the symbol itself are explained by various branches within the structure of the order.
Heraldry Basics
There are several legends of the appearance of the heraldic image, but they all agree on one thing: the cross is necessarily scarlet, and the cloak on which the Templar cross is located is necessarily white. As the templar community developed and spread, the cross began to be depicted almost everywhere: on the chest, on the back, horse blankets, gloves, and so on. There are several known types of crosses, the origin and purpose of which can be explained on the basis of documentary evidence.
Lorraine Cross
It is a cross with two crossbars, while the lower crossbar is either longer than the upper one, or both crossbars are the same. The Lorraine cross has a plural occult significance, one of them symbolizes the “golden mean”. It also has other names: “Patriarchal Cross”, “Anjou Cross”. The right to wear it was received by the knights of the Temple from the hands of the pope. The image of this symbol is immortalized in the large coat of arms of the Knights Templar. According to legend, the Lorraine cross was made up of fragments of a cross on which the Savior was crucified. In the templars' heraldry, the Templar cross with two cross-pieces means the symbolism of the double protection of the knights: spiritual and physical.
Celtic cross
The red cross of the Templars, universally used in the symbolism of the order, has equal sides. The ends of the cross varied, the cross could be considered as octagonal, if from the middle it expanded in the form of sockets. This mark of the cross has its own sacred meaning, set forth in the eight virtues of the knight.
At the same time, it is believed that an equilateral cross with extended ends came to the Templar symbolism from the Celtic epic and is a symbol of the discovery of the world of the Universe. It denotes a sacred number four: four cardinal points, four apostles, four seasons and so on. The second name of the Celtic cross is the cross pate. It is believed that this Templar cross was the first symbol of the Order.
The Cross of Eight Blisses
The preserved records of historical archives, in particular the 12th century Paris manuscript, describe the geometric cross of the Templars. The symbolism photo shows a cross with broken ends: from the central intersection point, the crossbars expand and end with branched corners (dovetail). It is believed that this type of heraldry is the key to the secret templar alphabet. The eight ends denote the eight beatitudes:
- Spiritual satisfaction.
- Chastity.
- Repentance.
- Humility.
- Justice.
- Mercy.
- Purity of thoughts.
- Patience.
Modern sources of the Knights Templar indicate that this cross is a symbol of the Scottish Priory of the Order. In addition to templars, this type of heraldry belonged to the Knights-Hospitallers of the Order of Malta, but in its main meaning it is regarded as a cross of the Templars. The meaning of this cross in some sources is interpreted as a symbol of prayer and meditation.
Symbolism fashion
The mystery of the history of the Knights Templar and the mystery of its current position in the world have created a fashion for the symbolism of the Knights of the Temple. The noble goals of the organization are rarely taken into account, especially since the templars themselves have far departed from the principles proclaimed in the charter. The defeat of the Order occurred at the peak of the power of the organization, which was more engaged in usury than escort of pilgrims to the Holy Land. Today, to join the insignia of the order, it is enough to purchase the amulet “The Templar's Cross”. Experienced people say that the amulet will keep its owner exactly as much as he is confident in the power of the guard symbol.
In addition to the classic sign, lovers of amulets and mysterious symbols are offered a Templar cross with a pentagram. The meaning of this amulet is somewhat confusing, since in classical history the cross and the pentagram are not connected in any tradition, religion or symbolism of any community. Separately, the pentagram and the Templar cross have a strong energy, but their combination can unpredictably affect its owner.