The Ultimate Source of Conspiracy Theories:
The Vatican has published secret documents about the trial of the Knights Templar, including a parchment – long ignored because of a vague catalog entry in 1628 – showing that Pope Clement V initially absolved the medieval order of heresy. . . . The order of knights, which ultimately disappeared because of the heresy scandal, recently captivated the imagination of readers of the best-seller “The Da Vinci Code,” which linked the Templars to the story of the Holy Grail.
The Vatican work reproduces the entire documentation of the papal hearings convened after King Philip IV of France arrested and tortured Templar leaders in 1307 on charges of heresy and immorality. The military order of the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon was founded in 1118 in Jerusalem to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land after the First Crusade.
. . . The parchment, in remarkably good condition considering its 700 years, apparently had last been consulted at the start of the 20th century, Frale said, surmising that its significance must have not have been realized then.
. . . According to the Vatican archives Web site, the parchment shows that Clement initially absolved the Templar leaders of heresy, though he did find them guilty of immorality, and that he planned to reform the order. However, pressured by Philip, Clement later reversed his decision and suppressed the order in 1312.Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Templars, was burned at the stake in 1314 along with his aides.
Surviving monks fled. Some were absorbed by other orders; over the centuries, various groups have claimed to have descended from the Templars.
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Vatican intrigue (or the Da Vinci Code) closely enough to understand what this adds up to, if anything.
It sounds like it was mostly a way to sieze the booty (ahem) of the Templars…..which booty they themselves had siezed (thus the immorality?) from the ME in the crusades.
Unless you believe that they DID find something under the Old Temple.
Thus proving that dirty politics and greed were NOT invented by the Republican Party!
But he’s just a figurehead, the real Grand Master is Hannah Montana.
Anyone who has read Robert Anton Wilson would know this.
The idea of a secret “magickal” organization with a lineage going to the Knights Templar that manipulated world events behind the scenes and that was ultimately responsible for both the Russian and French Revolutions and perhaps the American.
Beautiful stuff, really.
Lots of fun… and completely insane.
is he the fellow for whom the Catholic boys youth movement is named?
“extract, under torture, confessions of heresy”
Sounds familiar.
Templars’ couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that they were wealthy through the practice of making loans to the titled class, could it? There seems to be a history of finding those who are owed money guilty of heresy, treason, etc….this is what happened to the Jews in England just a couple of decades earlier.
the Vatican says about this subject. They are obviously trying to cover-up their persecution of this group.
Come on people–we’re talking about a conspiracy here!
the thing is, they are never right, and you can rest assured the real ones put the theories to shame… as we have seen when they do raise their stunning and most amazing heads.
I for one… Reagan’s selling arms to our ONE MAIN EMENY, US Hostage Just Taking Iran? RIIIGHT!!! SURE!!!