Knights Templar

Consecrated 20th May 1944.

The Knights Templar is one of the most historically evocative orders in Freemasonry, taking its name and imagery from the medieval military order of Christian knights who protected pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land during the Crusades. In Freemasonry, it is a Christian order, one of the few that explicitly requires candidates to profess a belief in the Holy Trinity, and it sits within what is known as the "chivalric" branch of the fraternity. In England and Wales it is governed by the Great Priory, and its local bodies are called Preceptories rather than Lodges. To join, a Mason must already be a Royal Arch Mason, making it a degree reached after considerable progress through the Craft and its appendant orders.

The ceremony itself is dramatic and deeply symbolic, drawing on themes of Christian knighthood, sacrifice, and spiritual pilgrimage. Candidates undergo a journey that allegorically mirrors the trials and commitment expected of a medieval knight taking up the cross. Members wear distinctive regalia including a mantle, sword, and cross, giving meetings a ceremonial grandeur that sets the order apart from many others in Freemasonry. Beyond the pageantry, the order places strong emphasis on Christian faith and chivalric values such as honour, charity, and the defence of the vulnerable. It is widely regarded as one of the more prestigious and sought-after orders for Christian Freemasons, and for many it represents a natural and meaningful culmination of their Masonic journey.