Commandery of Knights Templar

The Knights Templar is the final order joined in the York Rite.

Membership

Unlike the initial degrees conferred in a regular Masonic Lodge, which (in most Regular Masonic jurisdictions) only require a belief in a Supreme Being regardless of religious affiliation, the Knights Templar is one of several additional Masonic Orders in which membership is open only to Freemasons who declare they will protect and defend the Christian faith.

Membership in the Knights Templar is open to Masons who have completed their Royal Arch and in some jurisdictions their Cryptic Degrees.

A living memorial

This body is modeled on the historical Knights Templar to carry on the spirit of their organization. Throughout history it has been claimed that Freemasonry itself was founded by the Knights Templar or that the Knights Templar took refuge in Freemasonry after their persecution. The Grand Encampment of the United States acknowledges the existence of these theories but states that there is no proof to justify such claims.

Organization and orders

A local Knights Templar division is called a Commandery and operates under a state level Grand Commandery as well as The Grand Encampment of the United States. This is unique among Masonic bodies as most report to the state level alone.

The Knights Templar confer three orders, and one passing order as opposed to the standard degree system found elsewhere in Freemasonry, each with its own history:

1. The Illustrious Order of the Red Cross
2. The Passing Order of St. Paul Also called the Mediterranean Pass
3. The Order of the Knights of Malta Or simply the Order of Malta
4. The Order of the Temple

Their histories are indexed together on the degree histories page.

The Commandery completes the York Rite, following the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons and the Council of Cryptic Masons.