Religious life of the Templars in the East

The religious life of the Knights Templar remains an underexplored area of medieval history. This gap in scholarship is primarily due to the order's relatively short existence, the dispersion of its artifacts and documents following its dissolution in the early 14th century, and the dramatic nature of its downfall which often overshadows other aspects of its history. What do we know of their religious life in the East?

The religious practises of the Orders of the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem and the Teutonic Order have been better documented and preserved. But the Templars' religious and liturgical life must be reconstructed from scattered inventories and the limited surviving documents. Important sources are the documentary evidence focusing on inventories compiled during and after the Templars' arrests and trials from 1307 to 1311.

These sources indicate that Templar religious practices, were not enforced by a centralized administration, but exhibited significant regional variations in their liturgical life. 

In the East, Templar liturgies initially followed the practices of Jerusalem but evolved after the city's loss in 1187, adapting to the changing political and religious landscape. In Western commanderies, the liturgies were heavily influenced by local rites and practices, which were in turn shaped by monastic, canonic, or mendicant traditions. This variability in liturgical practice underscores the localized nature of Templar religious life and challenges the notion of a monolithic Templar religious identity. The inventories, though incomplete, provide critical insights into the types of liturgical books, devotional objects, and artifacts used by the Templars, revealing a rich and complex tapestry of religious practice shaped by local contexts and the specific needs of individual communities.

In the Eastern territories, the Templars initially adhered to the liturgical practices of Jerusalem, where the order was founded in 1119. The liturgy of Jerusalem, influenced by the traditions of the Holy Sepulchre, was characterized by its solemnity and elaborate ceremonies. The Templars adopted these practices, integrating them into their own religious life. However, the loss of Jerusalem in 1187 marked a turning point for the Templars' liturgical practices in the East. With the relocation of their headquarters to Acre, the Templars began to adapt their liturgies to the new political and religious context.

The adaptation of liturgical practices in the East is evident in the inventories and surviving liturgical books. These documents show a gradual shift away from the liturgical traditions of Jerusalem towards a more localized and pragmatic approach. For example, some Templar commanderies in the East adopted elements of the Byzantine rite, reflecting the influence of the surrounding Orthodox Christian communities. This liturgical flexibility allowed the Templars to maintain their religious identity while adapting to the changing circumstances of the Crusader states.

This blog is based on the paper bij Schenk, J. (2017) The documentary evidence for Templar religion. In: Borchardt, K., Döring, K., Josserand, P. and Nicholson, H. (eds.) The Templars and their Sources. Series: Crusades - Subsidia (10). Routledge, pp. 199-211. ISBN 9781138201903. The illustration shows Crusader graffiti in the Holy Sepulcher church in Jwrusalem: crosses engraved in the staircase leading down to the Chapel of Saint Helena. Picture by Victorgrigas, 2011, source Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Support TemplarsNow™ by becoming a Patron, tipping us or buying one of our Reliable Books