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Freemasons Acquire Rare Templar Book from Vatican Secret Archives
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I care for an elderly freemason and am privy to some of the communcations from the Southern Jurisdiction. On page 9 of their November-December Journal they announced their acquisition of a copy of Processus Contra Templarios (The Trial of the Templars) from the Vatican Secret Archives. These papers contain the confessions of 72 Templar knights to a commission appointed by Pope Clement V during an interrogation that occurred from June 28 to July 2, 1308. Also included in the papers is the Chinon Parchment, the the papal absolution of the Templars from charges of heresy. The Templars, including Grand Master Jacques de DeMolay were questioned at Chinon Castle and denied their earlier confessions and received absolution. It is believed that Clement V had plans to reform the order with a new role, however, before the order was reformed, Phillip the Fair of France, the civil authority, overstepped his jurisdiction and destroyed the Templars for heresy, an ecclesiastical offence. The Chinon Parchment was misfiled in the Vatican Secret Archives and only rediscovered in 2001 by Dr. Barbara Frale.
Also of note is the classification of the Templar origin of the Freemasons as a "popular myth." This legend has been traced to a speech by Chevalier Andrew Michael Ramsay to the Grand Lodge of France in 1737 where he asserted that Freemasonry descended from "crusading knights" not stoneworkers. The crusdaing knights naturally became the Knights Templar and chivalric degrees were appended to many rites. The article states: "[w]hile there is no evidence to support the historical truth of Templar origins of Freemasonry, the legend does teach symbolic truths. It is for this reason and for a better understanding our legends and traditions that Processus Contra Templarios is such an important addition to the Library."
Only 799 copies were issued.
The Supreme Council has copy 504 of 799.
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