Vatican To Publish Documents On Suppression Of Knights Templar

The Vatican is planning publication of a book on the suppression of the Knights Templar, based on material from the Vatican Secret Archives.

The Knights Templar, a religious order established in Jerusalem in 1118, grew in power during the Crusades, and became a formidable military and political force in Europe in the 12th and 13th century. In the early 14th century, under pressure from the French monarchy, Pope Clement V forcibly suppressed the order.

However, rumors about the secrets of the military order have been circulated for centuries, and the Knights Templar. The order has figured in a number of recent fictional works. The new work to be published by the Vatican Archives is unlikely to stem the curiosity of conspiracy theorists.

On October 25, the Vatican office of the Secret Archives will unveil the book Processus contra Templarios, containing "a previously unpublished and exclusive edition of the complete acts of the original hearing against the Knights Templar," the Vatican has announced. Containing reproductions of the original parchment documents, the book is "the most elaborate and important publication yet undertaken" by the Archives, the Vatican states. The book will be a special collector's edition, with only 799 copies produced. [Source]