Great joy filled the Temple. New Knights and Ladies were welcomed into our ranks in the Lands of Lis. It was Leiria, the beautiful princess city, that hosted the Secular Order on this St. Andrew’s Day, November 30, 2024. From all over Portugal, England and Lebanon, brothers and sisters gathered to celebrate the Templar Knighthood. Clad in ceremonial attire, their white mantles adorned, preceded by the Order’s banners and announced by the rhythmic beat of drums, dozens of Templars assembled in Chapter at St. Peter’s Church, near the historic castle.
The celebrations began in the morning with a Vigil of Arms and final instructions to the Postulants. The legacy of King D. Dinis and his wife, Isabel of Aragon, was recounted in the context of the Temple’s history. Just as St. Andrew symbolized the transition from the Old Law to the New Law—being a follower of John the Baptist and the first called by Christ—so too does King Dinis represents the passage from the old Order of the Temple to the new Order of Christ. This continuity, culminating in triumph during the Avis Dynasty in alliance with England’s Lancasters, was contextualized for the occasion, as four of the postulants hailed from England.
In the afternoon, the Order welcomed not only members of the militia but also a significant number of guests and family members, eager to witness this rare and impressive ceremony. The proceedings were explained in both languages, unraveling step by step the significance of the ancient ritual of Knighthood, often overlooked in its complexity.
The Order’s newest Knights and Dames are: Sr+ Amanda Sweeney, DTJ; Fr+ Arthur Guedes, KTJ; Fr+ Bruno Martins, KTJ; Fr+ Bruno Pereira, KTJ; Sr+ Carla Duarte, DTJ; Fr+ Chad Manian, KTJ; Fr+ Eduardo Ferreira, KTJ; Fr+ João Álvaro Caetano, KTJ; Sr+ Mara Frutuoso, DTJ; Fr+ Marcus Mathews, KTJ; Sr+ Monique Hodgson, DTJ; Fr+ Nuno Sampaio Oliveira, KTJ; Fr+ Pedro Santos Melos, KTJ; Fr+ Ricardo Frutuoso, KTJ.
Before concluding, new Preceptories were announced to foster regional development of the Order through local projects, leveraging partnerships with the Commanderies and the Templar Corps International.
The new Preceptors are: Fr+ Rui Rocha, KTJ, Preceptor of Torres Vedras; Fr+ Alberto dos Santos, KTJ, Preceptor of Lamego; Fr+ Luis Alves Costa, KTJ, Preceptor of Penafiel and Vale do Sousa; Fr+ Miguel Novais Ribeiro, KTJ, Preceptor of Leiria; Fr+ Nuno Moreira, KTJ, Preceptor of Alcochete; Fr+ Amadeu Silvestre, KTJ, Preceptor of Setúbal Vale do Sado.
The OSMTHU concluded the celebration of its 30th year in Portugal with a renewed map of the territory, promising even greater developments in the coming years.
The day ended with a fraternal dinner, which transitioned into a spontaneous gathering filled with lively conversations and camaraderie late into the night.
The following day included a guided tour of the Interpretation Centre of the Battle of Aljubarrota. A visit to the Monastery was postponed due to a staff strike. Nonetheless, the morning was rich with cultural insights, connecting the attendees to a historical moment of immense significance for the Order and symbolizing the enduring Portuguese-British alliance, honored by the new Portuguese and English Knights and Dames. We departed with Knighthood in our hearts.
