Welcome to the  Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem (OSMTH).  In English, that’s translated as The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem.  Grand Priories of the OSMTH make up the Autonomous Magisterial Council.   We are better known as the “Knights Templar.” Historically, the Knights Templar, or “Templars,” were a Christian order of Monks founded almost 900 years ago in 1118 A.D.   Named for the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Templars initially protected pilgrims traveling through the Holy Lands, but eventually evolved into a powerful military force that waged war to protect the Holy Land during the Crusades (See “History”).

Today’s Knights Templar take their inspiration from the highest ideals and values of the medieval Order of the Knights Templar.   We are their spiritual heirs.   We are a Christian (Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox), fraternal,  chivalric Order.  We are not political and not affiliated with the Masons.  The members of our Order commit to vows of Knighthood to live a life of honor by exhibiting certain virtues. We choose a life of purpose and meaning by taking a stand for what is right in our families, community, and nation. 

The reasons for the order are to:

– Practice works of mercy,  charity, and benevolence.

– Perpetuate the traditions of the Knights Templar by defending Christendom through non-violent means.

– Live a life of Chivalry and hold each other accountable to a lifestyle of excellence.

– Promote historical studies, heraldry, and the genealogy of the Order.

– Promote, through the values ​​of friendship, loyalty and respect, feelings of universal brotherhood and ideals of solidarity between all people.

– Preserve and defend Jerusalem.

Our Order traces its roots back to the ancient Knights Templar founded by Hugues de Payens in 1118.  Our Grand Masters are elected and serve for life, just as it has been done since the beginning of the Order.   The Master of our Order is, his S.E. Dom Albino Neves.

Our Order was restored by His Imperial Majesty, Napoleon Bonaparte, by imperial decree in 1807.  In 1853, it was given recognition by Emperor Napoleon III.  In 1918, the Order was re-registered in France in accordance with French law.  On January 19th, 1932, it was registered in Brussels, Belgium: 1957 Namur / Belgium BE-410 20708.  This recording was done by three Belgian Templars in Brussels, Joseph Cleeremans, Gustave Jonckbloedt and Théodore Covias.  The record of the registration of the “Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem”  appears in the Belgian Monitor on January 20, 1933.  

At the end of the year 2017, Albino Neves, Templar Master of Brazil presented to the Archbishop Fernando Campello Pinto Pereira de Sousa Fontes ( in memoriam ) Grand Master the annual activity report of the Grand Templar Priory of Brazil - Spiritual Cavalry Saint John the Baptist, as has done it every year.

In the report, work was shown on the creation of the various Comendadorias installed in Brazil, a diploma and a Venera were handed to the Grand Master in a demonstration of the recognition and obedience of the GPTB-CESJB to OSMTH.

The pennants of the coats of some of the Comendadorias of Brazil were also delivered, among other documents. Upon receiving the report, the Grand Master said that the Grand Prior Fr. + Albino Neves "worked and exceeded what was expected". At this hour the Grand Master was told that working requires sacrifice and that he was an example of this always working for the Order at the age of 89.

During the meeting the Grand Master recalled the connection between Brazil and Portugal and said that his great-grandfather (who died around the year 1980) was in Brazil at the time when the kings of Portugal were in dispute for the reign and when he returned to Porto-Portugal, "my great-grandfather helped to build the Church of Our Lady of Lapa where he has a family estate". There are the remains of Don Fernando