Good morning Brothers and Sisters.
The Promise of Jaffa (1191)
In the year of our Lord 1191, during the Third Crusade, Christian forces led by King Richard The Lionheart fought to recover the Holy Land from the hands of the Sultan Saladin. The city of Jaffa, key to Palestine's coast control, was a fierce, bloody battleground.
After an intense struggle, the crusaders retrieved Jaffa. When Muslims retreated, they left behind many injured, disarmed or too weak to continue. That's when a group of... moreGood morning Brothers and Sisters.
The Promise of Jaffa (1191)
In the year of our Lord 1191, during the Third Crusade, Christian forces led by King Richard The Lionheart fought to recover the Holy Land from the hands of the Sultan Saladin. The city of Jaffa, key to Palestine's coast control, was a fierce, bloody battleground.
After an intense struggle, the crusaders retrieved Jaffa. When Muslims retreated, they left behind many injured, disarmed or too weak to continue. That's when a group of templar knights — strict devout warrior monks — met a dozen of these Muslim fighters hiding on a farm.
The Templars, known for their devotion and discipline, could have considered them enemies or spies. But instead of executing them or handing them over to the troops, they decided to offer them shelter.
Against what was customary in medieval warfare, the Templars gave them water, food, and bandages, and stayed vigilant through the night to prevent other Christian soldiers from killing them. At dawn, they led them outside the Templar camp and offered them a safe exit to return alive to their lands.
When one of the Templar brothers was asked by a superior why they had helped the enemy, he simply responded:
> "We do not fight for hate, but for justice. When the sword is no longer needed, charity is our duty. "
Although the Templars were feared for their military might, they also left footprints of humanity. This story of compassion in the midst of war is a clear example of good Templar action, guided by its motto: "Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam" – "Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory." Psalms 115.
CAA Shane Phillips
Priory Of St Sebastian
OMSDT Brother Templar
Mil'es Cristi
GC John Kelmy
KCP, Priory of St. Michael the Archangel