It is not an easy matter to summarise the eight-hundred-year-old history of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, or to separate legend from fact.
     Yet another reservation must be expressed with respect to the following attempt to do so. A Commission has in fact been set up to study in depth the origins of the Order. Its conclusions will no doubt permit more details to be added to the account set out below.

     The Seljuk Turks occupied Palestine in 1071, prohibiting pilgrims from entering the Holy Places. In November 1095, Pope Urban II reacted by calling upon Christians to engage in crusades to liberate the tomb of Christ to the cry of "DEUS LO VULT" (God wills it).
     This call was answered by large numbers, and Peter the Hermit, whose tomb is in Huy (Belgium), inspired crowds of people who set off enthusiastically on the road to Constantinople. This first improvised crusade ended in tragic failure.
      A second one, headed by Godfrey de Bouillon, liberated Jerusalem on 15 July 1099. This major event marked the beginning of the long history of Latin Christians in Palestine, and of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre which, over the centuries, comprised three successive regimes.
--The first period, the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, ended with the death of Saint John of Acre in 1291, and the final departure of the Crusaders.
-- During the second period which lasted from 1291 to 1847, the presence of the Holy See in the Holy Land was assured only by the Franciscan Custodian of Mount Zion.
-- Lastly, the contemporary period started in 1847 with the restoration of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Palestine.

I. The Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099 -1291)

     No sooner had Jerusalem been conquered than the Papacy set up the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to organise its presence in Palestine.
     Godfrey de Bouillon entrusted the protection, maintenance and guarding of the Holy Sepulchre to about twenty Canons. First a lay group, these Canons were recognised in 1114 by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Arnoul de Choques, as a lay religious community, subject to the three monastic vows of the rule of Saint Augustine.      Thus the Order of Canons of the Holy Sepulchre was established.
     Lay and military personnel gathered around these two ecclesiastical institutions to assist the latter in maintaining and defending the Holy Places, and to guarantee the safety and health of pilgrims.
     These lay people were undoubtedly the forerunners of our Order, but in truth it must be explained that these Knights assigned to protecting the Holy Sepulchre never formed a body to which the current Order could officially be linked.

     Our Order can nevertheless date its great age from the custom initiated at the beginning of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem of dubbing as knights eminent personalities on religious pilgrimages in Palestine. This took place opposite the tomb of Christ.
      However it is not until 1336 that we find a document establishing this fact (dubbing of a certain Wilhelm von Boldensel). Nevertheless the context and tradition confirm that this was indeed the custom, from the time of the conquest of Jerusalem. This prerogative of appointing knights, first exercised by a dubbed Knight, later by the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre and finally by the Franciscan Guard, has been perpetuated without interruption over the centuries to our own time.
     Following the fall of Saint John of Acre in 1291, and the end of the Patriarchate, the Order of Canons of the Holy Sepulchre fled to Italy, Poland and Spain where it established major centres which enjoyed varied fortunes over the subsequent centuries.

     One particular point in the complex history of this Order in Europe concerns the Belgian Lieutenancy. The women's branch - the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre - still have very active and much-appreciated convents in our country, at Turnhout, Bilsen and Male, as well as in the Netherlands at Maarssen.

II. Franciscan Guard (1291 -1847)

     In 1312, following the departure of the Crusaders and the end of the Patriarchate, Pope Clement VI entrusted the Franciscan Guard of Mount Zion with the mission of representing the Papacy in the Holy Land. But this religious community was only officially recognised by the Turks in 1333, when the King of Naples got the Sultan to agree (upon payment of 32 000 gold ducats) that the Franciscans could remain in Palestine and continue to guard the Holy Places.
     The prerogative of dubbing knights before the Tomb of Christ, in the past exercised by the Canons, was thus transferred to the Custodian, who had the rank of bishop and who alone upheld the presence of the Vatican in the Holy Land until 1847, often under tough conditions.

     It was a great privilege to receive the spurs of a Knight before the tomb of Christ, this being the reward for an exceptional act of piety. Thus Albert the Just of Hohenzollern considered that his dubbing in Jerusalem was "the crowning achievement of his Knighthood" (circa 1340). During the 14th and 15th centuries, many pilgrims travelled to Jerusalem to be dubbed Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, including such important persons as Frederick, the Duke of Austria and future Emperor Frederick III (1436).
     Chronicles from this time report that individual dubbing of Knights before the Holy Sepulchre continued over the centuries. In 1806, Châteaubriand described his own investiture at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in the "Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe".

     It is clear from the above that the Order of the Holy Sepulchre has a long tradition covering eight centuries, during which a large number of Knights were, without interruption, dubbed before the Holy Sepulchre. Yet all these people were individuals belonging, on a personal basis, to the great tradition of military and spiritual knights, with the most noble and respected act of this tradition being this very special event before the Tomb of Christ.

     It is worthwhile underlining two major attempts by the knights to set up a Military Order recognised by the Holy See. The first took place at Hoogstraten in Belgium in 1558 (recounted in detail in the part of this site devoted to the Belgian Lieutenancy), and the second in France by the Duke of Nevers in 1615. Both attempts failed because of political pressure on the Vatican and on Louis XIII, King of France.

III. The restoration of the Latin Patriarchate in 1847

     1847 was an important year in several respects. A Concordat was concluded between the Vatican and the Sublime Porte, and Pope Pie IX got the Sultan to agree to the restoration of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem.  With a foothold in the Holy Land once again after an absence of five centuries, the Vatican took important steps to organise its presence and work in Palestine. Several of these measures concern our Order.

     In his Brief, "Nulla celebrior", of 23 July 1847, the Pope submitted the Franciscan Guard to the authority of the newly restored Patriarchate, and in December of the same year he transferred to the latter the power of dubbing Knights.
At the same time, the Pontiff organised the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre into a structured order, which he placed at the disposal of the Patriarchate to assist it in its mission in the Holy Land.
     The 19th century Knights were thus assigned to the same tasks by the new Patriarchate as those performed by their predecessors in the 12th century, for the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre.
Thus after a turbulent history, the present-day Knights were finally brought together within one body which was placed directly under the protection of the Holy See and given legal canonical status.

The tomb is empty.... It is a silent witness to the central event of human history: the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. For almost two thousand years the empty tomb has borne witness to the victory of Life over death.

The Knights of the empty Tomb

With the Apostles and Evangelists, with the Church of every time and place, we too bear witness and proclaim: "Christ is risen! Raised from the dead he will never die again; death no longer has power over him" (cf. Rom 6:9). ( John Paul II, in the Basilica if the Holy Sepulchre, 26 ärch 2000)

     Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, the new Patriarch, Mgr Valerga, had himself dubbed Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. Immediately afterwards the Franciscan Custodian handed over his powers to the new Patriarch (15 January 1848).
     Having become Grand Master, Mgr Valerga began to organise the Order, which was given a new constitution on 24 January 1868. After several amendments, the constitution was reformed and approved by the Holy Father on 8 July 1977, giving it the structure that we know today.

IV. The Holy Sepulchre in Germany, France, Italy and Spain

     This concise account would be incomplete if it did not mention that the history of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre in France, Spain, Italy and Germany was replete with major developments. Unfortunately it is impossible in such a brief summary to give to these Lieutenancies the space that they deserve.

V. The Order of the Holy Sepulchre today

1.Status and Objectives

     The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a lay institution of Knights and Ladies, which is also open to clerics. It is under the personal protection of the Pontiff.
Released from the dual obligation of accepting only nobles and of compulsory dubbing in Jerusalem, the Order is henceforth open to Catholics of both sexes, living "more nobilium". (see Introduction Description)

     Unlike the Order of St John of Malta and the Teutonic Order, some of whose members make ecclesiastical vows, the only obligation the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre have to fulfil is to undertake to respect the general objectives of the Order, mentioned in the Introduction, namely:
- to foster the practice of the Christian life among its members, in full loyalty to the Pope
- to support the charitable works and institutions of the Church in the Holy Land (Jordan, Palestine and    Israel) - to relive in a modern manner the ideals of the Crusaders (see Introduction Goals).

     Pius XII transferred the headquarters of the Order from Jerusalem to the Vatican, to a Renaissance Palace built in 1490 by Cardinal della Rovere and decorated with frescoes by Pinturicchio (Brief of 14 September 1949).

Palace della Rovere

Ceiling by Pinturrichio

     CHARLES VIII, King of France, stayed in this building when visiting Rome. The Palace was also used as a cardinal's residence up until 1668. It was then bought by Saint Peter's Penitentiaries (or Confessors), who had had to evacuate the Vatican Square to enable BERNINI to build his colonnade there. Occupied until 1930 by this religious order, the Palace was saved from destruction and completely renovated by the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, which is the current owner.

     In a "Motu Proprio" by Pope Pius XII dated 15 August 1945, the Church of Saint Humphrey on the Janiculum Hill was designated the Order's Chapter Churc

San Onofrio

2. Achievements

     The Order takes a number of spiritual initiatives connected with the matters for which it is responsible, such as the restoration of the feast of Our Lady of Palestine at the end of October, and the organisation of major pilgrimages by the Order during the Holy Years of 1975,1983 and 2000.
     Thanks to the annual offerings from its members, the Order also looks after the material needs of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as well as the building and maintenance of places of worship, a network of schools and buildings for social and charitable purposes (hospices, orphanages, etc.), the development of nursery, primary, secondary and technical schools which, in all, educate over 20 000 pupils, considerable social and charitable aid for schools and hospitals, and aid to the underprivileged, all in a spirit of ecumenism and tolerance.
     The management of the Order in Rome finances itself through own resources so that all the contributions from Knights and Ladies throughout the world can be allocated to cover the needs of the Holy Land.

3. Organisation

     Responsibility for the Order is entrusted by the Pope to a Cardinal who bears the title of Grand Master. He holds all necessary powers except the power to amend the constitution, which is the prerogative of the Pontiff.

H. M. R. Cardinal John Patrick FOLEY
Grand Master of the Order

      The Grand Magisterium currently consists of the following:

Grand Master of the Grand Magisterium

S. Em. Rme / Z.H. Em. le Cardinal / Kardinaal John Patrick FOLEY

Grand Master Emeritus of the Grand Magisterium

S. Em. Rme / Z.H. Em. le Cardinal / Kardinaal Carlo FURNO

The members of the Grand magisterium

Grand Prieur

S.B. Rme Monseigneur Fouad TWAL, Patriarche de Jérusalem

Grand Prieur Emérite

S.B. Rme Monseigneur Michel SABBAH

Assesseur

S.E. Monseigneur Giuseppe DE ANDREA, Archevêque

Lieutenant Général

S.E. le Chevalier de Collier Comte Peter WOLFF-METTERNICH zur GRACHT

Gouverneur Général

S.E. le Chevalier de Collier Comte Agostino BORROMEO

Vice-Gouverneur Général

S.E. le Chevalier Grand-Croix  Baron SIMONART,

S.E. le Chevalier Grand-Croix Adolfo RINALDI

S.E. le Chevalier Grand-Croix Jean-Marc ALLARD

Chancelier

Le Chevalier Monseigneur Hans BROUWERS

Cérémoniaire

Le Commandeur Monseigneur Francis D. KELLY

Membres

M. le Chevalier Grand-Croix Dr Pierre BLANCHARD

S.E. Chevalier Grand-Croix Comte Mario CANTUTI CASTELVETRI

Le Chevalier Grand-Croix Comte Prof. Giuseppe DALLA TORRE
del TEMPIO di SANGUINETTO

Le Chevalier Grand-Croix Michael R. EARTHMAN

Le Chevalier Grand-Croix Otto KASPAR

Le Chevalier Grand-Croix Dennis J. LOONEY

Le Chevalier Grand-Croix Bartholomew John McGETTRICK

Le Chevalier Grand-Croix Sir John RALPH

La Dame Grand-Croix Christa von SIEMENS

Le Chevalier Grand-Croix Joseph E. SPINNATO

(updated on February 1st 2010)

4. The Consulta

     A "Consulta" is a meeting of all the Lieutenants organised in Rome every four years by the Grand Master. The last Consulta took place in October 1998. Its objective was to examine a draft guideline to renew the Order at the dawn of the 3rd millennium. This guideline, intended to complete the constitution, tackles various aspects of the Order, emphasising in particular the spiritual commitment of the members.

5. The Lieutenancies

     The Grand Master delegates responsibility for regional organisations to Lieutenants whom he appoints himself, on the advice of the Magisterium.
     The Lieutenants are responsible, in their jurisdictions, for achieving the main objectives of the Order: development of the Order locally, programme to help members increase their Faith, and organisation of moral and material aid for Christian communities in the Holy Land.

6. Uniform and insignia

     In the past the Knights wore a uniform. The only part of the uniform worn today is the great cape, which is white for Knights and black for Ladies, bearing the insignia of the Order on the left-hand side. This cape is worn only for religious ceremonies and is accompanied by a beret for the Knights and a mantilla for the Ladies.

              
         Uniform                                   Ladies                             Lieutenant                                    Knights

     In 1906, the Holy See created an honorary distinction for the Order, ranking just below the Vatican decoration of Saint Sylvester Pope. This comprises five honours: Knight, Commander, Grand Officer, Knights Grand Cross and Knights of the Collar.
     This last honour, the highest, cannot be given to more than 12 people. It has been awarded to some of our Kings and Queens, Leopold II, Albert 1st, Baudouin and Fabiola, as well as Albert II and Paola. In fact our sovereigns are traditionally members of the Order.

                       
Collar of H. M. the King

     The Members of the Order who have gone to the Holy Land to renew their commitment before the Holy Sepulchre wear a pilgrim shell on their capes.

     There is also an Order of Merit of the Holy Sepulchre, which is used to honour non-members who have distinguished themselves in their service to the Order. This comprises three grades: Grand Officer, Cross of Merit with Gold Plaque and Cross of Merit with Silver Plaque.

Bibliography