Bernard All but Admitted that Templars Had the Ark

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon were a religious order – first and foremost (at that time religious always trumped secular). So, it made complete sense that its name was chosen by the abbot of a monastery (Bernard of Clairvaux) rather than secular lord (Hugh of Champagne) – let alone a secular knight (Hugues de Payens).

Bernard defined the Mission of Knights Templar loud and clear (and no, it was not protecting the pilgrims or even fighting for the Outremer). It was to protect the treasures of the Holy City before they are stolen by Muslims.

In his works, Bernard listed all places in the Holy Land that he believed are of particular significance. First and foremost, he lists the Temple of Solomon – and not the Church of the Holy Sepulcher that stands on the foundations of Golgotha where Jesus Christ was once buried and which was in Bernard’s era the most important pilgrimage destination.

In fact, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is only mentioned in 11th place (!!) in his treatise to the Templars. In his other works, he said that the Templars were the “New Israelites” and even “True Israelites”.

So, what were the Templars tasked to protect, first and foremost? Religious treasure that once resided in Temple of Solomon (Jewish First Temple). And what was the religious treasure – the most important treasure – that once resided in Solomon’s Temple? The Ark of the Covenant.

Who were the “True Israelites”? God’s Chosen People. How could they – and everyone else – know that they, indeed, were His Chosen People? What was the irrefutable, visible proof of that? The Ark of the Covenant.

If it is not an admission that Templars had the Ark, I do not know what is.

But there is more. Bernard openly stated that the presence of the Templars had now made the Temple of Solomon the greatest sanctuary of all. And what is the greatest sanctuary of all? The one that contains the greatest religious treasure; the most valuable relic of Christendom. And there was (still is) only one such relic.

Ark of the Covenant. Not surprisingly, in his instructions to Knights Templar, Bernard of Clairvaux didn’t mention a single word about protecting the Christian pilgrims….