order of christ
Comenda de Laccobriga e Templar Corps em Festa Quinhentista
A Comenda de Laccobriga da OSMTHU e o Outpost do Algarve do Templar Corps International marcaram este ano a sua primeira participação na Festa Quinhentista de Lagos, organizada pela Câmara Municipal de Lagos.
Com base no Forte de Lagos, vigia junto à foz da Ribeira de Bensafrim, um grupo de voluntários recriou uma reunião do Capítulo da Comenda de Lagos da Ordem de Cristo e o seu ambiente, com mobiliário, decoração e figurantes trajados à época. A sala foi igualmente disposta de modo a poder responder às perguntas dos visitantes, dando-lhes uma visão mais detalhada acerca da Ordem de Cristo e da sua herança ancorada no Ordem do Templo. Vários painéis informativos foram colocados nas paredes, traçando a história das Ordens.
Da informação recolhida, todo o numeroso público visitante saiu mais rico e culturalmente mais esclarecido, pois a interacção e a fraternidade manifestada pelos voluntários junto de todo o público nacional e internacional é a clara expressão do motivo que os anima a incentivar estas manifestações. Ao longo dos quatro dias do evento, mais de 2.000 visitantes da Festa Quinhentista se deslocaram ao Forte, \levados pela bandeira da Ordem de Cristo levantada ao vento.
A Comenda de Laccobriga e o Templar Corps International agradecem aos seus Voluntários, à organização do Evento e à Câmara Municipal de Lagos por esta oportunidade tão aliciante. Parabéns aos Lacobrigenses e aos visitantes de terras de perto e de longe pela beleza e qualidade de todos os quatro dias de momentos que nos transportaram até ao Séc.XVI.
Convento de Cristo
A MAGNIFICENT CASTLE OVERLOOKS THE river Nabão. It is known as a convent, but it was built in 1160 as a headquarters for the Knights Templar, the formidable Catholic military that answered to the Pope.
When sovereigns feared the Pope had too much power, they annihilated the Knights Templar. In France, many were burned at the stake. In Portugal however, King Denis I took pity, and instead renamed the knights the Order of Christ. This new order would answer to the King, but was later demilitarized and converted to an entirely religious order.
The subsequent heads of the Order added on to the castle in the centuries to follow. Additions included cloisters, connecting corridors, an aqueduct, and an expanded chapel, not to mention decadent ironworks, paintings, and tapestries. All of these were built in the various prevailing styles of the day, from Romanesque to Gothic to Renaissance. The greatest architectural draw is the Manueline chapel, an ornate architectural style found only in Portugal.
Today, the Convento de Cristo is preserved as a museum. It has been a World Heritage site since 1983. The striking architecture, beautiful gardens, and unparalleled view offered by the hilltop castle don’t disappoint.
in atlasobscura.com
III International Conference “Order of the Temple – Spiritual Chivalry – Templarism”.
The Templar Interpretation Center of Almourol (CITA) of Vila Nova da Barquinha promoted, on the weekend of November 13th and 14th, the III International Conference “Order of the Temple – Spiritual Chivalry – Templarism”.
The municipal auditorium hosted some of the best national and international experts on the subject, with speakers from countries such as Spain, the United States, Croatia and Portugal: Luis de Matos (Chancellor of OSMTHU), Carlos Trincão (Teacher and member of TREF), Álvaro Barbosa (Architect and former director of Convento de Cristo), Virgílio Alves (Philosopher and Senior Technician in Public Administration), João Pedro Silva (Researcher and member of OSMTHU), Ernesto Alves Jana (Historian and member of TREF), Jefferson Perry (former -military), José Miguel Navarro (OSMTHU’s Senescal expert in security systems), Lovro Tomasinec (Croatian Order of Knights Templar OSMTH) and Manuel J. Gandra (CITA Researcher and Curator).
The book “Almourol – 850th anniversary of its foundation, in the context of the Order of the Temple in Portugal”, was launched at the event.
Fernando Freire, Mayor of the City Council, and Paula Pontes, Councilor for the Department of Culture, were present at the conference. The initiative also featured the musical animation of Fernando Espanhol, in a medieval music moment.
The Almourol Templar Interpretation Center is the first of its kind in Portugal. It has a permanent exhibition room, a space for temporary exhibitions and a projection room for films on the theme of the Templars. The Library – Templar Archives is also located in the same building, which has a vast literary collection dedicated to this theme, the result of donations from Teresa Furtado and Manuel J. Gandra.
Centro de Interpretação Templário de Almourol; Largo 1.º Dezembro; 2260-403 Vila Nova da Barquinha Tel.: 249720358E-mail: cita@cm-vnbarquinha.pt
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