What is an Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem?

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, known as the Order of the Holy Sepulchre or Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, is a Catholic Order of knighthood beneath the protection of the Holy See. The idea of wearing the cross on the head and shoulders of one as a sign of dedication to the Roman Catholic Church dates back to the First World War. A Roman Catholic Knight’s life is full of honor and privilege. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has described the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre as being like an extended family. They are like a small community where every member knows everyone else.

The first images of Holy Land pilgrims in Jerusalem are from the eras before the Christian Revolution and during the Crusades. While no one knows exactly when the Crusades occurred, the Crusades marked the beginning of Christian military power. Many Crusaders were also captured by the Muslims, and their properties were pillaged and sold to the conquering Muslims. The first Holy Land pilgrims were taken to Jerusalem by the Franks, who were followed by the Latin Church, which governed the Holy Land for several years.

Many modern Christians consider the Jerusalem pilgrims to be heretics because they did not wear the cross on their heads. There are however, many thousands of Catholic Christians among the Holy Land pilgrims. They do not consider the Jerusalem Catholic Church to be heretical or unacceptable because they did not participate in the crucifixion of Jesus. Although this can be confusing for non-religious viewers, the Holy Land pilgrimage is a beautiful symbol of love and religious belief for both believers and non-believers alike.

During the first few centuries after Christ, the Holy Roman Emperor Maximian settled in Jerusalem. This would make him the first Roman prince to settle in the Holy Land. A century later, Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor, created the first fortified camp in Jerusalem and called it the “forts of Jerusalem”. This would become the center of most of Europe’s crusading activities during the Middle Ages. The Latin word for “forts” is “forts of Jerusalem” and it was later adopted by the knightly orders of Christendom as the term for aequestrian (knights) dress order, which has been prevalent ever since.

The Hospitots of Jerusalem and its neighboring towns served as the chief fortress, royal fortress and international jail in the Holy Land. One of these Hospitots was the home of Salah al-Din, the “grand master”, who died in 9 AH. After his death, this Hospitot became the center of all pilgrimage activities. It also became a prison and the site of many sittings and court gatherings of the Crusaders. The Hospitots of Jerusalem were also responsible for housing the remains of the pilgrims who died in the Holy Lands.

Many knights, both male and female, have served the Queen of Sheba. The most notable of these was the woman canonized into the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem by Emperor Charles V in 1080. Her title was “Queen of Sheba” and she was canonized as the first female colonizer of a Roman Catholic Church. Today, the Society of the Holy sepulcher of Jerusaism church maintains the rights to the title “queen of Sheba”.