(Now what Christian who is faithful to Christ would spit on the cross and deny Christ, and then say that they were imitating the humiliation they would suffer if they fell into the hands of the Saracens. Even if the Saracens captured and tortured them, the Knights could refuse to spit on the cross and deny Christ. If a Christian denies Christ, he will deny them according to 2 Timothy 2:12.)Vatican Paper Set to Clear Knights Templar
The document, known as the Chinon parchment, reveals that the Templars had an initiation ceremony which involved "spitting on the cross", "denying Jesus" and kissing the lower back, navel and mouth of the man proposing them.
The Templars explained to Pope Clement that the initiation mimicked the humiliation that knights could suffer if they fell into the hands of the Saracens, while the kissing ceremony was a sign of their total obedience.
The Pope concluded that the entrance ritual was not truly blasphemous, as alleged by King Philip when he had the knights arrested. However, he was forced to dissolve the Order to keep peace with France and prevent a schism in the church.
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