Order of Christ

The Order of Christ was the heritage of the Templar Knights. After the annihilation of the templars in France and throughout Europe by King Philip IV (The Fair), the new founded Order of Christ inherited most of the templars' assets. This came about largely due to the importance of the Templars in the formation and reconstruction of Portugal. The templars had great power in Middle Age Portugal, but were also important during the Reconquista of the southern territory from the Moors. Due to the close relation that Portugal mantained with the Templars, many Templar knights made Portugal, and expecially, the Templar stronghold of Tomar, their promised land after being pursued by accusations of heresy in the Christian world.

The precursors of the order. Foundation of the Tomar headquarter

The Templars were founded around 1118, and soon formed commanderies around Europe to support their efforts in the Holy Land. In 1128 the Templars settled in Portugal.

Dom Gualdim Pais, provincial Master of the Order of the Temple in Portugal founded the Castle in 1160, the Convento de Cristo. The legend says that Gualdim Pais drew lots three times and received, three times, a sign to locate the new Templar fortress on a hill between the river Fria and St. Gregory's creek. "Convento de Cristo" is a living proof of the Templars and architectural abilities of the Order of Christ.

The octogonal form church is belived to be inspired by the Muslim's Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which was a model for Templar masons. Christians and Muslims in Middle ages belive that the Dome of the Rock was the Temple of Solomon. Therefore, the Templar churches imitate some features of the Dome of the Rock. The strongest support for the Dome of the Rock as a source of inspiration are the seals; images of some Grand-Masters like Evrard de Barres or Regnaud de Vichier. A typical design is an octagon within a circle, eight arches within a round circle. The arcade echoes the Moorish influence overlaid on Gothic principles resulting in an Iberian architecture with rich detail woven into the carved stone elements. Eight walls give the edifice structural stability and also form the Templar Cross Patee within the limits of the octogon. The shape is also a eight pointed star – Star of Bethlehem. The number 8 is a mystical one, because it represents the infinite, has it has no beggining or end, eight is also the number of fate, destiny and justice. The octogonal shapes usually represent the link between eternity-God (the circle is symbol of ethernity) and Earth (the square).

The octogon also represent the church bringing light to the world. [[1]]

Several authorities give semnifications to the construction of Tomar, David J. Evans (in his Cadogan Portugal, p. 338) writes: "The mystical tenets of the Templars are never more apparent than in their architecture; the outer walls of the Convento de Cristo are a mirror image of a stellar constellation, with the Charola taking Orion's position.".

Some speculation exists that within this octagonal chapel, called a "Charola", neophyte Templar knights were initiated on horseback. The theory say that to enter the church you must climb down 8 steps, a reason for cimbing down being a way show humility another reason being that it's far more easy for a horse to climb up when in a hurry than down.

Regarding the site of the Tomar castle are also some parallel with the site of the "Dome of the Rock", on the other side of the river Cedron in Jerusalem, opposite to the temple was the Hill of the Olive Trees; in Tomar, on the other margin of the Nabão River is the church of Our Lady of the Olive Trees (Igreja da Nossa Senhora dos olivais).

Still, there are strong reasons which supportanother source for inspiration for the construction, the Rotonda and Church of Holy Sepulcher. The most important element of the complex is the rotunda which contains the sepulcher itself. The sepulcher stands in an elaborate structure within the rotunda ( rotunda – 35 m diameter), surrounded by columns supporting an ornamented, domed roof. The sepulcher itself is surrounded by a circle of twelve columns – groups of three columns between four pairs of square piers. It is possible that the columns for the 4th century rotunda were removed from their original location on the facade of the Roman temple. Renovation of the piers exposed evidence that the columns had originally been much higher and that the Crusaders cut them in half for use in the 12th century rotunda.

There is a legend about Dom Gualdim Pais hiding the holy graal in Tomar. On July 13, 1190 the King of Morocco lay seige to the Templars in Tomar. This test of strength confirmed the Templar's military prower and established them as an indispensable presence in the defense of northern Portugal.

Gualdim Pais, Master of the Temple in Portugal, died in 1195 after ruling 50 years.

Templars suppresion. Order of Christ birth.

In 1312, Templars order was suppressed by Pope Clement V, at the Council of Vienne, in 1312. Denis of Portugal(1261–1325) instituted a new order, a religious military Order under the rule of Saint Benedict, under the name of Christi Militia in 1317 (some sources say, 14 August 1318), and Pope John XXII, approve this order by a Bull on 14th March 1319 "AD EA EX QVIBVIS".

After four years of negotiations Pope John XXII authorized king Diniz by another Bull in 1323 to give to the Order of the Christ the properties of the Templars. The knights of the order are committed to vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to the king. It is unclear whether many Templars continued in the new order. There are some opinions that the Templars just continued under a new name, and fewer opinions that the Order of Christ was a new formation. The first Grand Master Dom Gil Martins or Martinez had been a knight of Saint Benedict Order of Aviz, a branch of the Order of Calatrava.

The Order of the Christ was first seated at Castro Marim, in the Algarve (in the Diocese of Faro). In 1357, the order was moved to the town of Tomar, near Santerem, former seat of the Order of the Knights Templars in Portugal. (other sources give the movement date: 1366 under the 6th Grand Master, Dom Nuño Rodriguez)

The Order of Christ under Henry the Navigator

After 1417, by King John I of Portugal request to the Pope, Prince Henry the Navigator (1417-1465) become the order grand-master. Prince Henry the Navigator was born in 1394, the third son of King João of Portugal. Prince Henry was the order Grand Master. During that time Duarte I, Afonso V of Portugal were kings of Portugal. In 1433, the King Duarte I gave the Order "Sovereign" status not over these territories which already held, but over any future conquests. Pope Calixtus III in 1455 confirms that Alfonso V extended his temporal jurisdiction by conceding the royal prerogative over three episcopal nominations in areas ruled by the Order. In 1460, King Afonso V granted the Knights of Christ a 5% levy on all merchandise from the new African lands. Using Order of Christ money, Prince Henry has organized the Navigator's school in Sagres, preparing the way for Portuguese supremacy on the seas.

After Henry, the grand mastership was held by someone from royal family. Henry colonised the Azores and Madeira Islands, his aim was to go south beyond Cape Bojador, south of the Canary Islands. During Prince Henry's rule, two Gothic cloisters were built in the Convent of Tomar. With prince Henry begins a new and glamour period of the Order of the Christ. Henry was the duke of Viseu and also member of the Knights of the Garter.

Henry's impact on history is great, having arguably sparked the European interest in colonial exploration that would so transform the world for the next four centuries.

The Order of Christ after Henry the Navigator command

Prince Henry was succeeded in the governorship of the Order by Prince Ferdinand, son of King Edward I, who died in 1470.

In 1484, Emmanuel, Duke of Beja, became the XIth Governor of the Order. Due to the fact that the discipline of the order was declining Pope Alexander VI commuted the vow of celibacy to that of conjugal chastity in 1492 and in 1496 the brethren were dispensed from celibacy and in 1505 from poverty but still undertook to continue their responsions (one third of their revenues) to the Order's treasury. (the condition that they should apply the third part of their revenues to the building and support of the Tomar Cloister) and the priests of which he bound to the whole of tbe three vows.Also in 1501, Pope Julius II mitigated the vow of poverty into the payment of a tax – the meia-anata, for the Order of Christ the tax was 3/4 of the revenues.

Manuel I of Portugal sought and obtained the title of Grand Master by Pope Leo X Bull "Constante fide" (June 30th, 1516). King Manuel, João's successor, sent Vasco da Gama (a member of the Order of Christ) to sail around the African cape to India. He set sail in 1497 and reached Calicut. By the end of king Manuel reign, the order possessed 454 commanderies, in Portugal, Africa and the Indies. Manuel also made extensive additions to the Order's headquarters in Tomar. Manuel ordered that the church of Tomar to be expanded westwards, spreading beyond the castle limits and opening up the Charola to add on to it a magnificent nave which housed the choir and the sacristy, becoming known as the chapter house. Also step by step the order has beggining during Manuel the transformation from monastic to secular. At the end of this process, a order has take the form of a royal institution.

The son of Manuel did not automaticaly obtain the succesion right for ruling the order, and get this approval by Bull of Pope Adrian VI: "EXIMIAE DEVOTIONIS"(14th April, 1523).

After thirty years, John III obtain "Perpetual Administration" of all the Portuguese Military Orders including Order of Christ, and of course the Grand Mastership of the Order passed to the Crown, by Pope Julius III Bull's, issued in Rome in 1551. For the government of these orders in the king's name, John III has instituted a special council named "Mesa das Ordens".

The Reform Of John III and fra Antonius

There are some voices saing that in 1522 the Order was divided into two branches – one religious under the Pope, and one civil, under the king, as they remain today, anyway there is lack of evidence regarding this.In 1523, John III held a chapter of the order giving to the brother Antonius of Lisbon the authorithy and responsabitilty to reform the Order.

The scope of the reform was to bring to the annihilation the religious life among the knights of the order. The new statutes was approved in 1529 by Friars. The Grand Prior was removed from office and all the priests and religious of the Order were required to resume Conventual life at Tomar, and to wear the habit and cross of the Order. Dom António has obtained the position of Prior and pesuaded the pope Pius V to give him the control of all convents of the order in 1567.

The contrareform of Dom Sebastian

King Sebastian, tried to reverse the reform of brother Antonius of Lisbon in 1574. When Antonius has pesuaded the pope Pius V to give him the control of all convents of the order in 1567, King Sebastian has protested and obtained confirmation of his post as Grand Master. As a result the religious members of the Order were separated from the lay, military membership.

Other reforms movements

Between 1580 and 1640 it was another attempt to reform the order. The new statutes was enacted by the general chapter at Tomar 1619 and was promulgated by Philip IV of Spain in 1627. The admisions conditions in the order were: noble birth and either two years' service in Africa or three years with the fleet.

The Secularization of The Order

Pius VI (1789) and the Queen Mary have made the last attempt to reform the order. This reform has made once again convent of Tomar the headquarters of the whole order. The sovereign remain still grand master but instead of the conventual prior there was a grand prior of the order.

In 1789 the Portuguese Order lost its religious character, being secularised by Queen Mary. Since 1789, the members consist (besides tbe Grand Master and Great Commander) of six Knights of the Grand Cross, four hundred and fifty Commanders, and an unlimiied number of Knights. Foreigners are exempt from the rules, but, at the same time, are excluded from the participation in the revenues of the Order. Only Catholics of noble descent can be admitted to the Order.

In 1834 when the civil government of Portugal became anti-Catholic, after the defeat of King Michael in the Civil War, under the constitutional monarchy the order lost its properties. The ancient Military Orders were transformed by the liberal constitution and subsequent legislation into mere Orders of Merit. The privileges which once had been an essential part of the membership of the old military orders were also ceased.

In 1910, when Portugese monarchy ended, the Republic of Portugal abolished all the Orders. However in 1917, at the end of the Great War, some of these Orders were re-established as mere Orders of Merit to reward outstanding services to the state, the office of Grand-Master belonging to the Head of State – the President of the Republic. The Military Order of Christ, together with the other Portuguese Orders of Merit, had its Statutes revised in several occasions, during the First Republic (1910–1926), then in 1962, and again in 1986.

The Military Order of Christ, together with the Military Orders of Aviz and of St. James of the Sword form the group of the "Ancient Military Orders", governed by a Chancellor and a Council of eight members, appointed by the President of the Republic, to assist him as Grand-Master in all matters concerning the administration of the Order. The Order, despite its name, can be conferred on civilians and on military, Portuguese and foreigners, for outstanding services to the Republic, in parliament, in the government, in the diplomatic service, in the Courts of Justice, on public authorities or on the Civil Service.

Grades

The Order of Christ, as awarded by the Portugese government today, comes in five classes:

• Grand Cross, which wears the badge of the Order on a sash on the right shoulder, and the star of the Order in gold on the left chest;
• Grand Officer, which wears the badge of the Order on a necklet, and the star of the Order in gold on the left chest;
• Commander, which wears the badge of the Order on a necklet, and the star of the Order in silver on the left chest;
• Officer, which wears the badge of the Order on a ribbon with rosette on the left chest;
• Knight, which wears the badge of the Order on a plain ribbon on the left chest.

Insignia

• The badge of the Order is a golden cross with enamel, similar to the Order's emblem illustrated here, but with a longer lower arm. During the monarchy there were separate badges for civil and military knights: civil knights wore a badge similar to the modern version, but with the Sacred Heart of Christ above it; military knights had a completely different insignia, this being a golden, white enamelled Maltese Cross with blue oval shields (each bearing five dots) between the arms of the cross, the whole surrounded by a wreath of palm; the central medallion was white, with a miniature of the modern bagde in it; the badge was again topped by the Sacred Heart of Christ.

• The star of the Order is in gold or silver depending on class, with 22 asymmetrical arms of rays; the central medallion is white, with a miniature of the modern bagde in it. During the monarchy the Sacred Heart of Christ was placed at the top of the star.

• The ribbon of the Order is plain red.

Outstanding People Asociated with Order of the Christ

• Vasco da Gama
• Henry the Navigator

Locations associated with the Order of Christ

• Convento de Cristo
• Belém Tower
• Castle of Almourol

"Non nobis, Domine, non nobis: sed Nomini Tuo da gloriam" [Psalm. 113,9 (115,1)]