''Milites Templi'' (

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

for "Soldiers of the Temple") was a

papal bull A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by the pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden Seal (emblem), seal (''bulla (seal), bulla'') traditionally appended to authenticate it. History Papal ...

issued by

Pope Celestine II Pope Celestine II (; died 8 March 1144), born Guido di Castello,Thomas, pg. 91 was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 26 September 1143 to his death on 8 March 1144. Early life Guido di Castello, possibly the son of ...

in 1144. It ordered the clergy to protect the

Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

and encouraged the faithful to contribute to their cause. It allowed the Templars to make their own collections once a year, even in areas under

interdict In Catholic canon law, an interdict () is an ecclesiastical censure, or ban that prohibits certain persons or groups from participating in particular rites, or that the rites and services of the church are prohibited in certain territories for ...

. This is one of the most important papal bulls relating to the Temple, and together with '' Omne datum optimum'' (1139) and '' Militia Dei'' (1145) forms the foundation for the Order's future wealth and success.

References

Sources

* * Knights Templar 1144 works 12th-century papal bulls Documents of Pope Celestine II {{crusades-stub