Has the pope or catholic church publically exhonerated the knights templar, and repudiated their destruction,?
“Destruction” is a pretty harsh word here. The Knights Templar were disbanded in 1312 by Pope Clement V — under heavy pressure from King Philip IV of France, who threatened military action against the Holy See. “Disbanded” does not conjur up the same sensationalism as “destroyed” — but it is a far more accurate term here. The Knights Templar were heavily persecuted — but by civil authorities, namely the French under King Philip. It was Philip — not the Church — who persecuted the Knights and even had some of them burned at the stake. It is currently the Roman Catholic Church’s position that the medieval persecution of the Knights Templar was unjust; that there was nothing inherently wrong with the Order or its Rule; and that Pope Clement was pressured into his actions by the dominating influence of King Philip IV .
