Ode to Heroes

“You know the temper of the times…how many there are who love to live delicately…and shrink from whatever requires manhood.”
- Pope Leo XIII, Quod Auctoritate.

Saturday night, Singapore. The weather is cool in the aftermath of a violent thunderstorm. Alone amidst the incessant buzz of the coffee shop, a glint in my raised glass sparks my memory and as I reflect I’m inspired to offer a toast to the knights of St. John of the Cross and the Knights Templars whose memory has been tarnished by so many wild speculations and conspiracy theories.

These three books help set the record straight:

“A man has as many masters as he does vices.” – St. Augustine.

From their humble origins these fine Orders have seen many an honourable man give his life in the service of a higher ideal. What is a man without an ideal? Aspiring for virtue we become like the Angels, indulging our lower passions we reduce ourselves to brutes.

“Our Lord explained to St. Bridget that the spirit of chivalry was the safest path leading to sainthood, the spirit of disinterested and self-denying service for the common good. He said to her, in a vision: ‘A knight who keeps the laws of his order is exceedingly dear to me. For if it is hard for a monk to wear his heavy habit, it is still harder for a knight to wear his heavy armor.’” - El Cid: God’s Own Champion by James Fitzhenry

Holy Knights existed, and this is what they may have looked like (If the video is slow, click on the YouTube icon to watch on YouTube):

And this was their code:

Prowess: To seek excellence in all endeavors expected of a knight, martial and otherwise, seeking strength to be used in the service of justice, rather than in personal aggrandizement.

Justice: Seek always the path of ‘right’, unencumbered by bias or personal interest. Recognize that the sword of justice can be a terrible thing, so it must be tempered by mercy, as God commands. If the ‘right’ you see rings true to the teachings of the Church, and you seek it out without bending to the temptation for expediency, then you will earn renown beyond measure. Be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil. Destroy Evil in all its monstrous forms. Avenge the wronged.

Loyalty: Perform scrupulously your feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God. Never lie; remain faithful to your pledged word. Remain faithful and true to God and to those to whom you owe fidelity. Obey the laws of Chivalry, and all those of King and country which are not contrary to the laws of God. Never abandon or betray a friend, ally, or worthy cause.

Defense: Seek always to defend and love your native land, your family, and those whom you believe worthy of loyalty. Defend the weak and innocent. Respect and protect women. Respect all those weaker than yourself, and constitute yourself their defender. Crush the monsters that steal our land and rob our people and defile our women. Defend the young and the old, and have reverence for life.

Courage: Do not recoil from your enemy. Be prepared to sacrifice all in the service of God and virtue. Fight with prudence, but with courage. Never attack an unarmed foe. Never use a weapon on an opponent not equal to the attack. Never attack from behind. Exhibit courage in word and deed. Fight with honor and courage, even in the face of fear. Be Just and Merciful in victory. Do not torture. Die with valor.

Faith: A knight must be devout in his Faith, for, apart from Salvation, faith roots him and gives hope against the despair that human failings create. He must obey and defend the Holy Catholic Church. Make war against the infidel without cessation and without mercy.

Humility: Value first the contributions of others; do not boast of your own accomplishments, let others do this for you. Tell the deeds of others before your own, according them the renown rightfully earned through virtuous deeds. In this way the office of knighthood is well done and glorified, helping not only the gentle spoken of but also all who call themselves knights.

Largesse: Be generous in so far as your resources allow; largesse used in this way counters gluttony. It also makes the path of mercy easier to discern when a difficult decision of justice is required. Be a benefactor to the poor, especially widows and orphans. Respect the special grace and dignity of those who strive in poverty through no fault of their own. Remember that stewardship requires you to care for and use with kindness all living creatures.

Nobility: Live your life so that it is worthy of respect and honour. Do not lie. Do not cheat. Live for Freedom, Justice and all that is good. Exhibit self-control, respect for authority, and love of duty. Do your duty in all things. You can not expect to do more. You should never wish to do less. Seek great stature of character by holding to the virtues and duties of a knight, realizing that the quality of striving towards these ennobles the spirit, and refines it to take its place in Heaven. Nobility influences others and uplifts the weaker man by your example.

Chastity: Keep yourself chaste for the sake of her whom you love. Do not choose to love one whom a natural sense of shame forbids you to marry. Be modest, polite and courteous at all times, and seek always to serve and protect women.

Courtesy: Seek always to be polite, mannerly, respectful, and reverent. Cherish, as far as duty allows, the comfort of all you meet.

Integrity: Seek to emulate everything I have spoken of as sincerely as possible, not for the reason of personal gain but because it is Right. Do not restrict Chivalry to individual areas of your life, but seek to infuse every aspect of your life with these qualities. Strive to become so infused with this code that your every action follows smoothly and naturally and without thought or consideration, so that any deviation from the Code becomes an outrage and an abomination to you. Should you succeed in even a tiny measure then you will be well remembered for your quality and virtue.

In any body of men, where there is power, corruption will breed in the shadows. Too often we dwell upon the deeds of the evil few rather than the good of the majority.

Few people realise that the West was almost destroyed by the ambitions of the muslim empire. Much of Christendom had already fallen to the sword and it was the brilliant Charles Martel who stopped their advance at the Battle of Tours in 732.

With the help of titans like El Cid and St. Fernando III Orders like the Templars played an instrumental role in the Spanish Reconquest – an effort which took 800 years. Europe was constantly under such threat, and it was due to the herioc efforts of the Knights of St. John at Malta and the subsequent miracle at the Battle of Lepanto that Europe was finally saved from destruction.

The most heroic and odds-defying battle in history.

The siege of Malta (1565) was arguably the most heroic and odds-defying battle in history. About 600 Knights of St John were up against 30,000 Ottoman Turks. The battle was expected to last about 4 hours, instead it lasted 4 months, with the Turks ultimately retreating. Their bravery is unparalled. Wounded soldiers were placed in chairs with their sword in hand fighting to the death. I can’t recommend the book Angels in Iron enough.

In this world of political correctness, my lips are sealed, but my heart is singing an anthem to these heroes. The Romans say “in vino veritas”, well I stand guilty as charged. I’m proud of these men. It is said that Alexander the Great slept with the Iliad under his pillow, how can our children become great if we steal from them the memories of heroes? It seems that the objective of modern education is nothing more than the indoctrination of the young to the end that they become mere functions of society.

Non nobis, non nobis, Domine Sed nomini tuo da gloriam
- Psalm 115, Hymn of the Templars.