Spooky. Did y’all know Friday the 13th has it roots in freemasonry? After the fall of Acre in 1291, the Templars lost their last stronghold in the “Holy” Land. This would ultimately lead to their demise, we pray. In 1303, the Templars had set up their headquarters in Paris. They were an order who had lost their purpose but still controlled enormous wealth. This unstable environment set up a power play by King Philip IV. Philip’s kingdom was deeply in debt to the Templars and he feared their power. After the Templar banks denied Philip another loan he moved against them. On the morning of Friday, October 13, 1307, Philip had scores of the Templars arrested in France including the order’s Grand Master Jacques de Molay. Many were sent to the Tower of Chinon where they were brutally tortured until they confessed to false charges, which included heresy, homosexuality, financial corruption, devil worshipping, fraud, spitting on the cross and more. Despite the absence of any evidence other than what was coerced by torture by Philip, the Pope, Clement V issued an edict dissolving the order under enormous pressure by Philip. Jacques de Molay was executed in 1314. Philip never believed any of the charges were true, he moved against them mainly out of jealousy and greed. He was deeply indebted to the Templars and although their money was supposed to have been given to a rival order, the Knights Hospitallers, it is believed that Philip and King Edward II of England made off with most of the money. One of the enduring legends of the Templars is that a secret order of them exist today. It has become quite popular in books and films such as “National Treasure” or “The Da Vinci Code”. Some organizations have sprung up around the world to continue their heritage. The Freemasons, which were founded in the 18th century revived many of the Templars traditions, symbols, and rituals. And many of the Freemasons were the ones who originally concocted that story, no doubt to boost their own lineage. One of the enduring myths of the Templars arrest in France is that since it occurred on Friday, the 13th that is why some people fear the date. #FoodForThought #PleaseDontFeedThem