The Larmenius Charter, a document purportedly composed in 1324, served as the foundational instrument for Bernard-Raymond Fabré-Palaprat in 1804. By presenting this text, he claimed a direct lineage from the medieval Knights Templar, effectively re-establishing a neo-Templar order in France. This act marked the beginning of a life defined by occult mysticism and institutional dissent.
Medical Career and Professional Beginnings
Born in Cordes-sur-Ciel in 1773 to Raymond Fabré and Jeanne Marie Palaprat, Fabré-Palaprat initially followed a path toward the priesthood. After departing the clergy, he transitioned into medicine, studying at Montpellier and Caen. He earned his first medical degree on 12 April 1798. Relocating to Paris, he secured a second degree in 1803 and assumed the role of director general for the Société médico-philantropique. His civic contributions eventually earned him the Legion of Honour for his defense of Paris in 1814, alongside the July Medal awarded after the 1830 revolution.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →The Order of the Temple
In 1804, Fabré-Palaprat founded the Order of the Temple, acting as Grand Master until 1838. He asserted that the organization possessed significant relics, including the sword of Jacques de Molay and fragments of bone from the pyre where the medieval leader was executed. The Order functioned under strict hierarchies, where members were addressed as Sir Knights and the leader held titles including Most Eminent Highness. By 1808, the group held public ceremonies in Paris to commemorate the martyred Grand Master.
Formation of the Johannite Church
In 1812, Fabré-Palaprat moved toward institutional theology by creating the Johannite Church. This movement placed itself in opposition to the Church of Saint Peter. In 1831, he published the Evangelikon, a Gnostic interpretation of the Gospel of John that omitted traditional resurrection narratives. To bolster these beliefs, he utilized the Lévitikon, a manuscript he claimed to have acquired from a Paris bookstall in 1814. He further introduced a Johannite Mass in 1834, applying the title of Christ to leaders who achieved Gnosis.
Schisms and Final Years
The Johannite movement faced internal instability by the late 1830s. A schism emerged in 1836 led by the Duc de Choiseul, who expressed dissatisfaction with the shift away from the organization's initial chivalric character. Although Fabré-Palaprat attempted to stabilize his influence by admitting figures like Sir Sidney Smith, the movement fractured. Following health complications, he retired from Paris to Southern France, where he died on 18 February 1838, at age 64.
Fast facts
- Born: 1773, Cordes-sur-Ciel
- Died: 1838, Pau
- Medical degree received: 12 April 1798
- Order of the Temple founded: 4 November 1804
- Johannite Church founded: 1812
- Position: Grand Master (1804-1838)
- Award: Knight of the Legion of Honour
- Primary language: French
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the Larmenius Charter?
It was a 1324 document that Fabré-Palaprat used to claim his Order of the Temple was the direct successor to the original Knights Templar.
What did the Johannite Church believe?
It followed a Gnostic version of the Gospel of John and held that leaders who attained Gnosis were entitled to the title of Christ.
Achievements
- Knight of the Legion of Honour
