Overview
Priory of the Christian Shield, San Diego, is an ecumenical Christian Knighthood. The Priory’s ties stretch as far back to the Crusades. The medieval Order’s original mission was protecting Christian pilgrims from harm in the Holy Land. Today’s Order provides aid to those in need locally and abroad, with a special emphasis on Christians at risk in the Middle East. As such, the Priory of the Christian Soldier is intended for those of the Christian Faith who would defend their faith and give a good and lasting example of Christian principles in life and how they serve others – being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.
The Priory’s involvement with various Veteran groups and the creation and promotion of Operation Knight Flight have been the hallmark of its mission to uphold, emulate, serve, and promote the ideals of the Order of the Knights Templar. Organized to support the material needs of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East, and throughout the world, Operation Knight Flight (OKF) was established as a way for our fellow Knights and Dames to promote and facilitate charitable access and deliveries of approved humanitarian goods under the Jeremiah Denton Amendment to Title 10 U.S. Code Section 402 which permits approved humanitarian goods to be airlifted aboard U.S. military cargo aircraft on a “space available” basis.
Priory of the Christian Shield, San Diego was created by the Autonomous Grand Priory of the United States of America. We are a modern Christian Order of Knighthood dedicated to:
- Seeking God in our lives and promoting love and respect for our community.
- Increasing understanding between religions, helping pilgrims visit holy places, and maintaining a Christian presence in the Holy Land.
- Supporting the poor, sick, and unjustly accused; standing against oppression, and protecting freedom of speech.
- Encouraging the noble ideas of Chivalry; maintaining the monuments, archives, and history of the Knights Templar.
The virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity are guiding lights of the Order whose Knights and Dames aspire to serve humbly and faithfully in the spirit of the Order’s motto found in Psalm 115, Verse 1:
“Non nobis, Domine, no nobis, sed Nomini Tuo da gloriam”
“Not unto us, Lord, not unto us but to Thy Name be given Glory”
