Raymond Lull, in 1309, during the trial of the Knights Templar said:
“It is very probable that the Christians have many secrets. Among them is one (in particular) which would be an incredible revelation, such as that now being made by the Knights Templar (…). If such an infamy were to be made openly public, it would jeopardize the continued existence of the Roman Church.”
What infamy could be attached to Christians? What does Lull refer to when he says the Christians have 'many secrets' but one in particular that could 'jeapordize the continued existence of the Roman Church?'
Whatever it is, the Templars, in his day, were making this revelation known!
I found one other reference to this quote [in Spanish] and my rough translation of that is as follows:
"Finally, in the final part of his book, Llull comments on what he calls "the dangers for the ship [barque] of Saint Peter", in a rather ambiguous passage: Among Christians there are many secrets about which there may be a horrible revelation of what can happen to the Templars. Thus, I refer that to power, to wisdom and charity, then to the subject in which they are accustomed. I also say this openly about some very torpid and obvious things because of which the ship of Saint Peter sinks”.
Dangers for the barque of Saint Peter? Surely the Church did not think that the torrid rumours circulating about the Templars in communities constituted a threat to the existence of the Church of Peter? No, it is more literal and speaks to the words of Lull, thats the Templars held a secret which could jeopardise the Church!
I am not certain it has anything to do with the accusations levelled at the Templars during their demise. It seems to be something different. More to do with the policy of King James, adopted from the idea by Raymond Lull, for the military orders to be amalgamated and have one Grand Master, that being Dalmau de Rocabertí.
The Spanish observer writes: In addition, these.....words of those who wrote so much also show that Llull knew the fantastic [?stories] about the Templars that circulated among the Christians of that time, rumours that made the ship of San Pedro tilt dangerously.
Infamy is a term in Roman Catholic Canon Law. Infamy of law concerns heresy, real simony, etc and may be removed either by canonical purging or by application to the Holy See. In general it means an evil reputation brought about by something grossly criminal, shocking, or brutal. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913, infamy in the canonical sense is defined as the privation or lessening of one's good name as the result of the bad rating which one has, even among prudent men. It constitutes an irregularity, i.e. a canonical impediment which prevents one being ordained or exercising such orders as he may have already received.
What shocking revelation could put the Church of Rome and its existence in peril? How did Lull know about it? What has it to do with the Templars? For there seems no - way in interpreting the sentences except that which suggests the Templars [no matter what the sensational rumours attributed to them at the time] did have a secret that was known the the 'christians' which could put the Catholic church's existence in peril. A secret that the Templars learnt from the Christians [which ones?] to which they were starting make public.
The quote is from Liber de aquisitione terrae sanctae, a book Lull wrote in 1309. The Liber de Acquisitione Terræ Sanctæ was written after the fall of the Templars .
I am trying to get hold of this in translation - once i do so i will present the 'bigger picture' of the context in which this quote appears.