Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Congratulations to Fr. Ryan Adorjan for his recent induction into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. Joining the Order means making a lifetime commitment to witness to the faith, practice Christian life, and carry forward charitable works for the moral and material support of the Christian communities of the Holy Land.

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher is one of the oldest chivalric orders in the world. Founded before the crusades in the 12th century, the order’s knights and dames have served to protect pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land, in particular the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is built over the sites of both the crucifixion and tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. Soon after, a group of priests known as the Canons of the Holy Sepulcher was founded to tend to the spiritual needs of the knights, dames, and Christian faithful making pilgrimage to the Holy Land. 

Today the Order is under the Protection of the Vatican, and members are admitted only with the approval of the Holy See both as an honor that recognizes distinguished service in the Church and as a pledge to carry out the Order’s spiritual and financial stewardship for the Church in the Holy Land.