The Knights Templar Take to the Sea towards Nova Francia

Guest speaker: Gérard Leduc 

When:    Saturday, June 25, 2016, from 10:00 to 12:00

Where:   Herb-Linder Annex (BowlingGreen)
              303 Beaconsfield Blvd, Beaconsfield, H9W 4A7

Lecture in English followed by a bilingual question period.

Octagonal foundations of a tower at the Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site. It represents a Knights Templar architectural tradition.

An original lecture by Gérard Leduc Ph. D., from Potton

The Order of the Temple was created in Jerusalem in the year 1099 and its armed branch, the Knights Templar, have the mission to protect the pilgrims worshipping the Holy Land. They adopt the red pattée cross as their emblem. In addition to this mission, they conquer Palestine, establish a multinational enterprise in Europe and raise a large fleet. They take to the sea, reach other continents and, in less than two centuries become immensely rich. In 1314, the King of France, Philip le Bel, orders their arrest and many are condemned to the stake. Thousands others escape and reach other countries for a better life.

At the height of their peak, they sail to Nouvelle-France and they leave many vestiges in the archives and in several buildings over the Quebec territory, and elsewhere in the American Northeast. One can recognize their ancient presence through the red pattée cross on ancient layout plans of Ville-Marie (Montreal) and Quebec City and in the sophisticated stone works in Montreal, as well as on the New England Coast and in Newfoundland. A major discovery was that of a Knights Templar religious outpost on the Island of Chekoutimi , on the Saguenay River, across from the present Town of La Baie (Chicoutimi). This mythical island has since physically disappeared but my research has rediscovered it.
Architects and well experienced craftsmen imbued with astronomy and with mysticism, these pioneers Templar left traces of their buildings, tunnels and secret chambers.
What happened to them? The Little Ice Age, beginning around 1300 A. D? The Bubonic plague? Indian hostility?
Renaissance arriving, the European powers launch the Great discoveries era. From France, the Kings send secret agents looking for the Knights Templar sites abandoned some two hundred years earlier in Nova Francia. One can thus follow the paths taken by our discoverers searching for the bygone Knights.
Today, the Fee Masons’ links with the Knights Templar tradition are fascinating to discover.

Gérard Leduc

Following studies in Biology at the University of Montreal, Gérard Leduc entered Oregon State University where he obtained a Ph. D. in Fisheries, in 1966. He joined the faculty of Concordia University in Biology as professor, and retired in 1990. After moving to the Eastern Townships, he founded the Potton Heritage Association which he presided for fifteen years. He pursued research on stone works of Celtic and of Viking origins. He wrote many press releases on the local archaeology and history, authored one video, produced exhibitions and wrote a book on the Potton History in 1997. He also animates field excursions and gives public lectures.
At the same time, he undertook research on the ancient presence of the Knights Templar in Nouvelle-France long before the French Regime of the 17th century. A book is in preparation on this subject, and he writes on the Free Masons’ enigma.