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Social media is awash with photos of Nis Mayor Dragana Sotirovski, showing her kneeling in a white uniform as Slobodan Traparić, the first man of the Serbian Sovereign Order of Knights Templar Organization, holds a sword over her shoulder. The photos elicited numerous comments and different reactions, and the first woman from the largest southern city explained to “Blic” when the photos were taken and if she was still part of the Knights Templar organization.
Sotirovski confirmed for “Blic” that the photos are authentic. As she says, she used to be a member of the Jerusalem Temple Sovereign Military Order organization, which nurtures the historical heritage of the Knights Templar. According to her, part of this organization was in the capacity of “Lady Knight”.
The mentioned photos that are shared by the networks were taken in 2016, when Sotirovski was accepted into the ranks of the “Templars”. At that time, he took an oath, which consisted of “swearing” that he would never misuse the money he received from this organization, but would use it exclusively to send aid to people who needed it, more precisely, delivering it for humanitarian purposes.
– I guess people are making a fuss about this because they don’t know what the Knights Templar are and what they do. I was a member of them in 2016, but I left in 2017 due to business obligations at the time. At that time, I was a journalist and simply could not achieve both the commitment in “Templars”, but also a journalistic vocation – said Dragana Sotirovski for “Blic”.
As the mayor of Nis explained, the “Templars” are taking care of coordination between those who provide help and those who need it. Money is raised and donated for sick people who need money to be cared for, funds are given when it is necessary to rebuild churches or monasteries, and municipalities that have suffered great damage during natural disasters are helped. In the Knights Templar, everything works on the principle of whether the necessary humanitarian aid reaches the people who need it. No one should be turned away, says Sotirovski.
– During the oath on the Bible, which I also took, I swear that the money will not be wasted, but also that everyone who asks for help must be helped, there are no enemies – Sotirovski said.
In part, the Templars are really concerned with uniting Christianity, which is divided into Orthodox and Catholic churches, and they act together in this society.
– This organization operates all over the world and everyone in this society sends money when they find out that someone in another country needs it, the members are both Orthodox and Catholic, there is no difference. The white cloak is a symbol of chastity and helps people, as well as the red cross, added the mayor.
As she explained, the Knights Templar invited her to join their order four years ago, and she was an exceptional part of it.
– It was an honor for me to be able to help people in this way. There are no membership fees here, giving money for someone to become a member, as some say. The members are various respectable people, teachers, artists, doctors … – says Sotirovski and states that the Templar order should certainly not be confused with some kind of sect.
What are the Templars and what do they do?
This organization, which operates throughout the world, brings together people who put their reputations at the service of humanitarian missions, which is the basic activity of modern “Templars.”
The Knights Templar of Serbia represented through the Grand Priory of Serbia are autonomous members of the Templar Order, an international Templar organization – Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH).
– The Templars are dedicated to contributing to the Christian community in which they work through project-based human work. By inheriting the century-old culture of chivalry based on Christian tradition in everyday human relationships, the Templars contribute to Christian spirit, chivalric values, humanitarian work such as helping doctors during the current pandemic, preserving historical wealth, helping our people in Kosovo and Metohija, help inns for children and adults, sick children and we are proud because we are dedicated to publishing – stated before for “Blic” of this line.
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