Photo with permission from the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Vatican-recognized lay institution dedicated to supporting the Christian presence in the Holy Land. Its core missions include:

• Strengthening members in their Christian faith through charity and loyalty to the Pope.

• Supporting the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and other Catholic institutions in the Holy Land.

• Promoting the Catholic faith and defending the Church’s rights in the region.

• Encouraging global awareness and support for Christians in the Holy Land.

History and Membership
Pope Saint Paul VI updated the Order’s Constitution in 1978, which, following the 1949 statutes of Pope Pius XII, brought the Order into a more contemporary reality of prayer, sacrifice, and service to the Church, especially in the Holy Land. Unlike some chivalric orders whose membership is open to non-Catholics, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is reserved solely for practicing Catholics.

Members aspire to:

• Assiduous practice of the Christian faith.
• Exemplary involvement in the activities of the Church at the parish and diocesan levels.
• A willingness to engage in the specific lay apostolate of the Order at the service of the Church.
• Active interest in the needs and problems of the Holy Land.

Mission and Service
Under the leadership of a Cardinal Grand Master appointed by the Holy Father, the Order remains steadfast in its spiritual and charitable mission, offering dedicated support to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Christian communities of the Holy Land.

The Holy Land is the birthplace of our faith. It is home to the sacred places where Jesus walked, preached, suffered, died, and rose again. Today, that same land is home to thousands of Christians who live their faith under challenging conditions, facing economic hardship, political instability, and cultural marginalization. As members and friends of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, we are called to support them, stand beside them, and ensure that Christianity continues to thrive in the land where it all began.

Membership in the Order presumes an active personal commitment to participate actively in and aid the charitable, cultural, and social works and institutions of the Catholic Church, particularly those of and in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, with which the Order maintains traditional ties.

A major project of the Order’s Members in North America has been to sustain and rejuvenate the Catholic schools in the Latin Patriarchate in the Holy Land. The schools anchor the Christian communities and give employment as well as hope for the future, sowing the seeds of peace through the next generation.

A Renewed Chapter
Today, under a revised Constitution and General Regulations promulgated by Pope Francis in 2021, the Order has entered a renewed phase of its history. It lives out its chivalric ideals through a contemporary expression of faith, apostolic service, and Christian charity.

In the Lieutenancy’s liturgical ceremonies and in diocesan settings, Members build community and commitment to the local as well as the Universal Church. In 2025, Pope Leo XIV gave approval for development of a section of association called Friends of the Order, through which individuals can share in the spiritual exercises and charitable works even though they are not Members.