Known amongst Freemasons as the Knights Templar, or sometimes just as KT, the full title of the Order is "The United, Religious and Military Orders of the Temple and the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta".
The governing body is the Great Priory of Scotland under the leadership of the Grand Master of the Order. The motto of the Order is "Pour la Foy", appropriately French, meaning "For the Faith".
At a more local level are District Grand Priories which work under the auspices of a District Grand Prior. Districts oversee the work of the individual Preceptories and Priories of the Order. A District will generally have several Preceptories within its bounds. Aberdeen Military No.5½ is one of five Preceptories in the District Grand Priory of Aberdeen, Banff and Kincardine.
A Preceptory of the Order is headed by the Venerable Preceptor, who is assisted by a number of Officers. A Preceptory confers a number of Grades of the Order - Pilgrim, Esquire, and Knight during its meetings, called musters. Once a year a Priory of Knights of Malta is convened and the Malta Grades are conferred.
The Order is open to Freemasons in good standing who are members of a Scottish Royal Arch Chapter and profess a belief in Trinitarian Christianity.
