# Crosses, Rooster, Lamb of God Symbol and a Skull. What "fraternity" is it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196 "2004-07-28T01:02:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_to_be_Queen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196/1 "2004-07-28T01:02:01Z")
A woman brought in a ceremonial costume to the museum where I work today. She wants to give it to the museum, though she is uncertain of what organization wore such an outfit. Somebody gave it to her in a box, unaware it was in there. (The person who gave her the box has been dead for several years.) There are large crosses on the ceremonial robes. They look like regular embroidered crosses. There is nothing special about them. One of the pieces is rather strange. It has some sterling siver ornaments. The largest and most prominet one is a skull and crossbones. There is also a Lamb of God and a rooster. There are two ceremonial hats and a sword with the set. These are clearly not church related vestments. Does anyone know what secret society or fraternity might have worn these garment and used these symbols? As I look it up, I’m getting a sinking feeling it may have belonged to the Ku Klux Klan. Most of their crosses seem to have had other elements to them though. They don’t look like Free Mason images to me, though that is also a possiblity. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196/2 "2004-07-28T01:29:10Z")
Knights of Columbus? Orangemen? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196/3 "2004-07-28T01:32:40Z")
I vote for Masonic. Can you describe anything about the sword? Images on the handle? Engraving on the blade? > [@](#): > > This small room or chamber, which does not necessarily adjoins the Lodge room, is dark, with the walls painted black, or, as in one case I saw, imitating a rocky underground cave. It contains the following: a simple rough wooden table on which we find: a human skull, usually on two crossbones, a chunk of bread, a pitcher with water, a cup with salt, a cup with sulphur, a lighted candle or lantern, an hourglass, paper, ink and pen, a wooden stool or chair painted on the wall: a rooster, a sickle, the acronym V.IT.R.I.O.L.(U.M.) and various sayings. From [http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:9tkqF4WE6aYJ:freemasonry.bcy.ca/Writings/gmd1999/pondering.html+rooster+masonic&hl=en](http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:9tkqF4WE6aYJ:freemasonry.bcy.ca/Writings/gmd1999/pondering.html+rooster+masonic&hl=en) ---
**Author:** ![Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_to_be_Queen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196/4 "2004-07-28T02:17:04Z")
Thanks for the ideas. I look up the symbolism for those groups. I’ve not seen the sword. This woman is letting her grandson play with it. 🙂 She just brought in the vestment and other regalia. ---
**Author:** ![Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_to_be_Queen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196/5 "2004-07-28T17:47:16Z")
Update- I got to look at the objects in more detail today. They have Latin logos on them that, after more research, identified them as old regalia of The Knights Templars. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196/6 "2004-07-28T22:38:03Z")
> [@Never to be Queen](#): > > Update- I got to look at the objects in more detail today. They have Latin logos on them that, after more research, identified them as old regalia of The Knights Templars. Very interesting. Now all you need to do is start writing your novel. “Little did I know that the mysterious donation was about to draw me into a web of conspiracy that would ultimately involve the [Illuminati](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_043.html), the Council on Foreign Relations, and the _New York Times_.” Seriously, there are any number of wacky books which begin with the scenario you describe. This part is especially good: “Somebody gave it to her in a box, unaware it was in there. (The person who gave her the box has been dead for several years.)” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196/7 "2004-07-28T23:40:02Z")
In this case- the Knights Templar not being the Crusader Knight organization violently supressed by Louis “the Fair” but a much later group that is conected to the Masons. I have heard they claim some sort of relationship with the medieval Crusader Knights. I make no comment on that. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crosses-rooster-lamb-of-god-symbol-and-a-skull-what-fraternity-is-it/257196/8 "2004-07-29T00:55:53Z")
The swords are common. I buy about 3-4 of them/yr. Resell them for $25-35 each.