What is DeMolay?- DeMolay International Website
Founding of DeMolay -DeMolay International Website
Frequently Asked QuestionsFounded in 1919 in Kansas City, Missouri, by nine teenage boys and one adult advisor, DeMolay is one of the world's oldest and largest organizations for youth.
DeMolay is a club for young men, ages 12-21, to have fun, make friends, perform community service, and to learn leadership skills. A DeMolay chapter is free to have almost whatever kinds of activities it wishes, such as athletics, trips, social events, fund raising, and community service projects.
What makes DeMolay special is that the members themselves are in charge of the chapter. The adult advisors are there merely to advise, and spend the majority of the time on the sidelines, letting the young men run the chapter. The members of the chapter elect their own officers, decide on the events that they wish to have, and then plan and run them.
The only requirements for joining are to be a young man between the ages of 12 and 21, have a belief in God (we require no specific faith or organized religion), and be of good character.
Our organization is named after Jacques DeMolay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. He was martyred by the Inquisition for his faithfulness to the members of the Knights Templar on March 18, 1314. The name DeMolay was chosen by the original members of the organization.
All DeMolay chapters are sponsored by the Masons, and most meet in a Masonic Lodge. We are, however, a completely independent organization from them. We are not a "junior Masons" group, members of DeMolay do not automatically become Masons as adults, nor are they required, expected, or pressured to do so.