DeMolay International

DeMolay International is a youth leadership organization with Masonic origins for young men ages 12 to 21. There is in select areas a "Squire" program for those younger than 12. It was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1919 and named for Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. DeMolay was incorporated in the 1990s and is classified by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.

DeMolay is open for membership to young men between the ages of 12 and 21 who acknowledge a higher spiritual power. It has about 12,000 active members spread throughout every continent except for Antarctica. There are active chapters in Canada, Germany, Australia, Japan, the Philippines, Argentina, Aruba, French Guiana, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador (affiliated to Peru jurisdiction), Italy, Romania, Greece (affiliated to Romania jurisdiction), France, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia (affiliated to Serbia jurisdiction), Bulgaria and the United States.

Although young women are not permitted to join the organization, chapters are permitted to elect chapter "sweethearts" and "princesses."

While DeMolay is a youth organization for young men, the Rainbow Girls and Job's Daughters are similar Masonic-related organizations for young women.

The Order of DeMolay was founded in 1919 with nine members, most of whom lived near each other in Kansas City.

The crown appearing in the emblem of the order contains 10 rubies, each representing one of the original nine members and the organization's founder, Frank S. Land. Frank S. Land was a member of Ivanhoe Lodge No. 446. The rubies were originally portrayed as pearls; as each founding member died, the pearl representing him was changed to a ruby.

DeMolay has seven Cardinal Virtues, taught as its basic ideals. The Order calls for every member to live according to these Virtues, which are considered as the things that distinguish a good leader and a good man. They are:

DeMolay defends three fundamental freedoms: