Sciacca, 13 September 2015. A delegation of the Constantinian Knights joined the celebration for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross held in the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel in Sciacca. The Holy Mass was celebrated by the parish priest Father Pasqualino Barone, who during his homily has reminded the significant relationship between the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the Emperor Constantine, founder of the Knightly Order. The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, whose solemnity in the Near East is on a par with that of the Easter celebrations is linked to the dedication of Constantinian basilicas built on Golgotha and on the tomb of Christ. Father Pasqualino Barone also took time to express his grateful thanks to the Constantinian Knights for their willingness to cooperate in the restoration of the Holy Thorn reliquary which was specially displayed to the congregation for the occasion. The representation of Order, led by the Knight Commander Elio Zuccarello, was composed of the Knights: Erasmo Miceli, Giuseppe Lipari, Salvatore Notarianni, Baldo Gagliano and Baldassarre Cacioppo. At the end of the religious service, upon the invitation of father Pasqualino Barone, the Knights were taken in a on a tour of the primeval Church of Saint Michael the Archangel, lying on lower ground than its modern counterpart and of the nearby medieval Church of San Nicolò la Latina, first church in Sciacca founded in 1136, in Arabian-Norman style, partially restored, wherein one of the oldest Crucifixes in Sicily is still preserved. Well-known artist Ms Lucia Stefanetti was on hand to escort the party through the historical site, offering plenty of insightful guidance.
