On January 26, 2017, H.H. Prince Lelio Niccolò Orsini d’Aragona, Knight Grand Cross of Justice, and Dott. Fabiano Forti Bernini, Knight of Merit with Star, members of the New Chess Club of Rome, organized a conference held in the Halls of the Club located in Palazzo Rondinini, via del Corso, Rome. The event was attended by Members and their guests.
The purpose of the benefit event, which began with a conference and a display of historical decorations, was to collect donations for the Parish of San Giacomo al Corso which offers meals to needy people from Monday through Saturday, from 0830 to 1030.
The Conference, titled “The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George: Christian Militia and Chivalric Order” enjoyed great success with the audience which included numerous illustrious participants. Speakers at the conference were His Eminence the Most Reverend Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order and H.E. Nob. Dott. Alberto Lembo, Grand Inquisitor of the Order.
Following the initial greetings by the Counselor Secretary of the Club, Dott. Giovanni Rebecchini, representing the President, Marquis Pietro Pelagallo, Knight Commander of Justice, Prince Lelio Ordini d’Aragona thanked the highest officials of the Club who made this cultural initiative characterized by such a strong spirit of charity, possible. He especially thanked the President, the Council Member and Secretary, the Council Member for Culture and the Library, Prof. Benedetto Marino, and the entire organizing committee composed of Members Marquis Giuseppe Ferraioli di Filacciano, Marquis Gluglielmo Gugliemi delle Rocchette, Prof. Giancarlo Puddu and Giacomo Massimo Brancaccio.
He then yielded the floor to Ambassador Count Giuseppe Balboni Acqua, club member and Secretary General of the Order and of the Royal House of Bourbon, who conveyed the greetings and thanks of H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Grand Master of the Constantinian order.
Following the brilliant remarks by Cardinal Martino and Dott. Lembo, Dott. Fabiano Forti Bernini took the floor and spoke of Emperor Constantine and consequently the origin of the very concept of art as we understand it today and provided a detailed description of the exhibit in the Gallery. He then introduced the benefit event that was the purpose of the evening, inviting Don Giuseppe Trappolini, the Paris priest of San Giacomo al Corso to speak, who spoke of meals prepared for and served to the needy in the premises of the Parish six days a week.
Following the conference, attended by more than 160 members, all participants proceeded to the frescoed Galley of the Club where, thanks to Dott. Andrea de Giorgio who provided his private collection, the members were treated to the exhibit “Masterpieces of Neapolitan Goldsmith’s Art: decorations of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies between 1700 and 1800”. The exhibit was greatly enjoyed by all present.
A meal was then offered in the Salons of the Club, attended by many authorities. These included Nob. Stefano dei Conti Orsolini Cencelli, Vice President of the Chess Club, H.E. Tomasz Orlowski, Polish Ambassador to Italy, Ambassador Fabrizio Romano, accompanied by their spouses, Prof. Ing Marquis Onorato Honorati of the University of Rome La Sapienza, Prof. Avv. Paolo Tartaglia of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, General Paolo Gerometta, Director General of Military Personnel, Defense Ministry, General Aldo Cinelli, Secretary General Emeritus of the Ministry of Defence, Marquis Loredano Luciani Ranier, Secretary General of the Grand Priory of Rome, H.H. Don Raimondo Prince Orsini d’Aragona, with his spouse H.R.H. Princess Bagrationi de Moukhrani, Prince and Princess Guglielmo Giovanelli Marconi, Count and Countess Fulcio di Compostella, Count Lorenzo Cozza Caposavi, Don Tara of the Princes Borghesi, Dott.ssa Carla Forti Bernini, representative for the SMOC volunteers of the Parish soup kitchen for the needy of San Giacomo al Corso, in addition to many dignitaries of the Constantinian Order, including H.E. Prince Ruspoli, Grand Chancellor, Count Roberto dei Baroni Giustiniani, Delegate for the Triveneto Region and Secretary of the Union of Italian Clubs (UCI), Nob. Avv. Corrado Sforza Fogliani, Knight Commander of Grace, Count and Countess Riccardo Langosco di Langosco, Vice Delegate for the City of Rome, Prof. Avv. Franco Ciufo, Vice Delegate for Lazio, Avv. Franco Marenchi, Vice Delegate for Emilia Romagna, Avv. Stefano Traldi, Member of the Board of Arbitrators, Mons. Arnaldo Morandi, Secretary General of the Office of the Grand Prior and Prior for Lombardy, Prof. Massimo Barra, Member of the Permanent Commission of the Red Cross and the International Half Moon and Representative for the city of Castel Gandolfo, Don Natalino di Rienzo, Prior for the Vice Delegate of Lazio.
