Delegation of Emilia Romagna

On April 23rd, feast of Saint George, the delegation of Emilia Romagna donated more than 100 bags (with the logo of the Order) containing food products for families in difficulty. A gesture of generosity that is part of the activity of the delegation, which has among its objectives that of supporting the community with concrete actions.
The delivery of the aid took place at the Library of the Convent in Piacenza. Many Knights attended with the Friars, Father Secondo Ballati and the Prior Stefano Antonelli.

On Thursday 2 December, the presentation of the restored painting of Duke Ferdinand I of Bourbon was held at the municipal library Passerini-Landi. It was organised by the Knights of Piacenza of the Constantinian Order of Saint George, belonging to the delegation of Emilia-Romagna. The interesting painting shows Ferdinand I of Bourbon, Duke of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla from 1765 to 1802, who established the royal library of Piacenza in the former college of San Pietro in 1774, providing around five thousand books already owned by the Jesuits. In 1791, the library was enriched with three thousand manuscripts and books, thanks to the donation of the valuable collection of the bibliophile Count Pier Francesco Passerini. The Vice Prior of the Delegation, Father Stefano Antonelli, opened the ceremony with his blessing. Lawyer Corrado Sforza Fogliani, Commander of Grace and Delegate, welcomed the numerous civil, military and ecclesiastical authorities and thanked the high officials of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order, who had arrived for the occasion from Rome and Florence. The Vice Delegate, Knight of Merit Dr. Pietro Coppelli, claimed that this painting  completes the preservation work of the monumental hall of the municipal library of Passerini-Landi. Actually, the Vice Delegate reminded that this restoration was preceded by the one concerning the portrait of Count Pier Francesco Passerini, which was carried out by the Constantinian Order in 2015. The art historian Professor Alessandro Malinverni spoke more specifically about the painting, outlining the contours of the figure of Duke Ferdinand I of Bourbon, and restorer Davide Parazzi summarised the steps taken to bring the painting back to life. Secretary General, Dr. Giampaolo Grazian, greeted the participants on behalf of H.R.H. Prince and Grand Master Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, congratulating the Delegation of Piacenza for the interesting and praiseworthy initiative. In conclusion, Delegate Corrado Sforza Fogliani, recalled that the Order is aimed at helping the needy with charitable works and, from a cultural point of view, preserving the testimonies of the past, as the Delegation of Piacenza has done with the restoration of the two important paintings.

On Friday 22 October, the Knights of the Delegation of Emilia Romagna gathered in Palazzo Galli to commemorate the historic event when the Grand Magistry of the Order passed from the noble and imperial Comneno Family to the Farnese Family. With the bull “Sincerae Fidei” of 24 October 1699, Pope Innocent XII ratified the passing of the Grand Magistry to the Duke of Piacenza and Parma Francesco Farnese. This was a very important historical event for the Constantinian Order and for Piacenza, which experienced a significant moment in the Order’s history at that time. In 2017, the Knights of Piacenza of the Constantinian Order ordered the restoration of the bust of Prince Comneno to commemorate this event, which had been recovered from a municipal warehouse and has been in Palazzo Farnese (Civic Museum) ever since.

The Grand Magistry remained in the Farnese family until its extinction, passing to the Bourbons through Elisabeth Farnese, the last of the Farnese Family, as wife of Philip V of Spain and mother of the infant Father Charles of Bourbon.

The Constantinian Order is committed to eminently social activities, assistance and charitable work, without neglecting the spirituality of the Knights and Dames.

At the end of the evening, the Regional Delegate Corrado Sforza Fogliani, Commander of Grace, awarded diplomas to the new Constantinian Knights, some of whom had come from Ferrara for the occasion.

The archpriest of the Orthodox Church, Father Grigore Catan, received the decoration of the Royal Order of Francis I for his pastoral activities that he has been carrying out for years with dedication in the Orthodox community in Piacenza. In the Oratory of San Dalmazio, the Holy Mass was celebrated by Monsignor Arnaldo Morandi, Knight Grand Officer of Ecclesiastical Grace, Secretary General of the Office of the Grand Prior, and concelebrated with the Vice Prior Father Stefano Antonelli, due to the absence of Prior Monsignor Gianni Ambrosio. Monsignor Morandi then read the message from His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino addressed to the Knights and Dames of the Delegation.

On July 30, the traditional closing ceremony of the Academic Year 2020/2021 was held in Modena, at the prestigious Military Academy.
The students of the end of the course were deployed in perfect order in the Courtyard of Honour of the Military Academy.
During the ceremony, in the presence of the civil, religious and military authorities, the bronze medals of merit of the Constantinian Order were awarded to five particularly deserving students.
On behalf of H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Head of the Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the Knight Commander of Grace Corrado Sforza Fogliani, Delegate for Emilia Romagna, gave the medals of merit to the students. The lawyer Sforza Fogliani was accompanied – other than the Vice Delegate Knight Pietro Coppelli – by the Knight Grand Cross of Merit Ilario Amhos Pagani, Representative for the cities of Modena and Reggio Emilia, who – in turn – gave the scrolls of the Order to the students.
It was an important moment, which allowed to further consolidate the strong bond that unites the prestigious Military Academy of Modena and the Constantinian Order.
Knight Pietro Coppelli, Vice Delegate of Emilia Romagna, and for Modena, Knight Giulio Forni and Knight Paolo Vandelli Bulgarelli were also representing the Constantinian Order.
At the end of the ceremony, in one of the halls of representation of the ancient Ducal Palace of Modena, now seat of the Military Academy, the Knights of the Order were received by the General of Corps Salvatore Camporeale, Grand Officer of Merit of the Constantinian Order, Commander for the formation, specialization and doctrine of the Army, and by the General of Division Rodolfo Sganga, Commander of the Military Academy.