Delegation of Lazio

Rome, 13th, 14th and 15th May 2016. The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George organized the Second International Pilgrimage, accepting the invitation of the Holy Father to participate in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.

The Pilgrimage has been led by His Most Reverend Eminence, Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino, Grand Prior, in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and Princess Camilla of the House of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, Duke and Duchess of Castro.

During this important event, a debate on Interreligious Dialogue entitled “Together for the common God in diversity” has been held at the Headquarters of the Foreign Press Association in Rome. In the afternoon, during a visit to the Casino dell’Aurora at Palazzo Pallavicini Rospigliosi, thanks to the choice of His Royal Highness Prince Charles of the House of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, the Knights and Dames were greeted by a speaker of exception, the art critic Professor Vittorio Sgarbi, who illustrated the works of a young artist, Master Giovanni Gasparro.

Immediately after, Professor Roberto de Mattei has presented the book “Francis II of Bourbon, The Catholic King”.

On Saturday May 14, in the morning, passing through the Holy Door, a guided tour of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major has been carried out and here the Act of Entrustment to the Virgin Mary has taken place through prayer at the Icon Salus Populi Romani in the Paolina chapel. The tour continued in the Basilica of St John Lateran visiting the Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs) and the Sancta Sanctorum chapel.
On Saturday afternoon a Solemn Mass has been celebrated and presided by His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino at the Main Altar in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
During the Mass His Royal Highness Prince Charles of the House of Bourbon Two-Sicilies thanked Pope Francis for having granted a Special plenary indulgence to all the Knights and Dames during the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. He then addressed a special thanks to His Eminence Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, who allowed to celebrate Mass in the church, heart of Christianity, and finally a loving thanks to His Eminence the Grand Prior for having been a guide in faith. On the occasion of his speech His Royal Highness Prince Charles of the House of Bourbon Two-Siciles, as Head of the Royal House, has made public his decision to entrust their daughters with the responsibility for the future of the Royal House with his rights and his duties. According to the Act issued in Rome on 12th May 2016, His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, decided to change the rules of succession in force in the Royal House of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, in order to make them compatible with the international and European law system in force by replacing all the previous rules on succession with the principle of absolute primogeniture.

During the solemn ceremony Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Carolina of the House of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, accompanied by the godfather His Imperial Highness Prince Jean Christophe Napoléon Bonaparte and Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Chiara of the House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, accompanied by the godfather His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Martino of Habsburg-Este received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

On Sunday the 15th of May has been held the collegial meeting of the Grand Master with the delegates and representatives from all around the world.

During the Pilgrimage it was also presented the book “For a spiritual journey of the Constantinian Knights and Dames”, wanted by His Eminence the Grand Prior, which is a real Vademecum for all Knight and Dames of the Order.
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Rome, 22^nd April 2016.  On the occasion of the upcoming feast of Saint George, the Vice Delegate for Rome, Nobile Dott. Fabrizio Ratto-Vaquer, Consignore of Castiglione, organized, upon the request of H.S.H. Prince Manfred Windisch Graetz, Delegate for Rome and Lazio, a Mass in honour of Saint George the Martyr, chief Patron of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order .  The ceremony was held on 22^nd April at 17 p.m. at the Church of Spirito Santo dei Napoletani in Via Giulia 34 and was presided over by the Prior of the Vice Delegation for Rome, Don Roberto Foini, Ecclesiastical Knight of Grace. Among others to join this event were Nobile Avvocato Piero Cutellé, Secretary of the Royal Deputation and Marquis Giorgio Mirti della Valle, Member of the Royal Heraldic Commission. All Knights and Dames of the Order were invited to participate in, and support the important project called “ Take Grandfather to a Restaurant”, in an attempt to make the “elderly folk” in Rome feel less lonely.  The Vice Delegation has been implementing this project for the last few months.

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Gaeta, 31^st December 2015.  On Thursday, 31^st December, last day of the calendar year, His Excellency the Most Reverend Mons. Rabio Bernardo will hold the traditional celebration of the end of year Te Deum at the Sanctuary of the “Santissima Annunziata” in Gaeta at 5.30 p.m. During the celebration of the Te Deum, His Excelleny the Most Reverend Archbishop, together with the faithful present, will conduct an in-depth reflection focusing on the theme of mercy on which hinges the Jubilee Year recently inaugurated by Pope Francis. Like every year, not only are the members of the church of Gaeta invited to attend but also, and in particular, the local Administrators of the Municipalities of the Archdiocese, including the various civil and military Authorities.

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Rome, 22^nd December 2015.  Thanks to the Vice Delegate Nobile Dott. Fabrizio Ratto-Vaquer, Knight of Justice, the Vice Delegation for Rome has developed a new project called “Take Grandfather to a Restaurant” which is part of the wider programme “The Hunger suffered by our Neighbour” advocated by the Grand Master, H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourboun Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro. The project was inaugurated on 22^nd December in Ostia where the Vice Delegate for Rome, accompanied by a confrère of the Order, invited to a pizzeria an elderly couple with economic difficulties forced to live in daily solitude and sadness.  The meal was offered to the elderly couple by the restaurant that supported the project. “Take Grandfather to a Restaurant” will continue its activities focusing mainly on two important actions: the first one envisages the direct involvement of Constantinian Dames and Knights who, in turns, will invite to lunch the elderly at least once a week; the second one looks at the possibility of getting the restaurant owners, who will be supporting the project, to invite at their expense the elderly grandfather who may wish to spend an evening with his family at a restaurant.  This initiative will also serve as an example for families and encourage them not to leave at home alone their elderly relatives, as is often the case. Therefore, the Vice Delegate for Rome urges managers and owners of restaurants to join this humanitarian initiative. The Vice Delegate for Rome has already been holding talks to extend the project to other areas of the Diocese of Rome, including the suburbicarian diocese , in cooperation with Don Roberto Foini, Prior of the Vice Delegation for Rome, after having received the consent of the Vice Cardinal for Rome, His Eminence Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Justice of Our Order.

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