Delegation of Sicily

Palermo, 30 September 2015. The Delegation of Sicily, with the backing of the Grand Mastership, has supported the Badagliacca family for the treatment of their nine-year-old son, who suffers from a rare of Arnold-Chiari malformation, structural defect of the posterior cranial fossa. The child needs medical treatment at the department of pediatric neurosurgery of the University Hospital Meyer in Florence. The Constantinian Order has purchased travel tickets and provided for the necessary costs. Dr. Lia Giangreco, voluntary of the Delegation of Sicily who takes part in the project “New Crumbs of Health” was also present.

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Messina, 26 September 2015. In the halls of the Parish of Santa Caterina di Messina the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George  – Coordination of Messina and its province, in collaboration with the charity organisation Caritas, has relaunched the project “New Crumbs of Health” to help children who belong to families living in economic and social hardship. Essential goods were allotted to those families and the Sacred Order, along with the local Caritas, made it a real point to share moments of prayer at this time establishing bonds of brotherly kinship with such families while in the presence of Prof. Giovanni Bonanno, Knight Commander and Sacred Order Lead Representative for the Messina region, Alessandro Gambadoro and Dr. Renato Milazzo, and the benefactors Messrs. Antonino Smiroldo and Nicholas Trio. As always, the charity event was hosted by the parish priest monsignor Mario di Pietro Vicario, constantinian chaplain.

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Palermo, 20 September 2015. Monsignor Salvatore Grimaldi, parish priest of the Church of San Nicolò da Tolentino and Constantinian chaplain, celebrated the Holy Mass for the celebration of Santissima Maria della Consolazione.

The event has been postponed to the third Sunday of September due to the coincidence of the celebration of the patron saint of Palermo, Santa Rosalia.

After the solemn Mass the Constantinian Order Delegation of Sicily has donated to the parish community many clothes for families in need.

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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.

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Palermo, September 2015. The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George is always on the frontline for humanitarian action, and this time it has supported the Badagliacca family on their “journey of hope” from Palermo to Florence for the treatment of their little boy who suffers from a serious illness.

The Order’s intervention is part of the united, humanitarian objective which is primarily pursued by coordinating our forces, as well as through the work of all the Delegations, and directing them towards the project “The Hunger of our Neighbour”. Our “neighbour” is intended in an evangelical sense, as in the people around us.

The Constantinian Knights are required to look out for the primary needs of those who live around them and who, too often because of their vicinity, are not given particular attention.

This was the case for this family in need who felt abandoned by their local area, the Municipality of Palermo, which was lacking the funds to be able to support them, causing some debate over “the costs of healthcare in the south and the lack of funds for families in need”.

For this reason, the Order intervened, as it is very sensitive to the topic of childhood and as an enterprise it has strong roots in the area, successfully managing to help and provide for the Badagliacca family’s request.