Delegation of Sicily

Milazzo – December 12, 2014. An arduous battle. A great victory. So you could sum up the laborious affair that was successfully concluded with the naming of a street in Milazzo to General  Ferdinand Beneventano del Bosco.

In July 20, 1860, he covered the rank of Colonel of the army of the Two Sicilies and was stationed in Milazzo with his troops. He was one of the few  officers who did not put on sale their loyalty to the King, but he fought valiantly and with honor, though unsuccessfully, to repel the advance of Garibaldi.

Though almost 154 years have elapsed  in Milazzo the conflict seems to be still open, for this reason the process leading  to the dedication of the street  to Ferdinado  Beneventano was full of obstacles and not without pitfalls and difficulties of all kinds. As creator and supporter of the project, I had to lead a true cultural battle, often degenerated into a guerrilla warfare, made up of many harsh and intense combats with those who, in the wake of the mystification of the Risorgimento, are still deployed in defense of the fableof  the blond haired hero come to make the island free.

To participate to the dedication ceremony of the street to General Ferdinand Beneventano del Bosco has been a sorce fo deep pride and ineffable satisfaction, a sort of great and unique moral revenge, as this is the way that leads to the Castle of Milazzo, the same way that Colonel descended walking  between the  Garibaldini’s  mockeries on July 26, 1860, having been treated the surrender of the fort to which  Clary didn’t want to sendr  reinforcements from Messina.

At the event that took place  on 12  December in the presence of civil and military authorities, were present  the direct descendants of the intrepid officer, Baron Hector Beneventano del Bosco and Baron Pietro Beneventano del Bosco, who had been the guest of honor at the Historical  Conference  “Conversing with Beneventano del Bosco”, held on the initiative and care of myself last year in the Old Cathedral of the Castle.

Among the guests of honor could not miss the Sicilian Delegation of the Sacred Constantinian Order of St. George, in the person of  Noble  Knight Vicar delegate Antonio di  Janni, Knight Gr. Cr. Grace, who also represented the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies. Father Mario Savarese, Ecclesiastical  Grace Knight  blessed the dedicatory plaque,surrounded by the Constantinian Knights Salvatore Italiano, Giovanni Bonanno coordinator of Messina and its province, Joseph Matranga, Franz Riccobono, Manlio Corselli,  Lady Carmela Munda and numerous Benemerenti.

The ambitious project just released by the Costantinian Representative  of Milazzo fits well, in fact, among the numerous initiatives of the Delegation of Sicily, which is known for its  great dedication to the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, and which  is a milestone in the path of recovery identity of the  duo Sicilian,  trampled and scorned for over a century and a half because of  the Risorgimento’s mystifications.

Giving to the Mayor a valuable commemorative medal of the Order, the Noble Dr. Antonio di Janni congratulated the City Council, which, by resolution of the dedication, “intended to perform an act of justice and historical truth” as stated by the First Citizen.

Deep emotion and  gratitude were the sentiments expressed by the Baron Peter Beneventano del Bosco, who   thanked  the First citizen,  Prof. Italian and theVicar Delegate of the Constantinian Order for “the wonderful work of development and promotion of our history, and our heritage, for an initiative of great importance in the process of pacification post-unification. ”

In support of the resolution with which the Mayor of Mr. Milazzo. Lawyer Carmelo Pino titled the street, it was required to the  Knight Salvatore Italiano to draft a brief biography of Benevento, including the reasons in support of the decision.

The text, which was read during  the dedication ceremony, is as follows: “General Ferdinand Beneventano del Bosco (Palermo, March 3, 1813 – Naples, January 8, 1881). Born in Palermo by a  Sicilian noble family originally from Syracuse, still adolescence moved to Naples, where he entered the Military College of Nunziatella. There he met Stefano Zirilli from Milazzo who became his dear friend and with whom he had to  tress deal in 1860, during the siege of the fort of Milazzo by Garibaldi.

After the  graduation from the military school Benevento entered the army with the rank of second lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards. Immediately proved to have all the qualities necessary for a good military and in 1848 he was promoted to the rank of Captain, he distinguished by his value during the campaign of  Sicily that year, and during the siege of Messina,  when he was also wounded.

His skills and zeal efforts in fulfilling the duty  allowed him to be decorated by Ferdinand II with the gold medal of the first class and awarded with the honors of St. Ferdinand and of St. George.

His attachment to the army was genuine and generous and brought him to have great respect for each military, so much so that in 1857 he called for the abolition of corporal punishment for soldiers.

In 1857 he was temporarily transferred to Sicily, and the following year, with the promotion to major, he was assigned to the command of the 9th battalion, stationed in Monreale. Here on April 6, 1860 he rejected the first attacks of the insurgents, on April 12 he resisted a new assault and successfully counterattacked near Carini.

After the landing of Garibaldi and the first defeat of the Bourbon at Calatafimi, Benevento was at the forefront together with the Swiss Colonel Von Mechel  attacking the vanguard that pointed to Palermo, where on May 30 he attempted an assault against the first barricades in the city already occupied, but was immediately dampened by the news of the truce requested by Lanza to Garibaldi.

On June 10, Benevento was promoted to colonel, and soon after embarked with his soldiers to Messina, where in mid-July the general Clary send him to guard the fort of Milazzo with three battalions. On July 20, he gave battle to Medici in the  Milazzo plain and, after a brave resistance, he was forced to withdraw in the fort, where he asked in vain reinforcements to Clary. On the 23 an officer arrived from Naples to negotiated the surrender of the fort with the partisans.

Benevento wen out from Milazzo taunted and insulted his enemies and with his troops he embarked to Naples. Here he got his third promotion in a few months, achieving the rank of Brigadier General. His commitment, fully shared by the Sovereign Francis II, was to avoid unnecessary bloodshed battles with unproductive results and ensure that the population defenceless  had not to endure unjust suffering because of the ongoing military maneuvers.  He convinced Francis II of the futility to head the army and led him not to resist the partisans advancing, until the decision to retire in Gaeta.

In the last fortress of the Bourbon Benevento led a strenuous but unsuccessful defense, until the surrender to the troops of Cialdini. After the capitulation he followed his king in exile in Rome, refusing to join the army of Savoy with the same degree.

Ferdinand Beneventano del Bosco is still remembered in Milazzo for being the Commander of the Bourbon garrison stationed at the Castle of Milazzo during the events of July 20, 1860.

Studies in the purest bibliographic tradition  describe him  as skilful and upright official, who, while fulfilling faithfully to his office to deal with the advance of Garibaldi, he had the highest regard for the City of Milazzo and for his people, he avoided any action that could damage or cause civilian victims, and also demonstrated gentleness and magnanimity towards the same revolutionary committees present in the city. He distinguished himself for his heroic conduct in combat, for the loyalty to his sovereign and the high sense of justice and duty, that animated all his  actions.

His attitude is still clear example of high ideals: service to the country, respect for the community, passion for the  profession, his intellectual honesty, upright soul and  the spirit of self-denial and self-sacrifice. ”

After the ceremony the Mayor accompanied the attendees to  visit the fortress of Milazzo.

Palermo – December 5, 2014. As part of the cultural activities promoted by the Delegation of Sicily of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George, aimed at the knowledge of Sicilian history, on 05 December was held in the meeting room of the hotel Joli in Palermo a meeting to  presentat the last book written by the  historian and essayist Pasquale Hamel “THE LONG REIGN -The adventurous life of Frederick III King of Sicily”, Rubettino Publisher, the first book of the  Series Studies and Research “The new Region”, promoted by the deputies of the Sicily Regional Assembly.

A curious and attentive audience was propelled into the  medieval Sicilian climate ranging from 1296 to 1337, an important historical period for  Sicily, but often  understood  and neglected by official historians.

Articulated speeches  especially those of enthusiasts  of Sicilian history such as that Knight  dr. Baldassare Cacioppo, and noble dr. Antonio di Janni,  Knight Gr. Cr. Grace, Delegate Vicar of Sicily of the Constantinian Order, in addition to the author’s speech  prof. Pasquale Hamel, and the final one given by Prof. Francesca Paola Massara, professor of Christian Archaeology and Art History at the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Sicily “San Giovanni Evangelista”

The introduction to the work was edited by Cav. Cacioppo, who, through his intervention, enriched by illustrative slides, retraced the actions and constitutional reforms of this great man and great ruler “elected” by the Sicilian Parliament. He “primus inter pares” during his 41 years of government did of  the independence and autonomy of the kingdom of Sicily, born with the Sicilian Vespers, his earthly mission, at the great price to fight against all.

During his speech he  recalled the emeritus Constantinian Knight Prof. Corrado Mirto, university professor and one of the greatest scholars of medieval Sicily, author of  two important historical reconstructions related to the great king of Sicily:: the identification of the tomb in the Catania’s Cathedral  and the reconstruction of the flag of the Kingdom of Sicily .

The delegate Vicar of Sicily, dr. Antonio di Janni, promoter of the event and scholar of the history of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, after noting that the initiative aims to recover the medieval history, an historical period  often forgotten or deliberately omitted, he outlined the figure and the charisma of the King  of the Kingdom of Sicily, who always ruled with the consent and the fidelity of the Sicilian people.

In his speech he pointed out that the Aragonese dynasty, ito which belongs Frederick III, can boast a record in the Sicilian history, in  fact the descendant Alfonso V the Magnanimous, already King of Sicily, after the victory over the Angevins and the conquest of the  Kingdom of Naples, in 1441, he unifies the two Kingdoms and assumes the title of  first King of the Two Sicilies.

The writer, prof. Hamel, in his passionate speech has highlighted the prestigious role of the Kingdom of Sicily in the Mediterranean area and the relations with the Latin Eastern Empire, Byzantine, with the Arabs and the Jews.

He closed his speech by pointing out that King Frederick III is a figure “on which it is loaded the management of the “after Vespers”, the victim of an ideological reading of the history of Sicily, who represented the idea of a Sicilian nation  separated from the rest of the country that could hardly be accepted by the official historiography.

The prejudice  has had a decisive influence on the reading of this historical period and of this King.

The Prof. Francesca Paola Massara, in his closing remarks gave the participants many  important starting points  for a critical reflection, consequential to the reading of the book, on” doing history “,” tell the story “,” make history.”.

She has also  revealed the historical situation of this  period in a parallel comparison with the testimonies of the material culture and the  self-representation datas,  highlighting the suffering of an island devastated by a century of wars and raids to which, even the  conclusion  with  the War of the Vespers, did not bring a final and lasting peace. She continued her speech by praising the actions of the sovereign to support the Franciscan movement of pauperism and the expansion of the orders. Mendicant orders.

The work written by Hantel uses a simple and easy language which requires  proper attention, and  involves the reader, not only making him relive a glorious era of this beautiful Mediterranean island –Sicily- , thanks to the precise chronology of events conducted by this brave knight always ready with sword in hand to defend its autonomy and independence, bit also making us appreciate the human military and political qualities of a character that has meant that the Sicilians would feel proud to be sicilianis.

A character unknown to most people, “King Frederick III of Sicily “, but mentioned by Dante, in the third canto of the Divine Comedy, as “the honor of Cecilia and Aragon “.

Palermo – December 13, 2014. As every year, the delegation for  Sicily of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George has organized a lunch for the poors  in the day of Saint Lucia in Palermo in the church of San Francis of  Paola of the friars minimum.

The initiative is part of the project “The hunger of our neighbur” conceived and strongly promoted by H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Grand Master of the Constantinian Order.

This year about 300 meals were served in three shifts, all according to  Palermo’s tradition: arancine, timbale of rice,  potato and cheese flan, also church volunteers have contributed by donating the traditional arancine, For Muslims there was a rice pie cooked without meat or ham. Dessert and fruits have been served at the end of the dinner.

The friars, Father Xavier Cento, the parish priest, Father George Terrasi and Father Antomio Porretta, chaplains of the Constantinian order, along with the knights Antonio Janni, Vincenzo Nuccio, Carmelo Sammarco, Gasperino Como, Salvatore Romano, Salvatore Vassallo, Giovanna Galli and Vincenzo Di Cristina, they all served at the tables helped by volunteers from the parish.

Sicily – Wednesday, December 3, Celebrations of S. Francesco Saverio the Sicily’s Vicar CEO of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George with the Knights Vincenzo Nuccio, Domenico Scapati and Antonio Regina, attended the Holy Mass celebrated by Father Antonio Porretta, Constantine’s chaplain, at the St. Francesco di Paola’s Church. The Constantinian chaplain Father Giorgio Terrasi concelebrated.

The participation of the Constantinian Knights was desired by thr vice provincial of the the Padri Minimi of S. Francesco di Paola, Father Saverio Cento, he is also a Constantine’s chaplain, on the occasion of his name day.

After the religious cerimony, in the sacristy’s halls, has been celebrated Father Saverio with a simple refreshment.

Castelvetrano – Monday, December 1st, 2014. At the Hotel Palace Altea lounges in Castelvetrano (TP) took place a lunch of Sec. AIAS-Onlus organization of Castelvetrano attended by more than 220 people.

The Chairmanship get the Sicily’s delegation Constantinian Knights to be close and support  the foundation.

The Order with his highest representative CEO Dr. Di Gianni, after the prayer and the blessing of the Constantinian chaplain Msgr. Gaspar Tortorici, gave a greetings and handed over to the association chairman Prof. Angela Puleo the commemorative medal of the Centenary Constantinian.

It also handed over a delegation’s certificate of merit to both Prof. Puleo and to Comm. Dr. Elio Zuccarello, who always supported the disabled belonging  to  AIAS-Onlus. The Comm. Zuccarello recalled as always, the Sicily’s delegation, cooperated with AIAS also through the gift, made some years ago, of eight assisted wheelchairs for the disabled of the association.

The Knights attending: Knight Grand Master of Cerimonies Dr. Grace A. Di Janni, Comm. Dr. Elio Zuccarello, (local representative) Dr. Giuseppe Grandinetti, Dr. Michele Salerno, Mr. Centonze Antonino (Councillor com.), Dr. Giuseppe Lipari, Mr. C. Notarianni, the ecclesiastic Knight Msgr. Giovanni Tortorici in addition to meritorious Mr. Pia Messina-Lentini and Dr. Vincenzo di Cristina.