The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated by the Lombardy Delegation in an atmosphere of sober solemnity in the parish church of San Gottardo, Brescia, site of the Prior of Lombardy Mons. Arnaldo Morandi, Secretary General of the Office of the Grand Prior.
Holy Mass was celebrated by Mons. Pierantonio Bodini, Knight of Ecclesiastical Grace and canon of the patriarchal basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Present for the ceremony were Vice Delegate Mr. Giuseppe Rizzani, provincial representatives, the chaplain for Monza Brianza Don Michele Somaschini and a great number of knights and dames of the Constantinian Order.
Authorities present included the provincial delegate of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher, Mr Claudio Andreoli. The celebration was followed by a fraternal agape whose proceeds will be used for the charitable activities of the Order.
The Abruzzo and Molise Delegation completed a significant collection of goods to be donated to the Afghan people, victims of a long and cruel war. The food, medical and clerical items for children attending school were sent by the Knights of Abruzzo-Molise to Herat where they were given to Captain Gianluca Mineo, an aspirant to the Constantinian Cross and to Brother Captain Federico Pirola, who have been working with the Italian Armed Forces for several months in the peace mission Resolute Support – Afghanistan/Herat.
Vice Delegate Mr Giuseppe Rizzani and the representative for Pavia, Mr. Vittorio Barella, accompanied by a group of Constantinian knights, attended the inauguration of the restoration of the parish church of Menconico.
Rome, 1 September 2017 – With the approach of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, His Eminence the Most Reverend Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Grand Prior, drafted a message directed to all the Knights and Dames encouraging them to live this festivity fully as this particular commemoration, together with the festivity of St. George, is a statutory festivity of our Order.