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Brescia Knights and Dames were invested into the Order of Saint George

19/09/2011

Brescia, 19 September 2011. Brescia Knights and Dames were invested into the Order of Saint George in the old Cathedral the delivery of the Labarum.
Guardian of the Treasure of the Holy Cross, Brescia deserved an official presence of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, born in 312 after the battle of the Milvian Bridge, faught and won with the insignia of Christianity. As of Monday 19th, during a solemn celebration in the Duomo Vecchio,the new provincial representation of the Order will be set up with the delivery of the Labarum and the investiture of a group of Knights and Dames who have pledged to give continuity to a tradition dating back to the Christian roots of Europe, through charitable works and cultural initiatives, for the propagation of the faith and the glorification of the Cross.

It was Emperor Constantine who invested the first 50 Knights, giving rise to the oldest of orders of chivalry and sanctioned with the edict of 313 A.C. on the freedom of worship for Christians. The leadership of the order transmitted by hereditary dynastic law, is now entrusted to Prince Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: the Grand Master will be joined in the ceremony of the handing of the Labarum by the designated representative Don Armando Morandi, by Ambassador Antonio Benedetto Spada, Grand Treasurer, and by Lombardy Delegate Augusto Ruffo di Calabria.
Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Grand Prior of the Order, will chair at 5 pm in the Duomo Vecchio the Eucharistic co-celebration with the participation of the Bishop, Monsignor Luciano Monari and the Emeritus Auxiliary Bishop Monsignor Vigilio Mario Olmi. The ceremony, open to all citizens, will be preceded by the extraordinary exhibition of the Treasure of the Holy Crosses.

Constantinian Order was granted Consultative Status to the United Nations

1/08/2011

Geneva, 1 August 2011. Constantinian Order was granted Consultative Status to United Nations, in the General session of July 2011 in Geneva, adopted the recommendation of the Committee for non-governmental organizations based in New York to accept the special request made by the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George to be granted the consultative status starting August 1, 2011. The initiative of the Constantinian Knights, strongly supported by the Grand Master, Prince Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, Head of the Royal House by the same name, has been greatly appreciated by the United Nations for the numerous activities undertaken by the Order in favour of needy people, especially those coming from areas outside Europe, not only in Italy but also in various African and Asian Countries as a result of natural disasters and wars. Particular attention was given to donations made by Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Castro, the inspiring force behind the humanitarian action of the Order, to hospitals and care institutions such as the hospital “Bambin Gesù” in Rome, the Civil Hospital in Nice, “Princess Grace Hospital” in the Principality of Monaco, and projects now being finalized for the construction of a molecular biology laboratory in the American Hospital of Paris and a pioneering initiative at the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic in Rome. Particularly appreciated was the construction of the Hospital of the Catholic Diocese of Hoima in Uganda, thanks to the important contributions of the Costantinian Delegations of Sicily and Switzerland. Apart from the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which has a special international status, the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George is the only Italian Order of Chivalry to be awarded this special recognition by the United Nations which authorizes it to entertain relations followed also by the Secretary General of the United Nations, the General Assembly and all other U.N. Agencies and Institutions in the world, in addition of course, to relations with 193 Member States of this primary International Organization. As known, there are around one hundred Orders of Chivalry currently present in Italy. Only six of them are considered legitimate by the Italian State for the purposes of authorizing the exhibiting of their insignia decorations on the territory of the Republic. The first, back in 1963, was indeed the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, whose decorations are permitted for the Head of the Royal House of Naples. The Constantinian Knights whom He nominates are considered, now also by the UN system which approved the statutes and the history of the Order, the inheritors of the ancient fifty Knights appointed by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, who, since the early decades of 300 A.C., were the keepers the pennon in the shape of a cross with the monogram of Christ (“Labarum”), which the King always used to carry on his travels, by raising it on battlefields to protect his soldiers and as admonishment to his opponents. The special status granted by the U.N. authorizes the Constantinian Order to appoint its official representatives to the U.N. institutions to the Glass Palaces in New York, Geneva and Vienna, and to grant them the power of access to the centers of project developments with written and oral interventions, acquisition and distribution of documents, the use of any conference or meeting rooms, etc. The Constantinian Order will have to draw up its own report on the activities undertaken, which must be presented no later than January 1, 2015, that is at the end of the renewable four year term, 2011-2014. The Prince and Grand Master of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order has appointed Knight John Leopold Fiorilla di Santa Croce, a local resident, Head of the Constantinian Delegation in New York and of the Institutions and Special Agencies thereby represented , thus approving the choice of the Delegation Office at 555 Park Avenue. H.E. Ambassador Giuseppe Balboni Acqua, Secretary General of the Order, was appointed Deputy Head of the Delegation, who in turn is in charge of relations with the institutions of the UN in Geneva, where he served for more than three years as Ambassador of Italy and Head of the Italian Delegation to the Conference of Disarmament. Concurrently Barrister Franco Ciufo, Knight of Grand Cross, Deputy Delegate for the Lazio region, was also appointed member of the Constantinian Delegation to the UN. Three subsequent members of the Constantinian Representation will be appointed at a later date.

New Constantinian Knights in Palermo

12/05/2011

Palermo, 12 May 2011. In the magnificent scenery of the Palatine Chapel in Palermo’s Norman Palace, the annual ceremony of investiture of new Knights and Dames of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George took place on Saturday May 14, chaired by His Most Revered Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Grand Prior of the Order and Chairman Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of the Holy See. His Eminence Martino was accompanied by the Secretary General of the Constantinian Order, Ambassador Giuseppe Balboni Acqua. Presented by the Deputy Head of Delegation of Sicily, the Noble Dr. Antonio di Janni, neo Knights have implemented the new religious rite of investiture, which recalls the ancient one by Emperor Constantine the Great to defend the Sacred Banner which reproduces the cross and the monogram of Constantinian Cross, and the monogram of the first two greek letters in the word Christ. On this occasion the celebrant before the kneeling candidate and holding the hand up to him, pronounces the phrase “in accordance with the mandate received by His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Grand Master of the Order, I set you and I proclaim you Knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. ” The Cardinal Grand Prior and then touches his hand with the right shoulder of the Knight completing the formula with the blessing “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” The new investiture ceremony reminiscent of the old medieval knights kneeling: During that ceremony were mentioned St. Michael and St. George and was eventually pronounced the formula of the invitation to stand with the words “there rise a knight.” The hand placed on the shoulder of the inducted – signifies the decision to help the new knight along the way of his heartfelt and convinced profession of faith and to accompany him by facilitating his entry into the community of the Knights Brothers. HIs most Revered Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino has therefore urged to arrange “not just ceremonies and beautiful uniforms with capes but concrete initiatives of solidarity to ignite hope and help the most vulnerable and often forgotten people in the world. ” The religious ceremony was then followed by a gala dinner in honor of His Eminence the Cardinal in the splendid rooms of Villa Niscemi.

The next day, Sunday, May 15, His Most Revered Eminence Cardinal Martino accompanied by Ambassador Balboni Acqua, by the Deputy Director di Janni and by the Knight Como, visited the Archbishop of Palermo, His Most Revered Eminence Cardinal Paolo Romeo, who entertained the guests for over an hour in a long and cordial conversation. So His Eminence Martino went to the residential complex of the Regional Command of the Carabinieri of Sicily where he presided over the Eucharistic celebration in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (twelfth century), giving a high Constantine honor to General Commander Riccardo Amato. In the various meeting opportunities it was recalled with emotion the unforgettable visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Palermo on 3 October 2010 and the words addressed to the Sicilians and the Palermitani on that occasion: “Your beautiful island was among the first regions’ in Italy to accept the faith of the Apostles to receive the proclamation of the Word of God, to adhere to the faith so generously that even in the midst of difficulties and persecutions the flower of Holiness has always sprouted. Sicily was and is a land of saints as members of every condition of life who lived the Gospel with simplicity and integrity. To you, the faithful laymen, I repeat: do not be afraid to live and bear witness to the faith in the various sectors of society, in many situations of human existence, especially in the difficult ones! “

Constantinian Order sent Humanitarian Aid to Lampedusa

10/05/2011

Lampedussa, 10 May 2011. Constantinian Order sent Humanitarian Aid to Lampedusa in order to contribute to the aid to immigrants from Africa who these days are landing in thousands on the shores of the island of Lampedusa The Delegation of the Constantinian Sicily and Umbria-Marche have delivered a “truck” full of food supplies that were sent directly to the parish priest of the Church of Lampedusa, Don Stefano Nastasi who is responsible for its distribution. The Vice Delegate for Sicily was present and accompanied by Dr Antonio di Janni Gasperino Como Knight and Robert Knight Marche Frittelli who have made use of the contribution of young volunteers of the Humanitarian Aid Association of the Marche Region.

Costantinian Order State Visit to Hungary

3/12/2010

Budapest, 3 December 2010. Following the repeated invitations by the Delegate of the Sacred Military Costantinian Order of Saint George in Budapest, the Hon. Zsolt Semjén, Vice-President to the Council of Ministers, Their Royal Highnesses the Princes of Bourbon – Two Sicilies, Duke and Duchess of Castro, travelled to Hungary from December 1 till December 3, 2010 on an official visit. The Royal Highnesses were accompanied by His Most Reverend Eminence The Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Grand Prior of the Costantinian Order, His Excellency the Ambassador Giuseppe Balboni Acqua, General Secretary of the mentioned Order, by the Illustrious Professor Leonardo Saviano, General Secretary to the Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and by other Associates of the Great Chancery of the Order.

Upon arrival at the airport the illustrious Guests were welcomed by the State Under Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and of the public Administration Doctor Bence, by Doctor Frivaldszky Attache to the Cabinet of the Honorable Council Vice President, by Madame Councilor Mirta Gentile from the Italian Embassy in Budapest and by Officers of the Hungarian Diplomatic Protocol and of the City Airport.

A bouquet of flowers was presented to Princess Camilla as a gesture of welcome to the visit by the Royal Couple before the formation of the motorcade which led the Costantinian Delegation to the Ungarian Parliament, awaited by the Hon. Doctor Zsolt Semjén, Vice President to the Council of Ministers, assisted by his chief associates.

After a brief conversation in a room of the Parliament, the Hon. Semjèn offered a luncheon in honour of the Duke and Duchess of Castro, who were later escorted to the Main Parliament Hall where a debate was in full course. The rotation President briefly suspended the session to express a welcome to the Princes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, after which they were applauded by all Parliament Members present. H.R.H. Prince Charles thanked for the appreciated homage and subsequently left the Chambers to reach the residence of His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Péter Erdö, Archbishop of Ezstergom, Budapest and Primate of Hugnary, who entertained the Illustrious Guests in cordial conversation. T.R.H. later reached the Italian Cultural Institute, located in the magnificent building which hosted the original venue of the Hungarian Parliament , where they met with the Wife of the President of the Republic, who on behalf of her absent husband travelling abroad, lent particular emphasis to the Duke and Duchess’ stay in Budapest, as well as to the lecture on the Costantinian Order held by the Illustrious Professor Leonardo Saviano, teacher of History of Political Doctrines at the Federico II° University in Naples.

At the end of the speech Princess Camilla donated a gift to the Institute of Sick Children, managed by the Franciscan Fathers of Budapest, a personal monetary contribution, as a testimonial of solidarity and charitable spirit.

The Ambassador of Italy Giovan Battista Campagnola and his Consort Zohara offered a banquet (dinner) in honour of T.R.H. at their own residence, where the Princes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies were guests during their sojourn in Hungary, together with Lord Cardinal Martino and the Ambassador Balboni Acqua.

The following day, on Thursday 2 December, the Costantinian Delegation, accompanied by the Council Vice President Hon. Semjén went on a tour of the city and of the Archdiocese of Ezstergom, where they were received by His Eminence the Cardinal Làslo Paskai, the Archbishop Emeritus, assisted by the Most Reverend Monsignor Endre Gaàl. Provost of the Metropolitan Chapter of their ecclesiastical precinct.

After the audience in the Archbishopric hall it was proceeded with the investiture ceremony of the new Costantinian Knights in the Chapel of the Archiepiscopal Palace, and subsequently His Most Reverend Eminence the Cardinal offered a luncheon to all the guests. The visit drew to a close in the afternoon with the homage paid to the tomb of Cardinal Mindszenty in the city’s Cathedral.
That evening, in the beautiful hall of the Gobelins of the Hungarian Parliament, where the shrine containing the Crown of Saint Stephan, first King of Hungary, is kept, which was donated to His Holy Pontiff Sylvester II in the year 1000 , the Parliament Vice President. Hon. Jànos Larcai, offered a luncheon to all distinguished guests to which the Ambassador of Italy H.E. Campagnola, accompanied by his wife and other Italian personalities, also took part. In the Greeting Toast H.E. President Latorcai thanked Their Royal Highnesses for their trip to Hungary with the expressed wish that they may have felt “at home”, whilst remembering the significant period in the distant Middle Ages connected with the Royal Family of Bourbon, in which Hungary asserted itself as a solid, important and influential State of Christian Europe.

The next day, Friday 3 December, within Sandor Palace, which hosts the Presidency of the Republic, is when the meeting with the Head of State, Hon. Prof. Pal Schmitt took place, who had expressly anticipated his return from Astana where the summit of the Leaders of the OSCE Countries took place, just for the purpose of convening with the Duke and Duchess of Castro and Cardinal Martino, whom he wanted to decorate respectively with the Gold and Silver medal of Merit of the Republic of Hungary. The ceremony marked by the rigid protocol order, and the informal and most pleasant meeting which followed, concluded the Costantinian Delegation’s visit to Hungary, which was as most satisfactory to both parties for their achievements and the prospects for further future contacts for the joint implementation of charitable projects and social development.