News & Press Notes

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! “

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.

San Marino, 27 July 2010. HE Ambassador Giuseppe Balboni Acqua, General Secretery of the Order, represented His Royal Highness the Prince and Grand Master on the occasion of a ceremony that took place in San Marino during which there was an Exchange of Decorations between Constantinian Order and Republic of San Marino.

HE the Ambassador was received by the Chief of Protocol of the State the Minister Marcello Beccariand by the Secretary of the State for the Foreign Affairs Antonella Molaroni who consigned to our Secretary General the decoration of Knight of Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of Saint Agatha for our Prince and Grand Master. The Ambassador Giuseppe Balboni Acqua,in turn, bestowed the Magisterial Diploma and the Decorations of Knight of Grand Cross of Merit onto Their Excellencies Captains Marco Conti and Glauco Sansovini. Also the Secretary of the State for Foreign Affairs and the Chief of the Protocol of the Republic of San Marino, together with the Coordinator of the Police Department Sabato Riccio, received the Constantinian award.The Order’s aspiration to meet the authorities of San Marino is due to the values of freedom and democracy that the Serene Republic has been inspiring throughout the world for over 17 centuries. The Constantinian Delegation headed by the Secretary General , was represented by the Constantinian Knight of Justice Dr Claudio Marciano di Scala, Delegate for the Republic of San Marino and for the town of Rimini and by Constantinian Knight of Grand Cross of Merit Prof. Franco Ciufo Vice Delegate for Latium Region.

Rome, 16 September 2009. The Lieutenant General Aldo Cinelli, Secretary General and Director of the weaponries of the Ministry of Defense received the insignia of Knight of Grand Cross of Merit of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.H.R.H. the Grand Master paid an official visit to the site of the Italian Army where he was received by the General Potito Genova of the General Secretariat who lead his Royal Highness to the office of the Lieutenant General Aldo Cinelli for a brief meeting. Following the reunion the Grand Master signed the guest book of honor and made his entrance to the Palace Hall with Lieutenant General Cinelli for the investiture ceremony.

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