The Vice Delegate for Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, Knight Nicolò Papurello, delivered the diploma of Knight of the Order of Francis I to Father Lodovico De Bernardi on behalf of the Delegate, Count Marco Aurelio Galateri di Genola, Knight Grand Officer of Justice. The simple ceremony was held at the Archbishopric of Biella, in the presence of H.E. Msgr. Roberto Farinella, Bishop of Biella and Knight Grand Cross of Ecclesiastic Grace of our Order.
Curtatone (MN), 04 October 2021 – Following the support request from the “San Giovanni Bosco” Family Home of the “Giovanni XXIII” Community Association, Knight Andrea Moretti and the volunteer Laura Mazzacani handed over personal hygiene and household products to the Family Home’s representatives, Mrs. Eleonora and her husband Matteo Pisani.
On Sunday, 17 October, in Casei Gerola (Pv), a Holy Mass was held on the occasion of the patronal feast of St. Fortunato, in the famous Collegiate Church governed by the Representative of Pavia, Lodi and Cremona, Father Maurizio Ceriani. H.R.H. Archduke Martin of Habsburg, H.R.H. Prince Serge of Yugoslavia and the Delegate of Lombardy, Noble Dr Giuseppe Rizzani participated. Later, Father Ceriani presented the Order’s medal of merit to Ettore Bellinzona on the occasion of his 60th anniversary.
On Sunday 24 October in Saronno (VA), the Delegation of Lombardy, led by Delegate Noble Giuseppe Rizzani, with the participation of the Representative for Milan Hon. Gabriele Albertini and for Como and Varese, Costantino Canevali, participated at the centuries-old procession of the Transportation of the Crucifix. Everything was organised by Knight Simone Balestrini. The Holy Crucifix was transported by some brethren, and the Delegation was invited to Pallazzo Lazzaroni, together with the Mayor and the Presidents of the local Rotary and Rotaract clubs after a visit to the parish archives. The Delegate explained the Order’s various charitable activities to Dr. Paolo Lazzaroni (owner of the historic company).
On Friday 22 October, the Knights of the Delegation of Emilia Romagna gathered in Palazzo Galli to commemorate the historic event when the Grand Magistry of the Order passed from the noble and imperial Comneno Family to the Farnese Family. With the bull “Sincerae Fidei” of 24 October 1699, Pope Innocent XII ratified the passing of the Grand Magistry to the Duke of Piacenza and Parma Francesco Farnese. This was a very important historical event for the Constantinian Order and for Piacenza, which experienced a significant moment in the Order’s history at that time. In 2017, the Knights of Piacenza of the Constantinian Order ordered the restoration of the bust of Prince Comneno to commemorate this event, which had been recovered from a municipal warehouse and has been in Palazzo Farnese (Civic Museum) ever since.
The Grand Magistry remained in the Farnese family until its extinction, passing to the Bourbons through Elisabeth Farnese, the last of the Farnese Family, as wife of Philip V of Spain and mother of the infant Father Charles of Bourbon.
The Constantinian Order is committed to eminently social activities, assistance and charitable work, without neglecting the spirituality of the Knights and Dames.
At the end of the evening, the Regional Delegate Corrado Sforza Fogliani, Commander of Grace, awarded diplomas to the new Constantinian Knights, some of whom had come from Ferrara for the occasion.
The archpriest of the Orthodox Church, Father Grigore Catan, received the decoration of the Royal Order of Francis I for his pastoral activities that he has been carrying out for years with dedication in the Orthodox community in Piacenza. In the Oratory of San Dalmazio, the Holy Mass was celebrated by Monsignor Arnaldo Morandi, Knight Grand Officer of Ecclesiastical Grace, Secretary General of the Office of the Grand Prior, and concelebrated with the Vice Prior Father Stefano Antonelli, due to the absence of Prior Monsignor Gianni Ambrosio. Monsignor Morandi then read the message from His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino addressed to the Knights and Dames of the Delegation.
The new Bishop of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea, Monsignor Attilio Nostro was officially installed. On 2 October, he took canonical possession of the diocese. After the beautiful ceremony in the ancient Cathedral of Mileto, the Bishop met the civil and military authorities as well as the Grand Officer Aurelio Badolati, Vice Delegate of Calabria. It was a very cordial meeting, during which Bishop Attilio Nostro underlined the important mission of our Sacred Militia.
Cosenza, 9 October 2021- An important day in the ancient city of Bruzia, accompanied by the warmth and hospitality of the local people. Knights from all the provinces of Calabria and from Sicily, Basilicata, Campania and Apulia met in the “Salone degli Stemmi” of the Archbishop’s Palace from early Saturday afternoon. The majestic procession started from Piazza Parrasio and crossed Corso Telesio, preceded by forty musicians, dressed in historical uniforms dating back to 1841, from the Band of the Royal Philharmonic Academy of Gerace, winner of the Constantinian gold medal, who performed a variety of classical music, until it reached Piazza Duomo. All the participants and guests attended the investiture of the 31 Knights and Dames and 8 promotions. The important Eucharistic celebration, which began with a greeting by H.E. Most Rev. Monsignor Francescantonio Nolè, Metropolitan Archbishop of Cosenza-Bisignano, was presided over by Archbishop Emeritus of Reggio Calabria-Bova Monsignor Vittorio Luigi Mondello, Knight Grand Cross of Ecclesiastic Grace and Prior of the Delegation of Calabria. The gonfalons of Cosenza and the province of Cosenza, as well as the Delegations from the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Holy Sepulchre welcomed the Knights of the Order. After reading H.R.H. the Grand Master’s message, a captivating choir performed in the ancient 13th century church, in the presence of Don Gianpietro dei Principi Sanseverino dei Baroni di Marcellinara, Delegate of Calabria, Grand Officer Dr. Aurelio Badolati, Vice Delegate, and the Noble Knight Dr. Giuseppe Spizzirri Marzo, representative of Cosenza. We thank the volunteers of CISOM, the Order of Malta’s Italian Ambulance Corps, who coordinated the reception of the participants in the Cathedral of Cosenza. On Sunday morning, the guests enjoyed a splendid guided tour of the ancient and noble city centre, thanks to the guidance of Francesco Paolo Dodato, an expert in Cosenza history.
Donation in Polistena (RC) – On Monday, 04 October 2021, in order to celebrate the liturgical memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Delegation of Calabria donated clothing and basic necessities to the Blessed “Luigi Monti” Institute in Polistena. The Institute is run by the Sons of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Conceptionist Fathers. The Institute houses 29 guests aged between 4 and 16. The children are supported in every aspect of their lives, from school attendance, to play, to material and spiritual formation. Especially the younger ones enjoyed the donation, who immediately put on their new clothes, which were presented to the Delegation by Dame Marianna Foti. On the other hand, the older ones enjoyed a tasty snack with sweets donated by the Delegation.
Reggio Calabria, 12 October – 100 hot meals in single portions were delivered to the Caritas of the Church Saint Francis of Assisi. The donation was made by Knight Antonino Campolo.
Vibo Valentia. On 7 October, a group of the Delegation of Calabria, led by Vice Delegate Aurelio Badolati, once again took part in the Holy Commemoration of Thanksgiving, Liturgical Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, on the occasion of the celebrations in her honour in the city of Vibo Valentia. The liturgy, presided over by Monsignor Filippo Ramondino, Bishop of the Mileto – Nicotera – Tropea Diocese and Chaplain for the city of Vibo Valentia of the Sacred Military Order of Saint George, was held in the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. At the end of the celebration, a donation was made to the Archconfraternity Maria SS. del Rosario e San Giovanni Battista.
Click HERE to read a press release regarding the last investiture ceremony held in Lisbon on October, 15h 2021.
