 On September 23 H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, visited Sicily to take part in a number of charity activities in the city of Noto. He was accompanied by his spouse, H.R.H. Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro, and by his daughters, T.R.H. Princesses Maria Carolina and Maria Chiara. |
| During the morning the Grand Master, accompanied by Princess Beatrice of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Grand Prefect, donated three semiautomatic defibrillators on behalf of the Constantinian Order to the State Comprehensive School “G. Melodia” in Noto.
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| The donation is part of the vaster project titled “Cardio Protected City” that was initiated last year and that involved numerous Italian delegations, with the donation of first aid equipment for cardiorespiratory arrest. Given the financial difficulties of many of the families of the area, and in response to a request by the Principal of the Melodia School, the Constantinian Order decided to purchase the school books required for all the students of the school for the year 2017-2018. This action inaugurated the Project “Book Coupon”. An additional donation of toys was also made for the smaller children of the School. |
In the afternoon the Royal Family visited the bishopric of Noto and distributed essential items for children ages 0 to 3 years as part of the Crumbs of Health Program. They also donated a semiautomatic defibrillator to a local youth soccer team as well as clothes donated Mr He Jianxing (Entreprise HELI), Mr Ren Gael (VEGA’S) and Mr Jiang Yimin (GRASSTAR).  |
On Sunday, September 24, following Holy Mass celebrated in the Cathedral of Noto by His Most Rev. Eminence Mons. Antonio Staglianò, Bishop of Noto and Knight Commander of Ecclesiastical Grace, a ceremony was held to confer diplomas to several Knights and Dames of the Order. In his remarks H.R.H., the Duke of Castro and Grand Master, thanked all those who work generously to carry out the activities of the Order and pointed out that when he was young he also held the title of Duke of Noto.  |
For this reason, in noting the decision taken as Head of the Royal House to change the rules of succession by adopting the rule of absolute primogeniture, H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies stated that the title due to his second-born, Maria Chiara, be Duchess of Noto. Succession of titles in the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies contemplates that the title Duke of Castro is to be attributed to the head of the Family, the title of the Duchy of Calabria to the first heir and that of the Duchy of Noto to the second heir in the line of succession.  |
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.
