Pisa, December 2nd, 2020 – The Tuscan delegation, on the initiative of the Vice Delegate, and with Mr. Giovanni Merola and Mr. Pietro Rubino’s help, in collaboration with Mr. Ivano Lucchesi, donated to the residence “Isola dei Girasoli” and to the association “Parents and children with leukemia and Tumori ONLUS”, a large quantity of food to cover the nutritional needs of the patients hosted at the two structures.
On December 2nd, the activities of the “Briciole di Salute” project were carried out in favour of the Franciscan Sisters who manage the Diocesan Reception House “Sacra Famiglia”. Knights Antonino Smiroldo and Tony Zarrillo delivered various food packages for the guests of the structure. After the distribution, the knights and the nuns gathered to pray.
On December 3rd, according to tradition, the Sicilian delegation participated in the Holy Mass of Saint Francis at the church “San Francesco di Paola” in Palermo. Vice Delegate Antonio di Janni and Mrs. Patrizia Biagi. attended on behalf the entire delegation. The religious ceremony was presided by Father Saverio Cento and concelebrated by Fathers Giorgio Terrasi and Antonio Porretta.
Despite various challenges raised by Covid-19, the Constantinian Order’s American Delegation was able to hold an investiture to welcome new members on November 21 in Newark. Presided by Fr. Edmund Luciano and the Vice Delegate, Cav. Uff. Avv. Patrick O’Boyle (H.E. Cav. John Viola, the Delegate could not be present due to a family illness) the scaled-back ceremony, following the instructions from the Office of the Grand Prior, opening with the Gregorian chant ‘Vexilla Regis’ in honor of the Cross and closing with the ‘Hymn to the King,’ saw 17 of this year’s 22 incoming knights and dames put on the Constantinian mantle for the first time. Two others were invested in Buffalo the following day, in a ceremony presided by Fr. Michael Barone. The others, unable to travel because of the pandemic, including a new Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I, will be invested in the coming weeks in similarly socially-distanced rites in their respective cities.
Gaeta, November 23, 2020 – The Delegate of Rome and Latium, HH Prince Lelio Niccolò Orsini d’Aragona, together with the Vice Delegate Count Riccardo Langosco and the Representative for the City of Gaeta, Lawyer Salvatore Scafetta, this morning has taken the floor at the inauguration ceremony of the new squares of the commercial port of Gaeta, built in an area of more than 70 thousand square meters by the North Central Tyrrhenian Sea Port System Authority.
The President of the Authority, Lawyer Francesco Maria Di Majo, titled the squares in honor of the last Sovereign of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, H.M. Queen Maria Sofia of Bourbon, born Von Wittelsbach, in memory of her love for Gaeta and the heroism shown, along with the army and citizens, during the siege of 1860-1861. The dedication to H.M. Maria Sofia, the “Soldier Queen”, also wants to symbolize the birth of a Gaeta-Bari maritime corridor where the Queen arrived by sea from the port of Trieste on February 1, 1859.
The Archbishop of Gaeta, Monsignor Luigi Vari, blessed the new works.
During his speech, Prince Orsini rejoiced at the historical sensitivity of President Di Majo and the City of Gaeta – fruit of this noble heritage – and read HRH’s greeting. The Duke of Castro and Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, who especially thanked the gesture of baptizing the squares in honor of H.M. the heroic Queen Maria Sofia, recalled the indissoluble bond that unites the Bourbon dynasty with the most faithful city of Gaeta.
H.E. the Prefect of Latina, Dr. Maurizio Falco; the President of the Finance Commission of the Chamber of Deputies Hon. Raffaele Trano, the MEP Hon. Matteo Adinolfi, the Councilor for the Sea Economy of the Municipality of Gaeta, Dr. Teodolinda Morini; the Commander of the Port of Gaeta, Captain of Fregata (CP) Federico Giorgi, Prof. Vera Mignano attended.
The delegation of Abruzzo and Molise has informed us that even this year medicines for needy children will be collected.
This collection will begin on November 20th, on the occasion of the World Day of the Rights of the Child and some pharmacies will participate in the initiative of the Rava Foundation.
For any information, Knights and Dames are invited to contact the Delegate of Abruzzo and Molise, Prof. Franco Ciufo.
