On Sunday, 15 March 2026, at the conclusion of Holy Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, a memorable ceremony took place in the sacristy of the historic Abbey of Sant’Antonio Abate, located in the heart of Naples’ historic center, at the beginning of the district of the same name known as “‘O Bùvero ‘e Sant’Antuon,” near Via Foria.

During the gathering, a copy of a Diploma of Constantinian Merit, originally conferred on 18 April 1931 upon the Hon. Dr. Antonio Masselli (1865–1944), was officially donated to the church in recognition of his significant contribution to the restoration of the abbey church, including the restoration of the wooden coffered ceiling that still covers the entire nave.

The copy of the diploma, presented to the parish priest Father Vincenzo Balzano, was given by the Secretary General ad interim of the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, Nob. Antonio Masselli, Knight of Jure Sanguinis, grandson of the distinguished benefactor. The document, properly framed, has been placed in the room where the list of the Grand Masters of the Order is preserved, with the aim of contributing to the reconstruction of the partly dispersed historical archive of the Constantinian Order and of the church itself.

The original diploma was conferred upon the Hon. Dr. Masselli “for his outstanding contribution and dedication in favor of the Order for the restoration of the Abbey Church of St. Anthony Abbot under the protection of HRH Prince Alfonso of Bourbon, Count of Caserta,” and was signed by the titular Grand Prior of the Abbey, Mons. Giovanni de Sangro, of the Dukes of Casacalenda, Prince of Chiusano.

A Renewed Bond between the Constantinian Order and the Abbey

The ceremony forms part of the growing relationship between the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate, an ancient commandery of the Order. Although the Order’s magisterial chapel is historically linked to the Church of San Giuseppe dei Nudi, in recent years the Abbey has assumed an increasingly significant role in the spiritual and ceremonial life of the Delegation of Naples and Campania.

On the day before the Pontifical celebration in honour of Saint George in 2024, Friday 19 April, as a sign of the deep roots of the Order in the historical and religious fabric of the city of Naples, the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate hosted a solemn celebration in the presence of the Grand Master, HRH Prince Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta, Head of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies. He was accompanied by the Grand Chancellor, H.E. Ambassador Don Carlos Bárcena y Portolés, Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice with Collar, and by the Prior for Italy, His Eminence Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. On that occasion, a portrait of King Charles III was unveiled.

Today, the Constantinian Order, introduced to Naples by King Charles of Bourbon, under the Grand Mastership of the Head of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies, continues to distinguish itself through its commitment to the promotion of the Christian Faith, cultural activities, and charitable works, with particular attention to the social realities of Naples’ historic center, promoted by the Delegation for Naples and Campania, led by the Delegate, Count Don Gianluigi Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona, of the Dukes of Laurenzana, Neapolitan Patrician, Knight of Justice.

The Exemplary Figure of the Hon. Dr. Antonio Masselli

The memory of the Hon. Grand Officer Dr. Antonio Masselli, to whom the donated diploma is connected, represents an eminent example of civic, social, and Christian commitment.

Born in Cerignola in 1865 and deeply connected to San Severo, where he carried out much of his activity, Masselli was a physician, public administrator, philanthropist, and man of broad culture. Elected Mayor, Provincial Councillor, and later Deputy of the Kingdom of Italy during the 22nd Legislature (1904–1909), he distinguished himself for his balance, independence, and dedication to the common good.

His work was especially characterized by tireless commitment to the most needy: he established a free medical dispensary, contributed to the founding of a subcommittee of the Italian Red Cross, and promoted important initiatives in the fields of healthcare and social assistance.

Among his most significant achievements was the construction, at his own expense, of a large hospital in San Severo, inaugurated in 1915 and dedicated to the memory of his ancestor Teresa Masselli-Mascia. During the First World War, the facility was placed at the disposal of the State for the treatment of wounded soldiers. The structure remains fully operational today and has been modernized internally.

A man of deep faith and culture, Masselli summarized his ideals in the triad “Family, Fatherland, and God,” principles that guided his entire public and private life.

The Abbey of Sant’Antonio Abate – History and Identity

The Church of Sant’Antonio Abate represents one of the oldest medieval testimonies of the extra-moenia area of Naples. Probably founded at the end of the 13th century and expanded in the 14th century under the reign of Joanna I of Anjou, it originated as a monastic and hospital complex dedicated to the treatment of the so-called “St. Anthony’s Fire” (ignis sacer—ergotism, known today also as herpes zoster).

Entrusted to the Antonian Hospitaller Monks, the complex included a church, convent, and hospital. In 1776, following the suppression of the Antonian Order decreed by Pope Pius VI, its assets were partly transferred to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and, in the Kingdom of Naples, to the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.

Recently restored also thanks to European funding, the church has been returned to worship and to the community, recovering its original splendour and reaffirming its role in the religious and social life of the neighborhood.

A Sign of Continuity in Tradition – An Ancient Order, A Renewed Spirit

The donation of the diploma represents not only an act of family remembrance, but also a symbolic gesture of historical and identity restoration. It helps to strengthen the bond between the Constantinian Order, the City of Naples, and one of its most significant places of worship, in the spirit of continuity between chivalric tradition and Christian charity.

In an era in which the preservation of historical memory is increasingly important, initiatives such as this offer concrete testimony to the commitment of the Constantinian Order  to safeguard and promote its spiritual and cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations.

The Constantinian Cross, a sculpture from the second half of the 18th century, originally placed at the top of the façade of the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate, is now preserved inside the church on the altar of a side chapel, located on the first pillar to the left of the nave, today dedicated to the Constantinian Order.

Above the altar is preserved a precious fragment of a medieval fresco, likely dating between the 13th and 14th centuries. Of the original work, only the central portion of the face survives today, recognizable by the presence of a halo, while the rest of the depiction has been severely compromised due to later architectural alterations and natural deterioration over the centuries. Based on the historical context and function of the complex, the image can most likely be identified as a depiction of Saint Anthony Abbot, a central figure in Antonian spirituality and a key reference for the former hospital attached to the church, dedicated to the treatment of “St. Anthony’s Fire” (ergotism).

The fresco constitutes one of the oldest surviving pictorial testimonies of the Abbey and represents a significant element of continuity between the medieval origins of the complex and its present liturgical function. The recent placement of the Constantinian symbol on the altar further underscores the renewed bond between this sacred place and the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.

PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE AND FIRST PHOTOGRAPH BELOW:

The Constantinian Cross, a sculpture from the second half of the 18th century, originally placed at the top of the façade of the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate, is now preserved inside the church, on the altar of a side chapel, located on the first pillar to the left of the nave, today dedicated to the Constantinian Order.

Above the altar is preserved a precious fragment of a medieval fresco, most likely dating between the 13th and 14th centuries. Of the original work, only the central portion of the face survives today, recognizable by the presence of a halo, while the rest of the image has been severely compromised due to later architectural alterations and natural deterioration over the centuries. Based on the historical context and function of the complex, the image can most likely be identified as a depiction of Saint Anthony Abbot, a central figure in Antonian spirituality and a key reference for the former hospital attached to the church, dedicated to the treatment of the so-called “St. Anthony’s Fire” (ergotism).

The fresco constitutes one of the oldest surviving pictorial testimonies of the Abbey and represents a significant element of continuity between the medieval origins of the complex and its present liturgical function. The recent placement of the Constantinian symbol on the altar further underscores the renewed bond between this sacred place and the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.

PHOTOGRAPHS BELOW:

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:  (1) the Constantinian cross atop the altar;  (2) the Grand Master, HRH Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria with His Eminence Cardinal Mamberti, Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice of the Order, in 2024;  (3) the 1931 certificate to Dr. Antonio Masselli;  (4) Dr. Antonio Masselli; and (5) Nob. Antonio Masselli, Knight of Jure Sanguinis of the Order (and grandson of Dr. Antonio Masselli) with the parish priest, Father Vincenzo Bazzano, after the Mass.