On Saturday 16 March 2024 at 11.30 am, at the co-cathedral of San Benedetto in the Interparish Complex of Lamezia Terme in Calabria, as announced previously, the Knights, Ladies and Postulants of Calabria of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, who came from every corner of the Bruzia region, participated in Holy Mass on the First Sunday of the Passion. The Mass was presided over by Father Cicione Strangis, Chaplain of Merit. The concelebrants were Father Carmine Vitolo, Chaplain of Merit and Father Domenico Foti, Postulant.
Present at this important meeting of prayer and reflection in preparation for Holy Easter was the Lieutenant for Southern Italy (excluding the islands) of the Royal Commission for Italy, H.E. the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli, Knight Grand Cross of Justice.
In his greeting at the beginning of the Mass, the Lieutenant underlined the importance of this solemn day, not only from a liturgical and spiritual point of view, where the Christian community approaches the highest point of expression of the message and teaching of Christ, but also as an august and happy omen for the future commitments of the Constantinian Order in Calabria, following the guidance of the Grand Master, HRH Prince Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta, Head of the Royal House of Two Sicilies. Concluding he said: “We are all gathered here with one purpose: to observe our Holy Apostolic and Roman Catholic Faith, to help our neighbours, in need of human solidarity, and to try with our ideas to meet, with new perspectives, those everchanging current and pressing needs. This is our goal: a modern and efficient commitment, which knows how to interpret the needs of fragile people.”
When they heard the words of Jesus, they said: “This is the Christ.” (Cf. Jn 7,40-41). The First Reading (Jer 11,18-20) and the Responsorial Psalm (from Ps 7) of the Holy Mass on Saturday were read by Marika Biamonte and the Gospel (Jn 7,40-53) was proclaimed by the Postulant Father Domenico Foti.
In his homily Father Strangis, commenting on the readings of the day, highlighted how timely the words of the blessed martyr judge Rosario Livatino are: “When we die, no one will come to ask us how much we were believers, but believable,” believable because they are capable of combining faith and life, in the various areas in which we live. We are never alone because the Christian is not an individualist but one who loves the community and in the community his gaze, his attention and his action are always oriented towards the most fragile members, in need of help and care, reiterating the historicity of the event, of coming together to experience in prayer and fraternal agape the joy of the ethos of the Constantinian Order, with an awareness that alone you can only go faster, but together, feeling like a family and taking care of the beauty of relationships, you certainly go further.
The Prayer of the Faithful was read by Knight Luciano Lucania. At the conclusion of the Mass, Knight Domenico D’Auria recited the Prayer of the Constantinian Knight, whose emotional and significant message was highlighted by the acoustics of the high vaults of the church.
Afterwards, the Knights, Ladies, Chaplains, Postulants and Calabrian friends of the Constantinian Order met for a fraternal meal at the I Giardini Del Novecento restaurant, where they experienced a further moment of brotherhood, in order to encourage the spirit of union and sharing, and to organize new future activities in the spiritual, cultural, humanitarian and socio-charitable fields.
After cutting the cake, the Lieutenant delivered letters of appointment as Vicar for Reggio Calabria and Vibo Valentia to Dr. Emanuele Scarlata, Knight of Merit with Silver Star; Vicar for Catanzaro and Crotone to Dr. Saverio Salerno, Knight of Office; and Vicar for Lamezia Terme and Cosenza to Maestro Raffaele Mazza, Knight of Office.
At the end of the day, hoping for success for the future work of the Constantinian Order in Calabria, the Lieutenant reiterated what he said at the beginning of the Holy Mass: “Today we are here precisely to do our best and keep the Faith first and help our neighbour who asks us for help. Thank you all for being here in this historic moment.”
Those who participated in the meeting with the Lieutenant for Southern Italy (excluding islands) of the Royal Commission for Italy, H.E. the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli, Knight Grand Cross of Justice were: the Knight Jure Sanguinis, Dr. Candido Francica di Panaya; the Knight of Merit with Silver Star, Dr. Emanuele Scarlata; the Knights of Merit, Dr. Domenico D’Auria, Dr. Roberto Maria Naso Naccari Carlizzi, Dr. Antonio Perrone, Dr. Pasquale Romeo and Dr. Luciano Lucania; the Dame of Merit, Dr. Flaviana Alessi; the Knights of Office, Attorney Massimo Seminara, Maestro Raffaelo Mazza, Dr. Carmelo Orlando, Dr. Saverio Tripodi, Dr. Saverio Salerno, Dr. Antonio Filippone, Maurizio Capano, Salvatore Cimiero, Antero Villaverde and Mario Latella; the Dame of Office, Dr. Marika Biamonte; and Postulants Attorney Dario Gareri, Attorney Antonio Barbalace, Dr. Giuseppe Antonio Pipicelli, Angelo Crucitti and Saverio Rotundo.
PHOTOGRAPHS BELOW:
First photo: His Excellency the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli, Knight Grand Cross of Justice, Constantinian Lieutenant for Southern Italy
Third photo, from left to right: Dr. Saverio Salerno, Dr. Emanuele Scarlata, H.E. the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli and Maestro Raffaele Mazza.
