On March 1, 2026, the Second Sunday of Lent, a representation from the Molise Delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, led by the Delegate, Nob. Eng. Ettore de la Grennelais, Knight of Justice, together with the Secretary General, Dr. Nicola Burdiat, Knight of Merit with Silver Star, and a group of postulants and friends of the Constantinian Order, took part—at the invitation of the parish priest Father Domenico Veccia, Chaplain of Merit—in the celebration of Holy Mass at the Church of Saint Joseph the Worker in San Lazzaro in Isernia, Italy.

The celebration assumed particular significance for two reasons. It was, in fact, the first Holy Mass in which the newly established Molise Delegation participated at its own reference church. Moreover, the event was intentionally scheduled to coincide with the final day on which the relic of Saint John Paul II was exposed for the veneration of the faithful.

The relic consists of the shirt worn by the Holy Pontiff on May 13, 1981, at the moment of the assassination attempt in St. Peter’s Square.

At the beginning of the celebration, the parish priest greeted the Delegation, noting that it had begun its journey precisely within the parish community of Saint Joseph the Worker, which will serve as its permanent seat. He expressed the hope that the presence of the Delegation would represent a shared path of faith and service.

At the conclusion of the Mass, before the final blessing, the Delegate led the recitation of the Prayer of the Constantinian Knight, thanking the parish community for its warm welcome and reaffirming the Delegation’s mission of service throughout the Molise region.

The participation of the Constantinian delegation in the celebration represented a meaningful spiritual beginning for the journey of the Molise Delegation, entrusted to the intercession of Saint John Paul II and rooted in the liturgical and pastoral life of the parish community of Isernia.

In his homily, Father Domenico Veccia recalled the significance of the Lenten season, inviting the faithful to live prayer, penance, and charity with intensity in preparation for Easter. Reflecting on the Gospel of the Transfiguration, he emphasized how the glory of the Lord is a prelude to the Resurrection, yet passes through tribulation and sacrifice.

He then exhorted those present to unite themselves with Christ even in suffering, to remain firmly anchored to Him — like ivy to a wall — and to become authentic witnesses in a world that often drifts away from God.

Particular emphasis was placed on the value of the Eucharist as the real presence of the Lord and the source of transformation and conversion.

Relic of Saint John Paul II

The relic of Saint John Paul II displayed in Isernia consists of the cotton shirt worn by the Holy Pontiff during the assassination attempt of May 13, 1981. The garment was recovered by a nurse at the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli in Roma and was subsequently kept by the Figlie della Carità di San Vincenzo de’ Paoli.

After the beatification of the Pontiff, the item was recognized as a relic and is today venerated at the Casa “Regina Mundi” in Rome. Its exposition, which will continue in other churches of the Diocese of Isernia-Venafro, has represented for the parish community a significant moment of prayer and remembrance of the sacrifice and witness of the Pope.

At the conclusion of Mass, the parish priest invited the faithful to greet the relic of Saint John Paul II with the prayer composed by Angelo Comastri, invoking the protection of the Holy Pontiff for the Molise Delegation.

The prayer to Saint John Paul II composed by Cardinal Angelo Comastri is an intense supplication asking for the intercession of the Holy Pope so that the faithful may follow his example. The text calls upon believers to be “sowers of forgiveness and tireless workers for peace,” keeping their gaze fixed on Jesus and Mary.