On Saturday 9 November 2024 in the splendid setting of the Royal Basilica of Santa Chiara in Naples, on the occasion of the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, in concert with the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Bourbon Sovereigns, attended a solemn Holy Mass at 7.00 pm in commemoration of His Majesty Francis I of Bourbon, King of the Two Sicilies, who died on 8 November 1830 in Naples, of the Neapolitan Soldier and of all deceased Constantinian knights and ladies.
The commemoration of HM King Francis I and the Neapolitan Soldier is a recurring event and among the most significant in the annual calendar of the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Bourbon Sovereigns. This celebration underlines the importance and memory of the Royal Family of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and of those who dedicated their lives to the service of their homeland and of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
There are not many human phenomena that have passed the scrutiny of time and space unscathed and have come down to us almost unchanged. The Constantinian commemorations aim to be a small contribution to clarify how our glorious traditions and the charism of Christian chivalry have – even today – a meaning and value in the Christian definition of power as service, following the testimony of Saint George, patron of the Constantinian Order, according to the Rule of Saint Basil.
The Mass was attended by representatives of the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and of the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Bourbon Sovereigns.
Leading the representation of the Delegation of Naples and Campania, in place of the Delegate, Count Don Gianluigi Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona of the Dukes of Laurenzana, Knight of Justice, who was unable to attend due to previous commitments, were the Delegation Councilors Antonio Masselli, Knight of Jure Sanguinis, interim General Secretary, and Antonio De Stefano, Knight of Merit with Silver Star, interim Director of Communications.
Participating on behalf of the Royal Commission for Italy were the Lieutenant for Peninsular Southern Italy, H.E. the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli, and the Vice-President of the Heraldic Commission, H.E. Duke Landolfo Ambrogio Caracciolo di Melissano, Prince of Melissano and Scanno, Knights Grand Cross of Justice.
Also participating were the Knight of Justice Alfredo Buoninconti, Baron of Santa Maria Jacobi, Delegate of Campania of the Royal Circle of Francesco II of Bourbon; the Knights of Jure Sanguinis Luigi Andreozzi, Pietro Funaro, Giuseppe Maio Orsini, Giovanni Carlo Parente Zamparelli and Giovanni Samo; the Knights of Merit with Silver Star Ettore Corrado Araimo, Gesualdo Marotta and Stefano D’Ambrosio; the Knights of Merit Maurizio Barbato, Maurizio Bava Gagliardi, Antonio Caputo, Luigi Cerciello, Carlo Iavazzo, Valerio Massimo Miletti, Roberto Russo, Umberto Schioppa and Lorenzo Terzi; the Knights of Office Nicola Carifi, Nicola Di Frenna, Secretary of the Campania Delegation of the Royal Circle of Francis II of Bourbon, Antonino Giunta, Valerio Stefano Sacco, Salvatore Samo, Nicola Scarinzi and Antonio Sommese; the Postulants Silvio Beducci, Angelo De Luca, Vincenzo Fusco, Antonio Iannucci, Gennaro Napoletano, Raffaele Napolitano, Ciro Sommella and Luigi Tullio; the Volunteers of the Guard of Honour Michelangelo Ambrunzo, Raffaele Anatriello, Francesco Andreozzi, Ivan Di Vicino, Renato Fasano Celentano, Luigi Antonio Galasso, Gianluca Miloro, Diego Molinari, Francesco Muscariello, Antonio Samo, Dario Taranto, Giovanni Tartaglione and Adriano Zeni; and many friends of the Constantinian Order and the Guard of Honour.
The commemorative ceremony began with the exit in procession, and then taking seats in the pews in the nave, of the Constantinian knights in order of rank and the members of the Guard of Honour preceded by the standards of Bourbon-Two Sicilies dynasty and the Constantinian Order, followed by the General Commander and the Board of Directors of the Guard of Honour.
Having placed the flags at the Royal Chapel of the Bourbons, two Constantinian knights belonging to the Guard of Honour took turns standing on picket to guard the Royal Tombs: Giovanni Samo and Luigi Andreozzi, Knights of Jure Sanguinis; Pietro Funaro, Knight of Jure Sanguinis and Lorenzo Terzi, Knight of Merit; Maurizio Barbato, Knight of Merit, and Salvatore Samo, Knight of Office.
Before the start of the Mass, Luigi Andreozzi, Knight of Jure Sanguinis, eulogised King Francis I of Bourbon and the Neapolitan Soldier:
“This evening the Knights of the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Bourbon Sovereigns with the Volunteers, remember HM King Francis I who, despite his short reign, which lasted only 5 years, continued the work of modernizing the Kingdom begun by King Charles and King Ferdinand I, with the promotion of scientific and technological development. During his youth he received a solid education, under the guidance of qualified tutors. The young heir to the throne was instilled with an interest in natural sciences, as well as history. An innovative note of the reign of Francis I was the establishment of the Royal Order of Francis I for Civil Merit, which rewarded men of letters, men of science and those deserving of civil recognition. In this sense, this order of chivalry was the precursor of the modern civil orders of merit. A man of great faith and spirituality, on 8 November 1830 the King expressed these last words: ‘I do not wish for my suffering to cease, but rather I ask to suffer more to atone for my sins.’
Tonight we also intend to honour the figure of Neapolitan Soldier. Faceless and nameless heroes, forgotten by history. They were young and very young people who risked and then lost everything for their King and their land, even the dignity denied by a ruthless enemy. And against the latter our soldiers showed themselves loyal and even compassionate and charitable, inspired by our King Francis II. I am referring to the day in October 1860 when Garibaldi’s army attempted a sortie on the Volturno River. Unfortunately for them, bad weather and the waves of the river overwhelmed the boats and they all fell into the water, and would certainly have drowned if our heroic soldiers had not dived in and saved them all from certain death. On land they were refreshed and treated in a humane and dignified manner.
“I extend my sincere thanks to: H.E. the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli, Knight Grand Cross of Justice, Lieutenant for Southern Peninsular Italy of the Royal Commission for Italy of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, as well as Commander of the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Sovereigns Bourbon;
Count Gianluigi Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona of the Dukes of Laurenzana, Knight of Justice, Delegate for Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, who could not be present here with us today;
Fra’ Massimiliano Scarlato, OFM, Parish Priest of the Royal Basilica of Santa Chiara; the Knights of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George; the Guard of Honor at the Royal Tombs of the Bourbon Sovereigns; all of you who took part in this celebration this evening.”
The Mass was officiated by Fra’ Massimiliano Scarlato, OFM, Parish Priest of the Royal Basilica of Santa Chiara, assisted by a Franciscan friar. The liturgical music was overseen by the Chapel Master of the Basilica.
The First Reading and the Responsorial Psalm were read by Stefano D’Ambrosio, Knight of Merit with Silver Star; and the Second Reading and the Prayer of the Faithful were read by Salvatore Samo, Knight of Office. Dr. Domenico Giuseppe Costabile, Knight of Merit, was the lay master of ceremonies.
At the beginning of the Mass, Father Scarlato recalled that the Eucharistic Celebration was dedicated to the memory of HM King Francis I, the Neapolitan Soldier and deceased Constantinian knights.
At the end of the Mass, before the Concluding Blessing, the Lieutenant for Southern Peninsular Italy of the Royal Commission for Italy of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, H.E. the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli, Knight Grand Cross of Justice, remembered the Order’s deceased Brothers and Sisters:
“The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George bows in memory of all deceased Constantinian knights. As a sacred legacy they leave us their moral ethics, loyalty to the dynasty and the duty to pass on this heritage of ideals and values to posterity. We therefore remember our brothers and sisters who left this earth to continue their mission from above, to guide and protect us. In particular, we remember HRH Infante Carlos of Spain, Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta, Head of the Royal House of Two Sicilies, Grand Master of the Constantinian Order (who died on 5 October 2015); Duke Diego de Vargas Machuca, Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice with Collar, President of the Royal Commissions for Italy and for the Most Serene Republic of San Marino of the Constantinian Order (who died on 25 May 2023); and the following deceased Knights and Ladies of the Delegation of Naples and Campania: Vittorio Talamo de Vargas, Gaetano Iaia, Anna di Blasio di Palizzi, Gaetano Dal Negro, Alessandro de Simone, Mario Putaturo Donati Viscido di Nocera, Aldo Anzevino, Maria Rosaria Cavaliere, Oreste Addonizio, Gennaro Alfano, Giuseppe Barleri, Felice Carifi, Antonio del Papa, Bartolomeo Russo, Pellegrino Smichelotto and Leonardo Matrisciano.”
The interim Secretary General of the Delegation of Naples and Campania, Antonio Masselli, Knight of Jure Sanguinis, recited the Prayer of the Constantinian Knight.
After the conclusion of the Mass, those present gathered in prayer at the Royal Tombs in the Bourbon Chapel, for the recitation of the Requiem Aeternum for the commemorated deceased.
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The Order’s Delegate for Naples and Campania, Count Gianluigi Gaetani dell’Acqua d’Aragona of the Dukes of Laurenzana, Knight of Justice, declared: “These commemorations underline the commitment of the Constantinian Knight still today. The defense of the faith and the Christian testimony in works and in the spirit of service are what we have inherited and which we cherish with dedication while looking towards the future with confidence. The Cross visibly represented by the insignia we wear with pride recalls what we have in our hearts. Saint George, our patron saint, bless and guard each of us and make us joyful instruments of peace.”
The Order’s Lieutenant for Southern Peninsular Italy of the Royal Commission for Italy, H.E. Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli, Knight Grand Cross of Justice, said: “Today is a splendid opportunity to reaffirm the Christian and social commitment that the Constantinian Order has had in Italy for decades.”
