On Saturday 14 September 2024, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – which constitutes, together with the feast of Saint George, the most important and moving religious event of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George – a representation of the Order’s Delegation of Naples and Campania, led by the Delegate, Count Gianluigi Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona of the Dukes of Laurenzana, Knight of Justice, participated in the solemn Eucharistic Celebration at the Magistral Church, at the Real Monte and Archconfraternity di San Giuseppe dell’opera di Bestire i Audi in Naples.
Ugo de Flaviis, Knight of Merit of the Order, Superintendent of the Real Monte and Archconfraternity di San Giuseppe dell’Opera di Vestire i Nudi, welcomed the Delegate for Naples and Campania, Count Gianluigi Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona of the Dukes of Laurenzana, Knight of Justice and the officers of the Order who attended, in particular His Serene Highness Don Maurizio Ferrante Gonzaga di Vescovato, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Marquis of Vodice, Knight Grand Cross of Justice, Councilor of the Royal Deputation and of the Royal Commission for Italy, Knight of the Royal and Illustrious Order of San Gennaro, Honorary President of the Royal Circle of Francis II of Bourbon; and H.E. the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli, Knight Grand Cross of Justice, Lieutenant for Southern Peninsular Italy of the Order’s Royal Commission for Italy, and Interim Delegate for Calabria.
The solemn Mass for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was presided over at 6.00 pm by Fra’ Sergio Galdi d’Aragona, O.F.M., Chaplain of Justice of the Constantinian Order, Commissioner General of the Holy Land in Naples. The concelebrant was Father Lucio D’Abbraccio, Chaplain of Merit, assisted by Dr. Domenico Giuseppe Costabile, Knight of Merit, and by a seminarian from the Commissariat of the Holy Land in Naples.
The Readings and the Responsorial Psalm were read by Dr. Domenico Giuseppe Costabile, Knight of Merit. The Gospel was proclaimed by Father Lucio D’Abbraccio, Chaplain of Merit. The Prayer of the Faithful was recited by Alessandro Franchi, Knight of Merit with Silver Star.
In his homily, Fra’ Sergio Galdi d’Aragona offered a historical excursus on the True Cross, starting with the discovery made by Saint Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine. He then explored the themes of spirituality, explaining how the Cross, despite being a supreme means of suffering, also represents a sign of hope and charity.
At the conclusion of the Mass, the Delegate for Naples and Campania, Count Gianluigi Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona, recited the Prayer of the Constantinian Knight.
In addition to those already mentioned, other members of the Constantinian Order in attendance were the Knights of Justice, Count Gerardo Mariano Rocco di Torrepadula (Delegate of the Dynastic Orders of the House of Savoy in Naples) and Dr. Alfredo Buoninconti, Baron of Santa Maria Jacobi, Delegate of Campania of the Royal Circle of Francis II of Bourbon; the Knights of Jure Sanguinis Dr. Pietro Confessore d’Introna, Eng. Patrizio Giangreco, Dr. Antonio Masselli, Attorney Giuseppe Raimondo Maio Orsini, Attorney Giovanni Carlo Parente Zamparelli, and Dr. Pietro Funaro; the Knights of Merit with Silver Star Prof. Antonio De Stefano, Attorney Gesualdo Marotta, Attorney Stefano d’Ambrosio, Dr. Ettore Corrado Araimo; the Knights of Merit Dr. Maurizio Bava, Dr. Valerio Massimo Miletti, Carlo Iavazzo, Maurizio Barbato, Dr. Luog.te Mar. Roberto Russo, Antonio Caputo, Francesco Saverio Barbato Romano, Prof. Luigi Cerciello; the Knights of Office Michele Todino, Luigi Scarano, Nicola Scarinzi, Dr. Antonino Giunta, Nicola Carifi, Prof. Valerio Stefano Sacco, Nicola Di Frenna, Secretary of the Campania Delegation of the Royal Circle of Francis II of Bourbon; and Postulants Dr. Angelo De Luca, Luigi Tullio, Attorney Vincenzo Fusco, Dr. Ciro Sommella, Dr. Gennaro Napoletano, Silvio Beducci, Raffaele Piccolo, Matteo Scozzi, Adriano Zeni, Diego Molinari, Antonio Virgili, Raffaele Anatriello , Giovanni Tartaglione, accompanied by family and friends of the Order.
After the final blessing and the singing of the Salve Regina, the Delegate for Naples and Campania gave a short speech, expressing words of greeting and thanks, and also some guidelines. In reference to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, he highlighted that the Cross that the Constantinian knights wear on their church cape and the spirit of service that derives from it must animate all members of the Order. Through the spirit of service and under the guidance of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is essential to implement a synergy that fraternally unites all members to achieve the common goal of doing good and helping others, especially people in difficulty. Furthermore, he expressed the will and desire to get to know every single member of the Delegation in order to create this synergy of service that has distinguished the Constantinian Order for centuries.
At the conclusion of the Mass, Count Gianluigi Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona, H.E. the Marquis Pierluigi Sanfelice di Bagnoli and Fra’ Sergio Galdi d’Aragona met with the guests and expressed the hope of seeing them again as soon as possible.
