The Secretariat General of the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George has released the calendar for its next meetings in April 2024.

Saturday 6 April 2024 at 11.00 am

Church of Santa Teresa in

Caprarola

A solemn Holy Mass will take place, organized by the Delegation of Tuscia and Sabina of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.  It will be attended by the President of the Constantinian Order’s Royal Commission for Italy, H.E. Prince Don Flavio Borghese, Knight Grand Cross of Justice, and the Lieutenant for Central Italy, H.E. Ambassador Alfredo Bastianelli, Knight Grand Cross Jure Sanguinis with Gold Star.

A confraternal meal will follow.

The links between the town of Caprarola and the Royal House of the Two Sicilies are centuries old. In 1621 the latter entrusted the convent structure at Caprarola to the Order of Discalced Carmelites, who managed it until the passing of the last friars in the summer of 2019.  At that point, the Diocese of Civita Castellana took the convent over, with the consent of the Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, HRH Prince Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta, Head of the Royal House of Two Sicilies. At the conclusion of the Pilgrimage of the Constantinian Delegations of Tuscia and Sabina and of Rome and Vatican City on Sunday, 3 November 2019, the President of the Royal Commission for Italy, the late Duke Don Diego de Vargas Machuca, underlined that this transfer “represents also a significant renewed commitment in these places so linked to the Farnesian tradition first, and then the Bourbon one,” reiterating the great attention of the House of Bourbon and the Constantinian Order towards the town and its precious convent complex. In April 2018 the municipality of Caprarola granted honorary citizenship to HRH the Grand Master.

The Church of Santa Teresa is a masterpiece by Girolamo Rainaldi built in the early seventeenth century on behalf of Cardinal Odoardo Farnese, one of the most beautiful churches in Tuscia. The imposing façade, perched on a cliff right in front of the southern façade of the Farnese Palace, stands out against the intense greenery of the hill. The very particular façade, with the lateral serlianas, inspired by Venetian architecture, precedes an interior full of important works, including the portrait of Odoardo Farnese, the one who commissioned Rainaldi, a famous architect of numerous structures of the Farnese family, to fulfill the wish of his uncle, “the great Cardinal” Alessandro Farnese. Rainaldi had already worked in Caprarola on the renovation of the Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione, and on the gardens of the Palazzo Farnese, completing the monumental complex known as the “garden above.”

Inside the Church of Santa Teresa, which is rather sober for a church closer in time to the Baroque than to the Renaissance, there is a canvas depicting the miracle of Saint Sylvester, a canvas by Alessandro Turchi depicting the sermon of Saint Anthony to the fishes, a canvas depicting the beautiful Judith cutting off Holofernes’ head, and, on the main altar, a canvas by Guido Reni depicting Saint Teresa, as well as a canvas by Lanfranco.

Saturday 6 April 2024, 4.00 pm

Archbishop’s Palace

Hall of Coats of Arms

via Roberto il Guiscardo 22

Salerno

2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the death of Archbishop Nicola Monterisi (1867-1944), Metropolitan Archbishop-Primate of Salerno from 1929 to 1944.  The Popular Catholic University “Montemurro-D’Ippolito” and the Archdiocese of Salerno-Acerno-Campagna are organizing a conference on the theme of “Archbishop Nicola Monterisi and Salerno, the pastoral and humane commitment of a southern bishop.”  This will take place under the patronage of Cardinal Francesco Monterisi, of the Diocese of Conversano-Monopoli, of the Campania Region, of the Province of Salerno, of the Municipality of Salerno and of the Campania Regional Council. It will be moderated by Father Sergio Capone, vice-chancellor of the archdiocese.

The conference will begin with institutional greetings from the authorities present: the Most Reverend Andrea Bellandi, Metropolitan Archbishop-Primate of Salerno; the Mayor of Salerno; the Provincial Representative; the Regional Representative; the Representative of Cassa Risparmio di Salerno; and Cardinal Francesco Monterisi, Archpriest Emeritus of San Paolo Fuori le Mura, Dean of the “Montemurro-D’Ippolito” Catholic Popular University, nephew of Archbishop Nicola Monterisi.

The spirituality and pastoralism of Archbishop Nicola Monterisi will be discussed by Father Michele Di Martino, Professor at the Salerno Theological Institute.

Other presentations will be made by Father Michele Curto, E.S.S., Salerno Theological Institute (the episcopate of Archbishop Nicola Monterisi in the history of the church in Salerno); Father Alessandro Gallotti, Director of the Diocesan Archives (Archbishop Nicola Monterisi in the papers of the Diocesan Archives); and Can. Professor Ciro Romano, Rector of the “Montemurro-D’Ippolito” Catholic Popular University (concluding remarks). 

At 7.00 pm in the Cathedral of Salerno the solemn Eucharistic Concelebration will be presided over by Cardinal Francesco Monterisi.

Saturday 20 April 2024, 11.00 am

Solemn Pontifical Mass of Saint George for 2024

Royal Pontifical Basilica of San Francesco di Paola

Naples

The Chancellery of the Royal Commission for Italy of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George has announced that the solemn Pontifical Mass of Saint George the Martyr will be celebrated on Saturday 20 April 2024 at 11.00 am at the Royal Pontifical Basilica of San Francesco di Paola in Naples.

The Mass will be celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice of the Constantinian Order, 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, and the Grand Prefect, HRH Prince Jaime of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Noto.

At the conclusion of the Mass, HRH the Grand Master will proceed with the ceremony of awarding the diplomas of appointment and promotion to the Postulants, Knights and Ladies of the Order.

The Eucharistic Celebration will be followed at 1.00 pm by a meal at the Circolo Nazionale dell’Unione (Teatro San Carlo), a convivial moment in the presence of the Their Royal Highnesses.

The Ceremonial Officer of the Royal Commission for Italy, with the help of the Delegation of Naples and Campania, will act as lay master of ceremonies at the Mass and investiture.

 

PHOTOGRAPHS

ABOVE:  The Church of Santa Teresa in Caprarola

BELOW:  Archbishop Nicola Monterisi