On the Vigil of the Ascension of Our Lord, May 16, 2026, Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter, Knights, Dames, Postulants, and friends of the Marche and Romagna Delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, led by the Delegate, Count Dr. Carlo Cicconi Massi, Knight Grand Cross de Jure Sanguinis with Gold Star, gathered for a Spiritual Retreat at the Parish of Saint John the Baptist in Jesi.
The meeting took place during the month dedicated to the Virgin Mary and represented an important moment of spiritual formation and fraternity for the Delegation. The presence of the Bishop of Jesi, the Most Reverend Paolo Ricciardi — appointed by Pope Francis to lead the Diocese in January 2025 after serving as Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Rome — gave particular ecclesial significance to the initiative. During his episcopal ministry, he held positions of responsibility in the fields of healthcare ministry, clergy care, the diaconate, and religious life, distinguishing himself especially for his commitment to healthcare pastoral ministry and the promotion of a Church that is “welcoming and missionary.”
The historic Church of Saint John the Baptist, known by the people of Jesi as the Church of Saint Philip, is a place deeply connected to the spirituality of Saint Philip Neri and among the most significant expressions of Marche Baroque art. Entrusted to the Oratorian Fathers in the seventeenth century, the church was rebuilt and enriched with precious decorative works, paintings, and important artistic testimonies dedicated to Saint Philip Neri and Saint John the Baptist, preserving to this day a heritage of Faith, art, and devotion that characterizes the religious history of the city of Jesi.
In the parish hall, after an introduction by the Delegate for Marche and Romagna, His Excellency Bishop Paolo Ricciardi greeted those present in his own name and on behalf of the Diocese, encouraging them to continue the commitment promoted by the Constantinian Order, aimed at the spiritual growth of each member and closeness to the needs of neighbor and Holy Mother Church.
The Delegation Chaplain, Monsignor Umberto Gasparini, Chaplain of Merit, guided the spiritual meditation with a catechesis entitled Celebration of the Eucharist: Words, Signs, and Gestures.
At the conclusion of the catechesis, Delegate Count Carlo Cicconi Massi invited Dr. Marco Pongetti, a Postulant, to present the project Local Oncology Prevention, sponsored by the Delegation.
This was followed by the celebration of Holy Mass in the parish church, presided over by the Bishop of Jesi, His Excellency the Most Reverend Paolo Ricciardi, concelebrated by Monsignor Umberto Gasparini and Father Giorgio Martelli, priest of the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno and Military Chaplain at the CAPAR Parachute Training Center of the Italian Army in Pisa, assisted by the permanent deacon of the Cathedral of Ascoli Piceno, Giuseppe Golia, recently awarded the Bronze Constantinian Medal of Merit.
Jesus continues to open His heart to His disciples in the days preceding the Passion (Gospel according to John: Jn 16:23–28 — The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and believed). He delights in anticipating the sublime realities that He will obtain for them through His now imminent death and Resurrection. Christ, Mediator between God and mankind, has made possible the existence of one single family in heaven and on earth, the family of the children of God. The Eternal Father is our Father; His kingdom, His house, and the divine life of Christ are also ours. “The Father — I can say with Jesus — loves me.” It is within this new order that Christian prayer finds its place. Previously, we did not know how to ask, nor were we able to do so. It is not simply a matter of praying, but “of having a relationship of friendship with Him who, we know, loves us” (Teresa of Jesus, Life, 8). Before, we did not know how to ask and could not do so. But now, since the Father loves us and desires our friendship, we can be certain of being heard and of receiving great joy from that loving communication with Him which is prayer. Our prayer is not ours alone; it is also, and above all, Christ’s prayer. Thus the prayers of the liturgy conclude, and thus ours should conclude as well: through Christ our Lord.
At the conclusion of Holy Mass, the Delegate for Marche and Romagna recited the Prayer of the Constantinian Knight.
Among those present were Colonel David Bastiani, Commander of the 235th “Piceno” Regiment of the Italian Army; Lieutenant Colonel Francesco Panza of the Italian Army, Knight of Merit; and Major Elpidio Balsamo, Commander of the Jesi Carabinieri Company and a Postulant.
After taking leave of the Bishop, participants had the opportunity to take a guided tour of the historic Pergolesi Theatre.
This was followed by a convivial gathering, which provided an opportunity to strengthen bonds of friendship among the participants and to collect a substantial sum donated by the Delegate to Bishop Paolo Ricciardi as charity for the works of mercy of the Diocese of Jesi.
