This is a translation from Italian of the February 3, 2024 Publisher’s Blog
by Vik van Brantegem. [See: Korazym.org/Publisher’s Blog, 02.03.2024 – Vik van Brantegem]
On Thursday 1 February 2024 at 7.00 pm at the Royal Basilica of Santa Chiara in Naples, where she rests in the Royal Chapel of the Bourbons, Mass was celebrated in liturgical memory of Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy, Queen of the Two Sicilies and mother of the last King of the Two Sicilies, the Servant of God Francis II of Bourbon.
The solemn celebration, which this year coincided with the tenth anniversary of her beatification, saw the participation of the associations that historically represent the family of birth of the Blessed Maria Cristina and the family she married into: the Royal House of Savoy, as Princess Maria Cristina was a daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele I and his spouse Maria Teresa of Habsburg, sovereigns of the Kingdom of Sardinia; and the Royal House of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies, the dynasty she joined upon marriage, having married King Ferdinand II and given birth to his heir Francis II, in which she expressed her spirituality in its deepest aspects.
The celebration was organized by the Institute of the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Pantheon, led by Dr. Edoardo Pilone Poli, who invited the following to participate, in order best to express the unity of purpose of both families of Blessed Maria Cristina: the Delegation of the Dynastic Orders of the House of Savoy, led by its Delegate, the Nob. Gerardo Mariano Rocco di Torrepadula, Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Maurice and Lazarus; and the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, led by its Delegate, Nob. Manuel de Goyzueta di Toverena, of the Marquises of Toverena and Trentenare, Knight of Justice. In addition, on behalf of the Royal Commission for Italy of the Constantinian Order, the Head of Communications, Comm. Vik van Brantegem, Knight of Merit with Silver Star, was present.
The solemn Eucharistic Concelebration was presided over by the Vicar of the Neapolitan Province of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of the Order of Friars Minor, Fra’ Giuseppe Sorrentino. 16 friars of the Franciscan community concelebrated, including the Provincial, Fra’ Carlo Maria D’Amodio, Chaplain of Merit of the Constantinian Order; the Guardian of Santa Chiara, Fra’ Massimiliano Scarlato; the Chancellor to the Archbishop of Naples, Fra’ Luigi Ortaglio; and the Chief Chaplain of the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Constantinian Order, Fra’ Sergio Galdi d’Aragona, Chaplain of Justice and General Commissioner in Naples of the Custody of the Holy Land.
In his homily, focused on the readings (1 Corinthians 13: “These then are the three things that remain: faith, hope and charity; but the greatest of all is charity!”; and Matthew 5,13-16: “You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world”), Fra’ Giuseppe Sorrentino underlined that those who participated in the celebration gathered in the presence of God, because they encountered the Lord in the face of Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy, who with total devotion embodied faith, hope and charity, and who, with her short life, was indeed the salt of the earth and light of the world. Fra’ Sorrentino also emphasized that Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy understood her role as Queen as a continuous search for works of charity for her poorest and neediest subjects.
At the end of the Mass, Fra’ Sorrentino blessed the simulacrum which perfectly reproduces the features of the Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy, created by a group of artists from Trani, and the reconstruction of her clothes and jewels, created by the Atelier Bencivenga of Grumo Nevano, present at the celebration. This effigy makes her seem truly alive, sleeping in a seraphic smile, with delicate features and a white complexion.
The effigy, which was gratefully welcomed last January 28th by Fra’ Massimiliano Scarlato and the Franciscan community, will remain on display until February 4th. In these eight days a different aspect of the life of Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy will be remembered each day, from her way of exercising charity not by a simple offering but with the concrete commitment to give the least and marginalized the actual possibility of social redemption; how she faced the challenges within her husband’s family, in being a Christian wife capable of ending intra-family conflicts and the constancy with which she continuously sought in prayer a way to intimacy with God. He expected the latter to be very timely in the year of prayer announced by Pope Francis in preparation for the jubilee.
Heartfelt compliments were expressed by Fra’ Massimiliano Scarlato on behalf of the Franciscan community, in particular for the success of the celebration and the collaboration of the Orders present, as well as thanks for the participation of the parish community.
Subsequently, the Delegates respectively of the Dynastic Orders of the House of Savoy and of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George read messages of greeting and participation from HRH Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and HRH Prince Pedro of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta, Head of the Royal House of Two Sicilies. Finally, the Nob. Gerardo Mariano Rocco di Torrepadula recited the Prayer for Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy and the Nob. Manuel de Goyzueta di Toverena recited the Prayer of the Constantinian Knight.
Below we report the Message from the Head of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies addressed to and read by the Nob. Don Manuel de Goyzueta di Toverena, of the Marquises of Toverena and Trentinara, Knight of Justice, Delegate of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, written from Madrid on 18 January 2024:
Dear Manuel,
It is with great satisfaction that I learned of the solemn Holy Mass in liturgical memory of Blessed Maria Christina of Savoy, which will be celebrated on February 1st in the Royal Basilica of Santa Chiara in Naples.
It is with particular joy that I received the news of the participation in this solemn event of a representation of the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, upon the kind invitation of the National Institute for the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Pantheon, with the participation of the Dynastic Orders of the House of Savoy.
The solemn Holy Mass is configured as a moment of profound spirituality and reflection, in which, 10 years after her beatification, the memory of the mother of the last King of the Two Sicilies, the Servant of God Francis II of Bourbon, will be honoured.
Joining in prayer on this occasion will not only help preserve and promote the rich history of our land, but also strengthen the connection with its noble traditions.
May the strong faith of the “queen in love with Jesus” and the example she gave during her short but intense life —in initiating a new concept of charity, to offer the needy the opportunity for a better life— be an inspiration and stimulus for the coming generations to cooperate so that Christian life is reawakened in practice and in the most eminent social works of Christian charity in our land.
Trusting in her participation in leading the Constantinian representation in this event of great significance and in the important role that the Delegation of Naples and Campania will play on this occasion, I wish that all participants will have a profoundly cultural and spiritual experience.
With best regards,
Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta
Head of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies
The solemn celebration was followed by an informal meal organized spontaneously out of a desire to continue the evening in friendship and on the basis of common chivalric values, during which a sincere and pleasant meeting occurred between the knights of these prestigious dynastic Orders, promoting brotherhood and sharing common chivalric values in an atmosphere of unity and mutual respect.
In particular, in addition to the Constantinian Knights present, there were also, among others, the Delegate of the Dynastic Orders of the House of Savoy, Grand Officer Gerardo Mariano Rocco di Torrepadula; the Delegate of the National Institute for the Guard of Honour at the Tombs of the Pantheon, Comm. Eduardo Pilone Poli; Dame Rosanna Tifi; Officer John Felice di Prisco; Officer Salvatore Guzzi; Officer Salvatore De Chiara; the Nob. Count Alessandro del Balzo di Presenzano; Cav. Rev. Don Luigi Abid Sid; Guard of Honour Filippo Zara; and many other friends.
The final toast made by the Delegate of the Dynastic Orders of the House of Savoy, in honour of HRH Prince Pedro of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, was very touching, followed by the toast proposed by the Delegate of Naples and Campania of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George in honour of HRH Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples.
Life of Blessed Maria Cristina
Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy, Queen of the Two Sicilies, was the youngest daughter of the King of Sardinia, Vittorio Emanuele I, and of Archduchess Maria Teresa of Habsburg-Este. Born on 14 November 1812 in Cagliari, she was the first wife of Ferdinand II of Bourbon, King of the Two Sicilies. Having passed away at the age of twenty-four on 31 January 1836 in the odor of sanctity, she was called “the holy queen” by Neapolitans. The faith of the “queen in love with Jesus” was so strong that at the point of death she heartened those who were in tears at her bedside and stated with the little breath she had left: “I believe in God, I love God, I hope in God”.
She was one of the first to launch a new concept of charity, working to offer the needy the opportunity for a better life. In the most abandoned neighbourhoods of Naples she opened furniture and knitwear factories, and she introduced the production of clothes and fabrics into the silk mills of Caserta, giving work and redemption to many people.
Beautiful, gentle and cultured – “charmante et parfaite”, the Count of Cavour defined her – at ease with ambassadors, sovereigns and lazzaroni, bearer of a political vision of a reformist and, sometimes, an openly liberal orientation: these are the characteristics of Maria Cristina, who in the short span of her life was able to carve out a profile of great depth, despite her extreme reserve.
Queen Maria Cristina managed to establish a relationship of profound mutual respect with her husband and to be at his side not only in marital life, but also in political and social life, albeit in a discreet way.
Alongside this “indirect role”, the queen’s real efforts stand out in the management of public assistance and charity, in the promotion of state patronage, and in the creation of projects relating to the custody and preservation of the architectural and cultural heritage of the Kingdom . Even from the point of view of diplomatic relations, Queen Maria Cristina was able to have a profound impact, giving life to a complex business network and capable of strengthening the international thrust of the Crown of the Two Sicilies.
A study of the historical record allows us to outline the face of a “modern” and cosmopolitan queen, hostile to political persecution (her intercessions for the suspension of the death penalty were famous, which led to a moratorium for political prisoners), attentive to themes of emancipation (especially female), protection of arts and antiquities, communication with the masses, assistance to the poor and state social assistance, which establish in all respects that she was a “surrogate” for true political advocacy.
She was responsible for the establishment of a factory producing beds, clothing and blankets at the convent of San Domenico Soriano, to distribute the products to less wealthy families; she was responsible for the relaunch of coral processing in Torre del Greco and that of the silk industry in San Leucio, two extraordinary economic policy measures that are still waiting to be studied in an in-depth and analytical way: it was she who took steps in the direction of the principles of work that are part of the Social Doctrine of the Church. In fact, she was responsible for the extension of social protection measures and the relaunch of manufacturing and trade in all the provinces of the Kingdom, and in particular in “rebel” Sicily, in the belief that only a renewed presence of the State and a more lenient face of the monarchy could bridge the distance between the island of Sicily and the mainland capital in Naples.
Maria Cristina died not yet twenty-four years of age due to the after-effects of childbirth, while giving birth to her only son Francis, who upon his father’s death would ascend to the throne as King Francis II, thus becoming the last reigning King of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Francis II himself would have been educated in the cult of his mother, called the Holy Queen. The only daughter of the Servant of God Francis II and his wife Maria Sophia (born a Princess of Bavaria), a child who was born when her parents were already in exile, was given her grandmother’s name. However, little Maria Cristina Pia only lived for a few months.
The memory of Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy is preserved and disseminated with extraordinary commitment by the cultural conferences that are dedicated to her and spread across the entire national territory. They continue – through conferences, projects involving different local efforts, and publication of the quarterly magazine Rassegna – all inspired by her life and works.
The Maria Cristina di Savoia Cultural Conferences – which hold active membership of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (UMOFC) – were begun in Rome in 1937. Already in 1940, there were around thirty “Works” which, in the second half of the century, gradually extended to all the main Italian cities. In 1971 – when the “Works” had ceased to exist as such – the Conferences were organized as an autonomous association, with their own statutes and their own organizational structure, which maintained the previous Christian inspiration and was recognized by the competent Ecclesiastical Authorities in 1973. Representatives of the Maria Cristina movement had the honour of being received repeatedly in private audiences by the many pontiffs, including Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II.
The Maria Cristina di Savoia Cultural Conferences are meetings and gatherings that are identified above all in centers of apostolate and Christian penetration into the socio-cultural world at a local level. To the lessons, conferences, small libraries and spiritual retreats of the first period were added other activities after the Second World War, such as courses on religious, moral and social culture, and finally seminars, round tables and debates open to the public.
The association wants to be at the service of the Catholic Church in its mission of evangelization, and has the following objectives: Christian, religious, moral, cultural and social training of its members; and Christian testimony and active presence in social life. It currently has around 3,500 members and more than 80 conferences throughout Italy, which organize lectures, meetings and round tables on religious, social and cultural topics, with speakers who guarantee a correct Christian approach.
King Ferdinand II began the process of beatification of Queen Consort Maria Cristina and on 10 July 1859 the Holy See proclaimed her Venerable. Then, the cause of beatification and canonization was restarted by the Maria Cristina di Savoia Cultural Conferences. With a letter dated 17 November 2004 signed by Prof. Margherita Elia Leozappa, President of the Conferences, Fra’ Luca De Rosa, O.F.M., was appointed postulator of the cause of beatification and canonization, accepted on 3 December 2004 by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. In the audience of 2 May 2013 with Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree regarding the miracle attributed to the intercession of Maria Cristina.
On Saturday 25 January 2014, at 11.00 am, at the Royal Basilica of Santa Chiara of Naples, where she is buried in the Royal Chapel of the Bourbons, the beatification rite was held in a solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Metropolitan Archbishop of Naples. Among the concelebrants were the legate Cardinal Angelo Amato, Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino and the Archbishops Tommaso Caputo, Armando Dini, Fabio Bernardo D’Onorio, Arrigo Miglio and Mario Milano.
