Representatives of the Delegation of Apulia and Basilicata of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, led by the Delegate Avv. Dario de Letteriis, Knight Grand Cross of Jure Sanguinis, M.P., accompanied by the Representative for Potenza, Dr. Davide Dragonetti, Knight of Merit, and Father Gerardo Lasalvia, Chaplain of Merit, was received in audience on Friday, 27 February 2026 by His Grace the Most Reverend Benoni Ambarus, Archbishop of Matera–Irsina and Bishop of Tricarico, at the historic Archiepiscopal Palace of Matera, located in Piazza Duomo, in the heart of the Civita, the oldest part of this Italian city.
During the meeting, Archbishop Ambarus expressed keen interest in the ecclesial mission and activities of the Constantinian Order. In particular, he conveyed his desire to promote in-depth research into the new forms of poverty present within the territory of the two dioceses entrusted to his pastoral care.
In this context, he noted how his own pastoral program finds full harmony with the aims of the Order—charity, spirituality, and culture—as illustrated by the Delegate.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Archbishop imparted his blessing, expressing the hope that the Order might develop and strengthen its presence within the Archdiocese of Matera-Irsina and the Diocese of Tricarico.
Visit to the Cathedral of Matera
Following the audience, the delegation visited the Cathedral of the Madonna della Bruna and Saint Eustace, accompanied by the parish priest Father Angelo Gallitelli, exploring the artworks and architectural heritage preserved in Matera’s mother church.
Constructed in the thirteenth century in the Apulian Romanesque style, the cathedral dominates the Civita and represents one of the principal places of worship in the region of Basilicata.
PHOTOGRAPH BELOW: His Grace the Most Reverend Archbishop Benoni Ambarus
