Rome, 19 October 2012. Clarification about the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George in regards of the publication by the Vatican Secretariat of State.
“We welcome the helpful publication by the Vatican Secretariat of State of its position concerning the recognition by the Holy See of numerous Equestrian Orders. This position is longstanding, well understood and appreciated by the Grand Master and Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order”.
London, July 2012. The Honourable Kenny Anthony, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, and Chairman of CARICOM – the Caribbean Community Secretariat, has been awarded the Gold Benemerenti Medal of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George. The award was made in recognition of his contribution to public life and charitable endeavour. It was presented by HRH The Duke of Castro, Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, in a ceremony held in London on 28 July 2012 attended by over 250 leading royal, state, religious and diplomatic personalities from across the world.
Mr Anthony who has been Prime Minister of Saint Lucia since 2011, previously as Prime Minister from 1997 to 2006. As leader of the Saint Lucia Labour Party, he was Leader of the Opposition from 2006 to 2011.
London, June 2012.The Bourbon-Two Sicilies Royal Family, The Duke and Duchess of Castro, Princess Maria Chiara and Princess Maria Carolina spent the long weekend retracing their families history by visiting some of the most important places associated with the former kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The Royal Family visited the magnificent Royal Palace of Caserta which was commissioned by their ancestor King Carlo of Bourbon in the eighteenth century and built by renowned architect Luigi Vanvitelli.
The monument, unique in the world and rivalling in size and magnificence only with the Palace of Versailles, was the scene in 2002 of a royal banquet for over 300 prominent guests from across the world which was held to mark the Baptism of Princess Maria Carolina. Subsequently, the Royal Family visited Salerno and Naples. During the visit, Princess Maria Carolina celebrated her nineth birthday with a visit to Capri and visited the magnificnent ‘Blue Grotto’.
Naples, June 2012. Cardinal Martino invested Knight of the Order of St Januarius by HRH The Duke of Castro, Grand Master of the the Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Januarius. His Eminence Renato Raffaele, Cardinal Martino, was invested as a Knight of the Order during the investiture mass held at the Basilica of Santa Chiara in Naples on 25 June 2012. The ceremony was attended by senior military, civil, religious and aristocratic figures from Italy.
The Order was founded in 1738 honours the patron saint of Naples. It is the premier Order of Knighthood of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies.
The Order is bestowed rarely and only up to a maximum of twenty worthy gentlemen professing the Catholic Faith. It is traditionally drawn from the Royal Families of Europe and the high aristocracy of the Two Sicilies. (Princes of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies are considered “supernumerary” knights).
Its earliest statutes, promulgated in 1738, establish it as a Roman Catholic institution intended to foster true chivalry and Christian brotherhood.
London, June 2012. His Excellency Archbishop Antonio Mennini was invested into the Constantinian Order. The Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St James’s, was invested at a ceremony held at the Apostolic Nunciature in London.
The Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, presented Archbishop Mennini with the insignia of an Ecclesiastical Knight Grand Cross of Grace of the Constantinian Order. The Delegate also extended the warm wishes and congratulations of the Order’s Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Castro, and the Grand Prior, HE Renato Raffaele, Cardinal Martino.
Among those attending were: The Rt Rev Mgr Brian Udaigwe, First Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature, the Rev Mgr Vincent Brady, Private Secretary to the Apostolic Nuncio, HSH Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg, The Rev Deacon Meliton Richard Oakes (representing HE Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain), Dr Colin Smythe, HE Mr John Kennedy, Mr Leslie Hayward, Mr John James, Mr Joseph Byllam-Barnes and Dr Jordan Lancaster.
18 March 2012. His Majesty King George Tupou V of Tonga passes away. At this sad news H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, head of the Royal House of Naples, sent to the Royal family of Tonga the expression of his deep heartfelt condolences in memory of the recent visit to Rome by His Majesty and of the friendly relations launched on this occasion.
Rome, 28 February 2012. Duke & Duchess of Castro honoured by HM King George V Tupou of Tonga, on the occasion of his visit to Rome decreed that the Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, HRH The Duke of Castro, receives the insignia of a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Devoted Royal Household Order of Tonga. HRH The Duchess of Castro received the insignia of a Dame Grand Cross of the same Order.
The Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order, His Eminence Renato Raffaele, Cardinal Martino, received the insignia on behalf of the Grand Master and the Duchess of Castro who were overseas at the time.
Among others honoured with the insignia of a Grand Officer of the Most Devoted Royal Household Order of Tonga were the Secretary General of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, HE Ambassador Giuseppe Balboni Acqua, the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations HE Mr Anthony Bailey and HSH Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg.
Rome – 28 February 2012. By decree of the Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Castro, His Majesty King George V Tupou of Tonga was invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I in recognition of the warm ties, which exist between the two Royal dynasties.
The Tongan monarch, who is a Methodist, was also awarded the Gold Benemerenti Medal of the Constantinian Order in recognition of King George’s efforts to defend and protect the Christian faith in Tonga and for his global contribution to further greater inter-religious understanding.
The two high awards were presented to King George V Tupou by the Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order, His Eminence Renato Raffaele, Cardinal Martino, in the presence of senior officials from both sides.
Cardinal Martino also presented on behalf of the Grand Master the insignia of the Knight Grand Cross of Merit of the Constantinian Order on Mr David Dunkley, Private Secretary to the King and the insignia of Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I on the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Tonga to the Italian Republic HE Mr Sione Ngongo Kioa.
Rome, 27 February 2012. The Grand Prior of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George, His Eminence Renato Raffaele, Cardinal Martino, representing the Grand Master, received in Rome the Tongan Head of State, His Majesty King George V Tupou.
His Eminence and His Majesty held cordial talks on furthering co-operation between the Constantinian Order and the Kingdom of Tonga. Cardinal Martino recalled his past visit to Tonga – a country where Roman Catholics in the south pacific nation number some 16%. The King also paid tribute to the role and contribution of the Catholic community to Tongan society.
Among other issues discussed were the role of faith in Tonga and the wider pacific region, inter-religious understanding and the joint desire to further cooperation at all levels between Italy and Tonga.
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Tonga to the Italian Republic, HE Mr Sione Ngongo Kioa and Mr David Dunkley, Principal Private Secretary to the Tongan monarch were among the members of the Tongan delegation present during the one hour meeting which was followed by a reception.
The Constantinian Order delegationin attendance on the Grand Prior were the Secretary General of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, HE Ambassador Giuseppe Balboni Acqua, KCVO, the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey and his wife HSH Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg, Dr Alberto Calafato Janelli, Private Secretary to The Duke and Duchess of Castro and Mr Vincenzo Giovagnorio Head of the Protocol of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George.
During King George V Tupou’s visit to Rome His Majesty also paid an official visit to the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican City and held talks with HMEH Frà Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta at the Palace of Malta in Rome.
H.R.H. Prince Charles and Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke and Duchess of Castro, will be presiding this important event to which will also take part many Constantinian Knights and Dames from all over Italy.
