Category: Delegation of Sicily

Monreale –  On Saturday, March 4, 2017, the investiture ceremony for the new knights and dames of our Order took place in the Cathedral of Monreale.

The Solemn Pontifical was officiated by the Grand Prior of the Order, His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Proto-Deacon of the Holy Roman Church, concelebrated by the Prior for Sicily, His Most Reverend Excellency Mons. Michele Pennisi, Archbishop of Monreale, and by the Eparch of the Diocese of Piana degli Albanesi, His Most Rev. Excellency Mons. Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro.

The ceremony took place in the presence of H.R.H. Princess Beatrice of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Grand Prefect, and numerous dignitaries of the Order, including the Delegate for Sicily, Don Lucio Bonaccorsi of the Princes of Reburdone, the Vice Delegate for Sicily, Nob. Antonio di Jani, the Vice Delegate for Tuscany, Edoardo Puccetti, the Vice Delegate for Calabria, Aurelio Badolati. Also present were numerous civilian and military authorities, including the Mayors of Monreale and Barrafranca (EN) and the General of the Carabinieri Legion, Riccardo Galletta.

During the ceremony Cardinal Martino emphasized the need for the Constantinian knights to be the living symbols of the Christian Cross.  According to His Eminence, Lent should be considered as a period of reflection and rediscovery of the true Christian spirit, a spirit  to be transformed into tangible actions for the benefit of our neighbors,  this being the special prerogative of the knights of our sacred order.

At the conclusion of the ceremony all present went to the Gala Luncheon held in the Hotel San Paolo Palace of Palermo. During the meal the Mayor of Barrafranca, Fabio Accardi, presented to Princess Beatrice, Grand Prefect, the deliberation of the Municipal Council to dedicate a street to the Blessed Maria Cristina of Bourbon, Queen of the Two Sicilies.  At the end of the evening, the Grand Prefect, on behalf of the Grand Master Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro,  appointed the Vice Delegate for Sicily Antonio di Janni, Knight of Grand Cross of the Royal Order Francis I, rewarding him for his continuous and generous commitment to the needy through the project “Crumbs of Health” and other deserving social, religious and cultural initiatives carried out throughout Sicily.

On the day prior H.R.H. had met with His Most Reverend Eminence Msgr Michele Pennisi, Archbishop of Monreale, to donate a lifesaving electro medical defibrillator for the Cathedral.

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Palermo, Dott. Antonio di Janni, Knight Grand Cross of Grace and Vice Delegate for Sicily, reactivated an earlier project that had been implemented almost seven years ago: using sports to help young people love life and stay away from alcohol and drugs.

For this reason the vice delegate took up a small collection among his Knights to buy and donate to a gym on the outskirts of Palermo 20 white Judogi for young athletes who will soon be taking part in martial arts competitions.

This is a gesture of affection for the youngsters who will be participating, in addition to an encouragement to take part in sports activities. The athletes who participate in these competitions will be wearing a kimono bearing the Constantinian symbols.

On Saturday, February 11, the Vice Delegate of the Sicilian Delegation, Dott. Antonio di Janni, together with Knights Matteo Bertino and Giuseppe Balsamo, was received by the Bishop of Piazza Armerina, H.M.R.E.  Mons. Rosario Gisana,  Knight Commander of Ecclesiastical Grace. During the meeting they drafted a program for the monthly project “Crumbs of Health” in the diocese and scheduled meetings with the senior citizens living in the Hospice “Boccone del povero”. They also planned an additional humanitarian activity to provide medical instruments to the clinic for the needy set up by the Diocese in Enna.

At the conclusion of the meeting the Vice Delegate gave the Bishop a letter from His Most Rev. Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order. The letter accompanies and introduces the Pontifical Decree for Plenary Indulgence granted to the Constantinian Knights and Dames by His Holiness Pope Francis during the Order’s Jubilee celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica in May 2016.

As part of the “Crumbs of Health” project items for infants were distributed that afternoon in the Church of S. Stefano in Piazza Armerina. The items included diapers, pastina, cookies, milk, homogenized food and more.

This wonderful initiative was then repeated in Acireale where the Vice Delegate, after meeting with H.E. Mons. Antonino Raspanti, Bishop of Acireale, organized a delivery of food supplies for  the project “Crumbs of Health”.
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Palermo, January 2017 – During the month of January the always active Sicilian Delegation carried out numerous activities in support of the less fortunate.
On January 18 the regular distribution of products for infants took place in Monreale, as part of the program “Crumbs of health”. The Vice Delegate, Nob. Dott. Antonio di Janni and several Knights and volunteers distributed more than 120 liters of milk, diapers, 90 containers of homogenized baby food, cookies, pastries and 90 kg of pastina to approximately 50 children of needy families.

To assist several groups of seniors during a particularly cold season when temperatures dipped well below Sicilian averages, the Delegation purchased and distributed bed warmers to needy seniors living in senior care facilities or living in precarious conditions without heat.
On January 21 the Vice Delegate, always attentive to combining charity initiatives with cultural ones of the Knights and Dames of the Delegation organized the first concert of 2017, XI Concerto Season directed by Maestro Alberto Giacchino in the Constantinian Basilica della Magione in Palermo.
Soprano Dalila Alessandra Virga and guitar virtuoso Dario Cirrito performed Spanish music of the 1700s and 1800s.
At the conclusion of the performance, Mons. Salvatore Grimaldi, Constantinian priest and chaplain, together with Nob. Dott. Sergio Emanuele di Torralta, Knight of Grace, conferred the Sicilian Delegation’s certificates of appreciation to the two performers.

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Palermo, 23 dicembre 2016 – Si è tenuta presso la basilica costantiniana detta La Magione a Palermo una Santa Messa per i Cavalieri e le Dame costantiniane della Sicilia. Mons. Salvatore Grimaldi, parroco della chiesa e cappellano costantiniano, nel corso della celebrazione ha ricordato l’importante lavoro e gli aiuti che i cavalieri svolgono nella basilica e per l’intera regione, attraverso le molteplici attività in cui sono impegnati.

Subito dopo la S. Messa si è tenuto un concerto di musica classica in cui si sono esibiti i cantanti del coro “I Solisti Operalaboratorio” che hanno interpretato canti natalizi e Ave maria di vari autori. E’ seguito un pranzo negli attigui saloni il cui ricavato è stato devoluto per i poveri della parrocchia.

Nella giornata del 25, poi, i Cavalieri e le Dame, guidati dal Delegato Vicario Nob. Dott. Antonio di Janni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce di Grazia, hanno offerto come ogni anno il pranzo di Natale  alle anziane ospiti della struttura dell’ opera Pia di Monreale, servendo il pranzo alle ospiti, alla presenza, tra gli altri, del sindaco di Monreale Avv. Capizzi.

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La Delegazione siciliana ha anche per il mese di dicembre, già messo in cantiere numerose attività.
Per condividere con i più bisognosi la Festa dell’Immacolata e ricordare la fondazione del Regno delle Due Sicilie quest’anno è stato organizzato un pranzo per 70 indigenti nell’Oratorio “Suor Florenzia” della Chiesa di San Francesco di Paola a Catania. Particolarmente apprezzata dal Parroco l’iniziativa di preparare e consegnare a casa alcuni pasti per persone indigenti del quartiere della Civita che non potevano, per diversi motivi, essere presenti.
Come già annunciato precedentemente, la notte del 14 dicembre è stato replicato il nuovo progetto di Solidarietà degli “Angeli Costantiniani”, un progetto di aiuti umanitari che offre ai senza tetto un servizio di vicinanza e sostegno non solo materiale ma anche e soprattutto morale. Nel corso della serata sono stati oltre 50 i sacchetti con i generi di prima necessità utili al sostentamento dei clochard, e molti sono stati i momenti di condivisione emotiva con tutti loro.
Come di consueto si è svolta, sempre il giorno 14, la tradizionale distribuzione nell’ambito del progetto di Solidarietà “Briciole di Salute” a Monreale. Nell’occasione, visto l’approssimarsi delle festività natalizie,, oltre ai consueti prodotti per la prima infanzia quali latte, biscotti, pannolini, omogeneizzati ed altro, i piccoli bambini sono stati omaggiati con panettoni e pandori, unitamente all’augurio di trascorrere un sereno Natale con i propri cari. L’iniziativa Briciole di Salute è poi stata replicata, nella giornata del 17, anche a Noto, presso la mensa di S. Corrado, e a Palermo.

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La Delegazione Sicilia assiste da più di un anno il piccolo Salvatore Badagliacca affetto dalla rara sindrome di Arnold-Dichiari, una mancata crescita del cranio posteriore.
La Delegazione ha finanziato a più riprese i viaggi e la permanenza della famiglia a Firenze presso l’ospedale pediatrico Meier per gli accertamenti del caso. A gennaio 2017 il piccolo sarà finalmente sottoposto ad un intervento, si spera, risolutivo.
Anche in questa occasione la Delegazione, assieme all’Arcivescovato di Monreale, si occuperà di sostenere le spese di viaggio e dell’alloggio oltre che del sostegno economico alla famiglia.

Palermo, 27 November 2016  – The Sicily Delegation donated a defibrillator to the Church of St. Francis of Paola to be used  for the needy in the Cardiology Clinic  operated by the Friars  of the Order of the Minims.   This clinic was instituted specifically to meet the needs of those who cannot afford the cost of medical care. At the conclusion of mass, the Provincial Father of St. Francis of Paola, Father Saverio Cento, Constantinian chaplain, accepted the medical equipment and thanked the Knights and Dames of Sicily for their commitment and for their many charitable activities.

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PALERMO AND NOTO – Many charitable activities were carried out by the Sicilian Delegation during the month of November.
On the evening of 23 November, volunteers of the “Constantinian Angels”, led by Vice Delegate Nobile Dott. Antonio di Janni, met in Piazza Ignazio Florio and proceeded toward the “darkest” areas of the city, searching for homeless in need of aid and support.
The patrol helped 35 homeless, providing them with sacks of food but also, and especially, the human care and attention that is so important to us all.
The Delegation was also active in the initiative “Crumbs of Health”, distributing over 100 liters of milk, 300 containers of baby food, 80 kilos of pastina, as well as diapers, sugar, tomato sauce and cookies in Noto, in the Constantinian Church of Maria SS degli Agonizzanti of Monreale and in the Basilica of St. Francis of Paola.
The next distribution will take place on December 14, 2016.

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