Category: Delegation of Sicily

Sicily, December 2015.  For Christmas, in the cities of Catania, Messina, Caronia and Monreale,   the Delegation for Sicily promoted the project “New Fragments of Health” which is in the Christian spirit of charity and sharing of the mission “The Hunger suffered by our Neighbour” advocated by H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Grand Master. The goal of this initiative is to continue, through concrete and timely actions, with the collection of essential goods to donate to families with economic hardships and who are not in a position to earn their own livelihood. During the various meetings the following items were distributed: diapers, homogenized baby foods, biscuits, milk for newborn babies, milk for children with allergies to milk, semi-skimmed milk for older children, sugar, soup pasta. The Delegation for Sicily, with the support of the Grand Magistry, continues to assist a family in Monreale with the medical treatment of their child suffering from  Anrold-Chairi syndrome, a serious malformation of the skull.  The child is an in-patient at the Meyer hospital in Florence awaiting to undergo surgery.

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Monreale, 22^nd December 2015.  The Sicilian Delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George organized a Christmas lunch at the Balsamo Hospice of Monreale for the elderly staying at the hospice.  Knights Carmelo Sammarco and Vincenzo Nuccio and the Vice Delegate Antonio di Janni served tables together with their Prior H.E. the Most Reverend Mons. Michele Pennisi, Archbishop of Monreale.  The Archbishop thanked the Constantinian Order for having adopted the hospice  and also recalled that last October H.R.H. Princess Beatrice of Bourbon Two Sicilies and Prince Augusto Ruffo di Calabria attended a lunch at the hospice where they also served the elderly.  For Christmas a living crib was set up with the same guests of the hospice being the actors.  The video film produced for this occasion will be delivered to His Holiness Pope Francis.

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Piazza Armerina, 21^st December 2015.  In Piazza Armerina at the Bishop’s Palace, the Vice Delegate of Sicily accompanied Colonel Giuseppe Licari, Provincial Commander of the Financial Police to a meeting with the Bishop of Piazza Armerina, H.E. the Most Reverend Mons. Rosario Gisana.  This meeting endorses the valuable cooperation between the Provincial Command of the Financial Police and the Diocese in respect of all charitable activities.  The Vice Delegate donated a book about the Archbishops of Monreale.  Next January 2016 a lunch will be organized at the church of Santo Stefano for the in-patients of the ‘Boccone del povero’ in Piazza Armerina.  The Parish Priest of the Church of Santo Stefano is Nino Rivoli, a Constantinian Chaplain.

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Palermo, 18^th December 2015.  In the Church of San Nicola da Tolentino, the Extraordinary Holy Year dedicated to Mercy experienced a particularly evocative moment.  Thanks to the initiative of the Constantinian Chaplain Reverend Don Giuseppe Scrivano, the Relics of Saint John Paul II arrived in Palermo and were kept in the Parish of San Francesco di Paola in Catania.  The Constantinian Knights received them in Piazza Bellini together with many faithful from Palermo. After a short procession, a Solemn Eucharistic Celebration took place presided by the Reverend Constantinian Chaplain Monsignor Salvatore Grimaldi and co-celebrated by the Reverend Mons. Gino Lo Galbo and Don Giuseppe Scrivano, they too members of our Order.  In his homily, Mons. Grimaldi, quoting long passages from the Encyclical Letter Dives in Misericordia, highlighted with joy and emotion the great idea that His Holiness the Pope has had to wish to spread throughout  the World the devotion and worship of Divine Mercy.

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Enna, December 2015.  The presence of the relics of His Holiness Pope John Paul II served as an emblem in St. Mark’s church in Enna at the opening ceremony of the Jubilee of Mercy launched by Pope Francis. The solemn Holy Mass was presided by Reverend Father Giuseppe Scrivano, parish priest of San Francesco di Paola di Catania and Chaplain of our Order.  Reverend Don Giuseppe Rugolo, Vicar of the Mother Church of Enna was also present. The organization of the religious ceremony was managed, among others, by our Constantinian Confrère, the Knight of Merit Dr. Matteo Bertino. Don Giuseppe Rugolo reminded us that by entering through the Holy door we discover the depth of the mercy of the Father who welcomes everyone and personally goes towards each one of us. At the end of the Eucharistic Celebration, Knight Matteo Bertino handed the bronze medal of merit of the Order granted by the Grand Master, to Mr. Mario Di Prima and to Mr. Davide Frenna.

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Sicily, December 2015.  On 12^th December, H.E. the Most Reverend Mons. Michele Pennisi, Archbishop of Monreale, opened the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Monreale. On 13^th December, feast of Saint Lucia, His Excellency the Most Reverend Mons. Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro, opened the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Piana degli Albanesi; while His Excellency the Most Reverend Mons. Rosario Gisana opened the Holy Door of the Cathedral in Piazza Armerina. On 19^th December, His Excellency the Most Reverend Mons. Ignazio Zambito, Bishop of Patti, opened the Holy Door of the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Tindari. All the ceremonies were attended by delegations of Dames and Knights who, in the spirit of the message of Pope Francis, referred to in the speeches of all the prelates, will endeavour in the course of this Holy year to be more present in an Order that daily tries to change according to the wishes of the Lord’s mercy.

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Monreale, 12^th December 2015.  The church of Monreale, the Most Blessed Mary of the Agonizing, acted as venue for the Christmas concert promoted by the Sicilian Delegation.   Maestro Alberto Giacchino, a Constantinian Knight and Artistic Director of the Constantinian concert seasons, organized a concert in memory of Sr. Anna Giovanna together with her pupils who now teach at the same institute of Sant’Anna.  Sr. Anna Giovanna attained a diploma in piano at the Conservatory of Naples.  She taught in Catania at the institute for the blind and in Palermo at the Sant’Anna Institute. Her school produced many well known artists in Italy.  The very young musicians who performed in front of a full audience were between the age of 7 and 15.

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Monreale, 4 December 2015. During a celebration of the Holy Mass officiated by the Constantinian Chaplain Don Nicola Gaglio and held at the Church of ‘Maria SS. Agonizzanti’ in Monreale, whose premises have been provisionally free-leased to the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George at the behest of the Archbishop of Monreale, His Most Reverend Eminence Mons. Michele Pennisi, Constantinian Prior for Sicily, the ‘Association of the Artillery Corps’ of Palermo, marked the Feast of St Barbara by paying homage to the saint of the same name, Patroness of all Artillery soldiers, combat engineers as well as firemen, sailors, miners and architects. A painting commemorating the Virgin-Martyr, along with a relic of the Saint herself, originally donated by Commander Vincenzo Nuccio which our Grand Prior, the Archbishop of Monreale, His Most Reverend Eminence Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino had entrusted to his care on the advice of the Constantinian Chaplain Don Antonio Cipriano, was what led the Association to choose our own church as the venue for the celebration. Numerous Artillery officers, together with their families, attended the event. Also in attendance were the President of ‘UNUCI’, Claudio Zaccardo; Nastro Azzurro Regional President, Ugo Frasconà, a Constantinian Knight; President of the Italian Cadet Division for Palermo, Antonio Girgenti. A delegation of the Constantinian Order, headed by the Vice Delegate, along with the Commander Carmelo Sammarco, and escorted by the following knights: Fabrizio Ippoliti, Domenico Scapatie and Ugo Frasconà, joined the celebrations. At the end of the ceremony, the President of ‘Unuci’ presented a crest of the Association of the Artillery Corps to the Constantinian Chaplain.

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Palermo, 27 November 2015. On Friday 27 November, a conference – entitled ‘The Later Years of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies through the historical lens of Mons. Del Pozzo and a bibliographical approach to HRH The Prince Alfonso of Bourbon-Two Sicilies”. Speakers at the event were: Eminent Professor Manlio Corselli, Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Palermo and the historian Maurizio Di Giovine. The conference panel was moderated by the Vice Delegate of the Delegation for Sicily of the Constantinian Order, Antonio di Janni. Attendees included the Delegate for Western Sicily of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Baron Vincenzo Calefati di Canalotti, and the Representative for the ‘Nunziatella’ Military Academy, General Antonio Jovane. After the introductory address, an interesting debate took place in which the latter part of the Bourbon years in our land was discussed.

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Monreale, November 2015. Two different events, which were held in the Monreale branch of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George, situated alongside the Church of ‘Maria SS degli Agonizzanti’ (‘Blessed Mary for the Agonising’) and which were concerned to distribute children’s food and accessories, saw participation by the Vice Delegate along with the following Knights: Salvatore Vassallo, Carmelo Sammarco, and Vincenzo Nuccio. The Delegation was assisted by the volunteering team currently working on the project. As many as forty families braved weather conditions, standing in a queue for a chance to pick up their share of nappies, homogenised baby food, baby milk, both standard and dairy-free for toddlers with milk allergies. Food supplies were also distributed at the same event, including cookies, sugar and other food items. Based on a rough estimate of 2-3 children per family unit (up to 5 in some cases), the Delegation of Sicily, headed by the Grand Prior, His Most Reverend Eminence Mons. Michele Pennisi, is currently providing assistance to about 90 children at events held on a fortnightly basis. As Christmas draws near, the Constantinian Delegation is planning to go the extra mile to give even more needy children a smile in December.

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