S.A.R. Mr. D. Pedro de Borbón-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, head of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies, have visited Portugal, on the occasion of the investiture of new Knights and Ladies.
On the 24th, D. Pedro de Borbón Dos Sicilias was received in Sintra by his uncles, SS.AA.RR. the Dukes of Bragança and their sons, S.A.R. D. Afonso and S.A.R. D. Dinis, in a private family dinner, where S.A.R. D. Miguel de Bragança, Duke of Viseu and president of the Royal Commission of Portugal also attended.
On this occasion, the Duke of Calabria awarded his cousins, the sons of the Dukes of
Bragança, with the Grand Cross of Justice, as well as the Duke of Coimbra. The following day, he visited the Santa Cruz Church, the oldest in Lisbon, where he was received by its parish priest, the Rev. Fr Edgar Clara. This church has the particularity of having a relic of the Holy Cross of Christ and contains, on the vault of the main altar, a painting representing Emperor Constantine, founder of the Constantinian Order and his Mother, Saint Helena, as well as a notable image of St. George, in life size, which, that even today, travels through the streets of the city of Lisbon, in procession, mounted on a white horse.
This was followed by a visit to S. Jorge Castle, guided by its director, Dr. Susana Repolho Correia and Dr. Inês Meira, where in addition to an explanation about the castle and the history of Lisbon, it was possible to enjoy the magnificent view over the city and river.
After this visit, they Duke of Calábria was received at the Church of Santa Luzia, headquarters of the Order of Malta in Portugal, by the President of the Portuguese Assembly, Dr. António Calheiros Ferraz and the rest of the board, having signed the Book of Honor, after visiting the exhibition about the history and works by the oRder of Malta.
In the afternoon, he visited the charity Dona Ajuda, where his direction, Dr. Cristina Calheiros Vellozo and Dr. Teresa Cancela Vilaça, explained the Dona Ajuda project, laying the foundations for closer collaboration between this institution and the Royal Commission of Portugal of the Constantinian Order, in order to support the most disadvantaged.
Photo Gallery
Investiture ceremony
At 19.00 hrs, at the Basilica de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires, S.A.R. D. Pedro de Borbón-Duas Sicilies presided over the investiture ceremony of five knights and two ladies, and the promotion of a knight, from the Delegation of Extremadura, of the Kingdom of Spain The Holy Mass was celebrated Rev. Cónego Armando Duarte, Chaplain of the Royal Commission, and co-celebrated by the Revs. Fathers Tiago Ribeiro Pinto, also Chaplain
of the Royal Commission and José Fernandes Macías, Chaplain of the Delegation of Extremadura, of the Kingdom of Spain.
After the ceremony it took place a dinner at the Turf Club, with over 70 guests and their families, presided by S.A.R. the Duke of Calabria, with the presence of S.A.R. the Duchess of Bragança, D. Isabel de Bragança, and S.A.R. the Prince of Beira, D. Afonso de Bragança, and where, at the end, the president of the Royal Commission of Portugal, S.A.R., D. Miguel de Bragança, Duke of Viseu, made a brief speech, welcoming the new Knights and Dames, thanking everyone for their presence and reaffirming the Royal Commission’s work commitment toward the goals of the Constantinian Order.