Roseau, 6 November 2014. A high level delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George paid an Official Visit to the Commonwealth of Dominica from 4–6 November 2014 at the invitation of the country’s Prime Minister.
The main purpose of the high level visit was to publically announce the creation of a permanent Order Delegation for the Caribbean, and to launch a number of significant charitable projects on the island including the restoration of the historic Our Lady of Fair Haven Cathedral and the rebuilding of the Diocesan Youth Centre in Roseau.
The Constantinian Order has made further significant donations to allow for the immediate commencement of the renovation of both St Peter’s Presbytery in Colihaut and Our Lady of Morne Carmel Retirement Home in Morne Daniel. A series of other high level charitable projects have been formally agreed for funding for the next funding period of 2015-2016 and will be announced in the near future.
The high level delegation was led by HRH Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and 54th Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, HRH The Duchess of Castro and His Eminence Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino, Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order and Cardinal Proto-Deacon of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
The eight-member delegation included HE Anthony Bailey, OBE, Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations of the Constantinian Order and Secretary General of the Royal Order of Francis I. The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC, a member of the Constantinian Order’s British and Irish Delegation Council and herself born in Dominica, also attended together with Mr Francesco Baroni, Private Secretary to HRH The Duke of Castro and Dr Xhoana Papakostandini, Chief of Staff to the Secretary General.
During the Official Visit, courtesy calls were paid on His Excellency Charles Savarin, President of the Commonwealth of Dominica and the First Lady of Dominica, Her Excellency Mrs Clara Savarin at State House in Roseau. A courtesy call was also paid on the Prime Minister of Dominica, the Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit at the Office of the Prime Minister in Roseau. Both the Dominican Head of State and Head of Government warmly welcomed the high level delegation and thanked the Order for its support to various charitable projects in the country.
The delegation also met with other senior officials including former President His Excellency Dr. Nicholas Liverpool, who was invested into the Constantinian Order in 2012.
The Delegation held discussions with the Caribbean’s only member of the College of Cardinals, His Eminence Kelvin Cardinal Felix and The Most Reverend Gabriel Malzaire, Bishop of Roseau.
Delegation member The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC said: “I am truly delighted that the Constantinian Order, of which I have been a member since 2003, has been so gracious as to accede to my pleas that it should widen its global programme to include the Caribbean region, which sadly has within its compass many areas of acute deprivation and need which, notwithstanding the strong faith of its people, merits further spiritual encouragement and is worthy of immediate financial and other support.
I am confident that the projects identified will be of enormous benefit to the people of Dominica and the Caribbean region and the joint commitment of the Order and those with whom they will now be privileged to work in Dominica will promote ecumenical working between and within the various faith groups, help to develop understanding and trust and to deliver the relief to the poor which His Holiness Pope Francis has so encouraged us all to promote.”
A high mass was concelebrated at St Gerard’s Chapel in Roseau by the Order’s Grand Prior, HE Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino and HE Cardinal Kelvin Felix. The Mass was attended by several hundred worshippers including President Saravin and the First Lady and HE Ambassador Steve Ferrol, the Cabinet Secretary of the Government and HE Mr Edward Lambert, the first Dominican Ambassador to the Holy See, who will present credentials in Vatican City in December 2014, following the upgrading of Dominica’s diplomatic relations with the Holy See to Ambassadorial level.
During the Mass and to mark the Official Visit, the Grand Prior Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino on behalf of the Grand Master formally invested His Eminence Cardinal Kelvin Felix into the Constantinian Order as a Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice for Cardinals. Bishop Malzaire was also invested as an Ecclesiastical Knight Commander of Grace of the Constantinian Order. Both clerics have become chaplains to the Order’s Delegation for the Caribbean.
A reception followed at the Bishop’s Residence attended by many leading figures including the President of Dominica, ministers and the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Hector John and local MP Norris Prevost. A cultural show of dancers and singers performed for the invited guests.
On 5 November 2014 a Presidential Investiture Ceremony took place at State House followed by an official luncheon hosted in honour of the Constantinian Order by President Savarin and attended by leading state, diplomatic and ecclesiastical figures.
President Savarin awarded the country’s highest honour, the Dominica Award of Honour to HRH The Duke of Castro and the country’s second highest honour, the Sisserou Award of Honour to HE Anthony Bailey, OBE. These two awards were granted by the Government in recognition of the institutional charitable and community engagement undertaken and launched in Dominica by the Constantinian Order in the areas of national and religious patrimony and community outreach.
To mark the Official Visit, the Grand Master invested the Dominican Head of State with the insignia of a Knight Grand Cross with Gold Star within the Special Category and the Dominican Head of Government with the Knight Grand Cross of Merit of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George.
Both institutional awards were made in recognition of the nation’s contribution to enriching its Christian identity through charitable work and its humanitarian endeavour and inter-religious harmony. The awards were bestowed by virtue of the office held within the institutions of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
To read the speech of the Grand Master click here.
The Official Visit to Dominica was part of a wider regional visit to the Caribbean including Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados.
To view photos from this visit, please see our Facebook page.