Kingstown, 8 November 2014. A high level delegation of the internationally recognised Roman Catholic and charitable Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George in Rome paid an Official Visit to the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from 6-8 November 2014 as part of a wider regional visit following the invitation from the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The purpose of this high level visit was to better understand the needs of the country and to agree a series of worthy charitable projects to be supported by the Order, which would directly benefit the people of St Vincent. It is expected such projects will form part of the charitable activities already announced as part of the Order’s newly formed Permanent Delegation for the Caribbean region.
The high level delegation to St Vincent was led by His Eminence Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino, Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order, and Cardinal Proto-Deacon of the Holy Roman Church, His Excellency Anthony Bailey, OBE, Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations of the Constantinian Order and Secretary General of the Royal Order of Francis I and Dr Xhoana Papakostandini, Chief of Staff.
Msgr Pawel Obiedziński, Chargé d’Affaires a.i of the Apostolic Nunciature accredited to St Vincent and the Grenadines and wider Caribbean was also present throughout the visit.
The Delegation was formally received at Kingstown Airport by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of National Reconciliation, the Cabinet Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister, the Commissioner of Police, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kingstown, and the Chargé d’Affaires a.i of the Apostolic Nunciature.
During the Official Visit a courtesy call was paid on His Excellency Sir Frederick Nathaniel Ballantyne, GCMG, Governor General of St Vincent and the Grenadines and official representative of HM Queen Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of St Vincent and the Grenadines at Government House in Kingstown.
A further courtesy call was made by the delegation on Dr The Hon. Ralph Everard Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingstown. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade & Consumer Affairs, Senator Hon. Camillo Gonsalves, was also present at the meeting. 
The delegation also met with The Hon. Girlyn Miguel, Deputy Prime Minister and The Hon. Arnhim Eustace, the Leader of HM Loyal Opposition at Democrat House in Kingstown.
The delegation visited numerous schools during the visit including St Mary’s Roman Catholic School, Verbeke Centre, St Martin’s Secondary School, the School for Children with Special Needs in Kingstown. A group of children with special needs welcomed the delegation with a lively cultural programme. The delegation met the Headmaster, the teaching staff and the children and students of each school. The Order agreed to a donation of educational and religious supplies to the schools.
His Eminence Cardinal Martino presided over a Mass of Thanksgiving at the Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption in Kingstown on 6 November 2014. The mass was attended by several hundred people including Governor General HE Sir Frederick Ballantyne and the Prime Minister The Hon. Ralph Gonsalves together with other state and faith leaders. The visit marked the first official engagement of a member of the Sacred College of Cardinals in the country.
Magistral Delegate Anthony Bailey addressed the congregation and informed them of the creation of a new Order delegation for the Caribbean and the new direction of the Order in terms of its international engagement. Two new Order chaplains were also appointed during the Mass when Cardinal Martino as Grand Prior invested The Most Reverend Charles Jason Gordon, Bishop of Kingstown as an Ecclesiastical Knight Commander of Grace and Msgr Pawel Obiedziński, Chargé d’Affaires a.i of the Apostolic Nunciature as an Ecclesiastical Knight of Grace of the Constantinian Order.
A formal dinner was hosted in honour of the Constantinian Order delegation by Bishop Jason Gordon, which was attended by the Governor General, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Leader of HM Loyal Opposition.
To mark the Official Visit of the Grand Prior, an institutional awards ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence on 7 November 2014. His Eminence Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino, on behalf of the Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Castro, formally invested His Excellency Sir Frederick Nathaniel Ballantyne, GCMG, Governor General of St Vincent and the Grenadines as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I.
Dr The Hon. Ralph Everard Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines was also invested into the Constantinian Order as a Knight Grand Cross with Gold Star within the Special Category by His Eminence Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino, on behalf of the Grand Master. The Hon. Girlyn Miguel, Deputy Prime Minister was invested as a Dame of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order.
An official dinner was hosted by the Prime Minister and Mrs Eloise Gonsalves in honour of the Constantinian Order delegation and speeches were delivered by the Governor General, the Prime Minister, Cardinal Martino and Anthony Bailey.
The Official Visit to St Vincent and the Grenadines was part of a wider regional visit to the Caribbean including St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Barbados.
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