London – November 2003. Westminster Cathedral in London played host to a multi-faith investiture ceremony of leading religious, state and lay personalities into the internationally recognised and ancient Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Royal Order of Francis I.
The ceremony of investiture into these two Catholic Order of Knighthoods, took place on Friday 14 November 2003. The ceremony will be conducted for the first time by the Order’s Grand Prior, His Eminence Mario Francesco, Cardinal Pompedda, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Segnatura, President of the Court of Cassation of the Vatican City State and Ecclesiastical Counsellor of Pope John Paul II to the Order.
His Eminence Cormac, Cardinal Murphy O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster and Prior of the Order’s British and Irish Delegation, the Order’s Grand Prefect, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria, and British and Irish Delegate, His Excellency Mr Anthony Bailey, presided over the hour long ceremony which was followed by Vespers.