London, 25 April 2014. On behalf of the Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Castro and the Grand Prior, His Eminence Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino, the annual St George’s Day Mass and Investiture of the Delegation of Great Britain and Ireland of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George took place in London on 25 April 2014.
The events commenced with the celebration of Holy Mass to mark the Feast Day of St George, patron saint of the Order.
Knights and Dames of the Order entered the Church in formal procession and were led by HE Mr Anthony Bailey, Delegate of Great Britain and Ireland and Professor Richard Conroy, Vice-Delegate for Ireland. The Procession included flag bearers for the national flags, the banner of the Delegation and the Standard of the Royal House.
The Delegation members who attended the mass and investiture were HSH Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg, Mrs Anthony Bailey, The Lord Lingfield, The Hon Alexander Brennan, His Honour Judge Patrick Clyne, Miss Maureen Jones, Cyril and Lorna Woods of Slane, Mr Andrew Rogers, HE Mr Donal Lydon, Dr Daniel McCarthy, Dr Sorca-Conroy Sherman, Dr David O’Connell, Mr Kevin Grant, Professor John Ryan, Miss Anne Hodson-Pressinger, Mr John McIntosh, Mr Norman Gooding, Mr William Jeffcock, Mr Richard Model and Mrs Ann Willis.
Among the Constantinian Chaplains present were The Rev Fr Edmund Eggleston, The Rev Canon Peter Newby, The Rev Fr Shafiq Abouzayd, The Rev Fr Carmelo Di Giovanni and The Rev Fr Michael Seed.
His Eminence Elisey, Archbishop of Sourozh, Head of the Russian Orthodox in Great Britain and Ireland, The Rt Rev Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate and Pontifical Legate, Armenian Church of the United Kingdom, His Eminence Archbishop Athanasius Toma Dawod, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syrian Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom and The Reverend Father Richard Wrobel also attended.
Among other dignitaries attending the mass were HE Mr Mal Berisha, Ambassador of the Republic of Albania, HE Mr Lirim Greiçevci, Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo, HE Mr Ion Jinga, Ambassador of Romania and The Hon Sir Peter Caruana, QC, former Chief Minister of Gibraltar.
Bidding prayers were delivered by HE Mr Donal Lydon, The Rev Fr Michael Seed and The Rev Sandra Howells.
At the conclusion of mass, the Sub-Prior of the British and Irish Delegation, His Grace The Most Reverend George Stack, Archbishop of Cardiff, assisted by the Order’s Delegate in Great Britain and Ireland HE Mr Anthony Bailey, presided over the annual investiture ceremony of new and promoted knights, dames and medallists within the British and Irish Delegation.
The photographs from the 2014 St George’s Day Mass, Investiture & Dinner are now available through our Flickr photo library. The photo albums and can be accessed by clicking here. The order form can be accessed by clicking here.