Castries, 27 January 2015. HE Anthony Bailey, Delegate of Great Britain & Ireland and Magistral Delegate of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George announced further charitable support in St Lucia in partnership with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Castries.
Speaking at the Silver Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving on 25 January 2015 at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Castries, Anthony announced to a congregation of over 2,000 persons the projects funded by the Constantinian Order which include the external restoration of the historic Catholic Cathedral of Castries.
During the Mass, Anthony Bailey said, “I am delighted that the Constantinian Order has finalised this significant donation which will allow for the immediate commencement of the external repair and restoration of this beautiful and historic Basilica. The Constantinian Order has been actively engaged in St Lucia since 1981 and we are committed to further develop the longstanding connection between the country, its church and our Order”.
HE Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, Apostolic Nuncio to St Lucia and Constantinian Chaplain, also read the homily at the Mass in the presence of HE Dame Pearlette Louisy, GCMG, Governor General of Saint Lucia and Hon Philip J. Pierre, Acting Prime Minister of Saint Lucia. Concelebrants included Constantinian chaplains Cardinal Kelvin Felix, Bishop Kenneth Richards of the Diocese of St John’s–Basseterre, Bishop Gabriel Malzaire of the Diocese of Roseau and many other bishops and diocesan priests from across the region.
Delegation chaplain, the Rev Canon Christopher Tuckwell, Administrator of Westminster Cathedral also attended.
On 26 January 2015, Anthony Bailey paid a Courtesy Call on HE Dame Pearlette Louisy, GCMG, Governor General of Saint Lucia at Government House, Castries and extended the cordial good wishes of the Grand Master HRH Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Siciles, Duke of Castro and the Grand Prior Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino. A meeting was also held with the Cabinet Secretary of the Government of St Lucia.
During the same evening Anthony attended the formal book launch of Archbishop Robert Rivas’s 416 page ‘How Beautiful the Valley’ at a Dinner presided over by HE The Governor General of St Lucia at St Mary’s College Hall in Castries. The publication of the book has been sponsored by the Constantinian Order thanks to the efforts and contributions of the Delegation of Great Britain & Ireland. Speeches were made by the Governor General, Archbishop Robert Rivas and Anthony Bailey.
During his three-day visit, the Delegate attended a number of other events celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the Archbishop of Castries including a Thanksgiving Mass and Dinner at The Benedictine Abbey Our Lady of the Assumption in Coubaril held in the presence of HE Cardinal Kelvin Felix and HE the Apostolic Nuncio who read a letter of congratulations sent by HH Pope Francis for the occasion.
The institutional charitable and community engagement undertaken and launched in St Lucia by the Constantinian Order in the areas of national and religious patrimony and community outreach is part of a wider regional programme for the Caribbean including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and which is expected to be extended this year to other nations in the region.
To see further images from the events, click here.