Apostolic Nuncio and Polish Ambassador to Britain invested into Constantinian Order

HE Archbishop Antonio Mennini & HE Anthony Bailey (centre) after the Constantinian Order investiture ceremony at the Apostolic Nunciature in London

The Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St James’s, His Excellency Archbishop Antonio Mennini, was invested into the Constantinian Order at a ceremony held at the Apostolic Nunciature in London.

The Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, presented Archbishop Mennini with the insignia of an Ecclesiastical Knight Grand Cross of Grace of the Constantinian Order. The Delegate extended the warm wishes and congratulations of the Order’s Rome based Grand Master, HRH Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, and the Grand Prior, HE Renato Raffaele, Cardinal Martino.

In his speech, Mr Bailey spoke of the long history of the Order in Britain and also of the numerous charitable, humanitarian, Catholic and interfaith activities undertaken by the knights and dames of the Order in Britain and Ireland. Mr Bailey also recalled that among the Delegation’s knights are a previous Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Luigi Barbarito, who concluded his mission to Court of St James’s as Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps in 1997.

Archbishop Mennini thanked the Order for the valuable work it has undertaken and continues too in favour of the Catholic Church, the wider faith communities and and society at large. The Archbishop offered his blessings to the Delegation and the world-wide Order.

Among those attending were members of the Delegation including several Council members, representatives of other church leaders as well as The Rt Rev Mgr Brian Udaigwe, First Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature, and the Rev Mgr Vincent Brady, Private Secretary to the Apostolic Nuncio.

In a separate ceremony and at the initiative of HE Count Andrzej Ciechanowiecki, Delegate for Poland of the Constantinian Order, HE Ms Barbara Tuge-Erecińska, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Court of St James’s was invested into the Constantinian Order during a ceremony held at the Polish Embassy in London.

Count Ciechanowiecki presented the insignia of a Dame Grand Cross of Merit of the Constantinian Order to the Ambassador and gave an informative overview of the both the history and activities of the Order and its strong familial links and contacts with Poland. Ambassador Tuge-Erecińska in turn thanked the Grand Master and Cardinal Grand Prior for bestowing the high distinction of her in recognition of her services and recounted the many areas of mutual cooperation between the Order and Poland.

Several senior delegation members attended the event together with Mr Dariusz Laska, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission of Poland, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland of the Constantinian Order as well as several ambassadors and religious leaders.