On the evening of 14 September, a solemn religious service was held at Nicolai Barracks, home of the 2nd Pontieri Engineer Regiment. The service was organised by the Piacenza Representation, presided over by the Vice-Delegate for Emilia-Romagna, Knight Officer Dr Pietro Coppelli, on the occasion of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The service took place in the Regiment’s historic chapel, which was recently consecrated in the presence of the Military Ordinary for Italy, Bishop Gian Franco Saba. The chapel has also been designated a Jubilee church for 2026, where the faithful may obtain a plenary indulgence on the occasion of the centenary of the Military Ordinariate, the diocese responsible for the spiritual care of the Armed Forces.
The Holy Mass was celebrated by His Excellency the Most Reverend Bishop Gianni Ambrosio, Bishop Emeritus of Piacenza-Bobbio and Prior of the Order, assisted by the Vice-Prior, Reverend Don Stefano Antonelli.
Among those in attendance were Brigadier General Daniele Durante, Commander of the Piacenza military garrison and Director of the National Supply Centre for Motor Transport, Engineers, Artillery and NBC Defence; Brigadier General Roberto Cernuzzi, Director of the Northern Heavy Maintenance Centre; and Colonel Daniele Paradiso, Commander of the 2nd Pontieri Engineer Regiment, together with a large gathering of Knights and Dames of the Order.

At the conclusion of the celebration, the Vice-Delegate, Knight Officer Dr Pietro Coppelli, presented the Knights and Dames in attendance with the programme of charitable and cultural initiatives that the Piacenza Representation plans to launch before the end of the year.