Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
Official Order
The Distinguished Royal Order of Saint Januarius, a Catholic chivalric order of ancient origins, now under the Grand Magistry of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, promotes faith, charity and social commitment inspired by Christian values.
Including the Constantinian Order, five dynastic orders belong to the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies:
It was established on 3 July 1738 by Charles of Bourbon, King of Naples and Sicily, to celebrate his marriage to Princess Maria Amalia Walburga of Poland and Saxony. It is the principal Order of Knighthood of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies and honours the patron saint of Naples.
The Order consists of a single class of Knights and Dames with gold collars, sashes, crosses and plaques. The Order is rarely granted and only to a maximum of twenty Knights and Dames professing the Catholic religion, traditionally belonging to European Royal Families and the high aristocracy of the Two Sicilies (the Princes and Princesses of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies are considered supernumerary).
The Order is a Roman Catholic institution intended to foster true chivalry and Christian brotherhood. Its main duty, is to “increase, at all costs, the Holy Religion” and “virtuously operate” to be “a heroic example of piety towards God and loyalty towards their Prince”.
The decoration is formed by a cross with four forked arms edged in gold, bordered by a fess of white enamel, with flames in red enamel edged by four golden lilies.
On the front, the image of Saint Januarius with the cruets and the Pastoral, in golden, white red blue and green enamels; on the reverse in the middle, the Cruets in golden and red enamels, placed on a golden Book of Gospel, all bordered by two palms in green enamel.
The ribbon is red and swayed. The inscription is “IN SANGUINE FOEDUS”.
The Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit was established on 1 April 1800 by Ferdinand IV King of Naples and Sicily to award those who did important favours and gave an extraordinary proof of loyalty to the Head of the Royal House and to the Royal Family.
In 1810 the King reformed its Statutes. The Order is divided into three Ranks: Knights of Grand Cross, with fess, cross and plate; Knight Commanders, with neck ribbon and cross; Knights, with ribbon and cross to the buttons.
There are also those Decorated with golden and silver medal.
The decoration is formed by a golden round shield bearing the image of St. Ferdinand, edged by a blue-enameled round plate with the inscription “FIDEI ET MERITO”, bordered by six golden rays edged by six white enameled lilies. The Royal Crown tops it. On the verso, in the middle of the round shield, there is the inscription “FERD. IV. INST: ANNO 1800″.
The ribbon is blue and edged in dark red.
The Royal Military Order of Saint George and Reunion was established on 1 January 1819 by Ferdinand I King of the Two Sicilies to reward military valor and merit, and received its name to celebrate the reunification of the dominions located on both sides of the Lighthouse (Naples and Sicily) into one kingdom.
In 1829 and in 1850 the King reformed its Statutes.
The Order is divided into eight Ranks: Knights of Grand Cross with neck ribbon, cross and plate; Grand Officers, with neck ribbon, cross without St. George and plate with smaller sunburst decoration; Commanders with neck ribbon and cross; Officers, with ribbon, small tassel and cross at buttons; Knights of Law, with ribbon and cross and buttons; Knights of Mercy, with ribbon and cross at buttons; Golden medal; Silver medal.
The decoration is formed by: ruby enameled lilied cross with in the middle a white enameled round plate bearing the image of a mounted St. George running the dragon with his sword, bordered by a circle of blue enamel with the inscription “IN HOC SIGNO VINCES” and a laurel wreath. Two crossed swords edge the angles of the cross. The decoration of the Knights of Grand Cross has a golden image of St. George hanging down from the lower arm of the cross; the Royal Crown tops it.
On the verso, a round plate with St. George in the middle, and the inscription “VIRTUTI”.
The ribbon is blue and edged in yellow.
The Royal Order of Francis I was established and recognised by decree on 28 September 1829 as a Royal Order, primarily to reward civil merit on the part of members of the government, diplomats, army officers and members of the clergy, together with those who have achieved considerable success in the fields of commerce, science, the arts, letters and literature.
The Royal Order of Francis I has never been exclusively Roman Catholic since its inception, and knights and dames are not required to profess the Roman Catholic faith, although they are expected to take part in the humanitarian and charitable activities of the dynastic orders of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies.
Among the current members of the Order are senior figures from all Christian denominations and other faiths.
The Royal Order of Francis I, together with its sister Order, the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George, continues to lead the way among lay Catholic knightly associations and brotherhoods, in its commitment to inter-church and inter-faith dialogue.
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