Charles Coulombe’s East Coast Book Tour Rolls into the Garden State

Sanfedisti & friends with the always gladsome archgladtrad Charles Coulombe

Charles Coulombe’s highly anticipated East Coast book tour to promote his latest treatise, Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy (TAN, 2020), rolled into the Garden State Tuesday evening with intimate dinner, lecture, and much merriment at Juniper Hill restaurant in Annandale, New Jersey.

The tour successfully kicked off the night before with Solemn Vespers at Most Holy Redeemer Church and lecture at St. Brigid and St. Emeric Church in New York City.

The next stop on the tour will be at St. Thomas the Apostle Church (2665 Woodley Rd.) in Washington DC on August 6th. This will be followed with a talk at The International Institute for Culture at 6331 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia, PA on August 10th at 7pm EDT. There will be another speaking engagement in Dutchess County, New York on August 12th, time and place TBD.

Many thanks to Daniel, Charles' trusted aide-de-camp, and Cezary, the evening's master of ceremony, for organizing the event. It was an honor to be a part of it.

Charles enthralls his audience with the tragic, but
uplifting story of the Blessed Emperor and his Royal House

A master storyteller, Charles tells the tale with much exuberance 

His expressions & gestures sometimes communicates more than his words

After a brief Q&A session, Charles and Cezary read a devotional prayer from
the Gebetsliga Prayer Book published by the Emperor Karl League of Prayer

(Above & below) Charles meets his audience and signs copies of his latest book, Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy (TAN Books, 2020)

Andrew from New Jersey surprises Charles with a Seaside Park t-shirt

Charles honored me with a few kind words and some prayer cards

Knights and Dame of the Sacred Military
Constantinian Order of St. George were in attendance

(L) Who is the real "Andrew from New Jersey?" (R) Charles was thrilled to sign a copy of his "first child," Every Man Today Call Rome (Tumblar House, 2011)

Hand dipped ricotta with Thai chili, olive oil and sea salt

Organic romaine salad with lemon anchovy dressing and watermelon radish

Local heirloom tomato salad

Grilled swordfish with corn

Amish Chicken with pickled onions, fresh herbs and lime yogurt dressing 

Afterward, we adjourned to the gardens for a smoke and lively conversation. Charles also regaled us with some poetry and a few Loyalists ditties

Solemn Vespers and Lecture on Blessed Emperor Karl of Austria in New York City

A beautiful mosaic of Our Lord Jesus Christ adorns the apse

Deus, qui per beátum Alfónsum Maríam Confessórem tuum atque Pontíficem, animárum zelo succénsum, Ecclésiam tuam nova prole fecundásti: quǽsumus; ut, eius salutáribus mónitis edócti et exémplis roboráti, ad te perveníre felíciter valeámus. Per Dóminum nostrum. Amen.1

Monday evening, Solemn Vespers was celebrated on the Feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori by Fr. Seán Connolly at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer (173 E. 3rd St.) in New York City. Evening Prayer was followed by a fascinating lecture on Blessed Charles of Austria by Charles A. Coulombe at nearby St. Brigid-St. Emeric Church (119 Ave. B). It was the first stop on Charles' highly anticipated East Coast book tour, promoting his latest treatise, Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy (TAN Books, 2020).

1) O God, Who didst enkindle in thy Blessed Confessor and Bishop Alphonsus Mary a burning love of souls, and by him didst make thy Church the Mother of a new family, we pray thee to give us such strength that, taught by his wholesome doctrine and nerved by his example, we also may in the end happily attain unto thee. Through Jesus Christ... Amen.

(Above & below) Solemn Vespers was celebrated by Fr. Seán Connolly

The choir sounded amazing

A look at the sanctuary and high altar

Statues of Maria SS. Del Monte, patroness of Racalmuto, Sicily
and Sant'Alfonso Maria di Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Life-size statues of Our Lord's Passion and Death by the entrance

Bye-altars of Our Lady and San Giuseppe

(L) Our Lady of Perpetual Help chapel. (R) Reliquary chapel with over 150 relics

Beneath the chapel's altar lies a wax effigy of the Roman Martyr St. Datian 

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord. And let perpetual
light shine upon them. May they rest in Peace Amen.

Fr. Connolly gave us a tour of the Church and the crypt

Statues of Our Lady and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer in the basement

After Solemn Vespers, Fr. Donald Kloster led us to St. Brigid
and St. Emeric Church for the lecture by Charles A. Coulombe

Exploring the church, we visited St. Brigid and St. Emeric of Hungary

Fr. Connolly warmly welcomed everyone to the talk and
introduced the man of the hour, author Charles Coulombe  

Charles spoke at length about the life and times of Blessed Karl of Austria
and took many questions from the audience

An overwhelmingly young audience packed the church auditorium

Charles meets his audience and signs copies of his book

Copies of Charles' book were available for purchase

Fr. Connolly erected a temporary shrine to Emperor Karl

Father was kind enough to show us the note from Bishop
Athanasius Schneider on the back of Emperor Karl's portrait

Guests enjoyed some delicious Mexican fare

Some new & old friends: (L-R) Michela, Daniel, Marie Therese, & David

Daniel and Andrew enjoying the festivities

Bourbon-Two Sicilies showing love to the Habsburg Emperor
and his Bourbon-Parma Empress, Servant of God Zita

Photo of the Week: Outdoor Shrine to San Rocco di Montpellier in Bari

Photo by Andrew Giordano

Feast of the Madonna di Costantinopoli

Madonna di Constantinopoli, ora pro nobis

On the first Sunday of August the city of Salerno celebrates the Feast of the Madonna di Costantinopoli, patroness of seafarers. According to tradition, the sacred image of the Virgin Hodegetria (She who shows the way) miraculously washed up on shore near the Chiesa di Sant’Agostino in 1453, the fateful year Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks. Reliving its arrival, the icon is brought out to sea yearly with great fanfare and processed by a festive flotilla along the city’s waterfront. 

Though widely venerated across Southern Italy, the various towns honor Our Lady under the title of Madonna di Costantinopoli on different dates. For example, the annual Feast at Agropoli along the Cilento littoral is celebrated on July 24th. Like Salerno, the Agropolesi bring their statue of the Madonna out to sea and hold a coastal boat procession.

The city of Bari honors their glorious patroness on the first Tuesday in March, recalling the arrival of the miraculous icon in 731. Seeking shelter from a squall, as the story goes, a ship fleeing the iconoclastic controversy at Constantinople was guided safely to the calm Apulian port by an angel.

Similarly, the town of Papasidero in Calabria celebrates the Feast of the Madonna di Costantinopoli on the first Tuesday after Pentecost. However, their Feast calls to mind the lifting of a virulent plague in 1656. The town's deliverance is attributed to the Blessed Mother.

Interestingly, it is said the original Virgin Hodegetria painted by San Luca was ritually paraded through the streets and marketplaces of Constantinople on Tuesdays to purify the city.(1) Today, many towns across Europe claim to be in possession of the it.

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to Our Lady of Constantinople. The accompanying photo, courtesy of Andrew Giordano, was taken at the Chiesa di Sant’Agostino in Salerno. Ave Maria!

Prayer to Our Lady of Constantinople

O Mother of God, invincible triumphant victor over your only Son's enemies, Queen of the Angels, Consoler of the afflicted, advocate of the sinners, it cannot be denied that you are pleased to show yourself always admirable and loving under the title of Constantinople, which I admire and venerate. I rejoice in graces that you have granted to those who, with faith, have invoked you under this admirable title. I pray for the spiritual sanctity of all of us, your children; listen and be gracious to those who turn to you, who commend themselves to you, who trust in you, O Mother, and in you, O Queen, they put their hope. Amen.

(1) Madonna dell’Arco and the Byzantine Interface in Southern Italy by Elliot Wise and Dr. Mark J. Johnson, Art History and Curatorial Studies, September 19, 2013, Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George American Delegation Announce New Prior

His Grace, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone,
Ecclesiastical Knight Grand Cross of Grace,
New Prior of the SMOCSG American Delegation

Our Grand Master, His Royal Highness Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and the Grand Prior, His Eminence Renato Cardinal Martino, have named His Grace Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, Metropolitan Archbishop of San Francisco, as the new Prior of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George American Delegation.

To have as our prior a churchman of the stature of Archbishop Cordileone is without question an incomparable honor for our American Delegation. For centuries, the Constantinian Order has been dedicated to the glorification of the Cross, the propagation of the Faith, and the defense of Holy Mother Church. I can think of few prelates who have lived this vocation more actively and passionately than Archbishop Cordileone.

Archbishop Cordileone, Ecclesiastical Knight Grand Cross of Grace, will be assisted by the Delegation’s new Subprior, Fr. Edmund Luciano, who has been promoted to Ecclesiastical Knight Officer of Grace.

Also promoted to Ecclesiastical Knight Officer of Grace is Canon Matthew Talarico, ICRSS. 

We extend our heartfelt congratulations and assurance of prayers and support to our new Prior, and likewise warmly congratulate Fr. Luciano and Canon Talarico. Tantissimi auguri, Confratelli Reverendissimi!

IHSV,

Cav. Gran Uff. John M. Viola

Delegate