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Participants carry the flag blessed in Polignano to the Carlo V Battery
Photos courtesy of the Comitati delle Due Sicilie and Don Massimo Cuofano
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By Cav. Charles Sant’Elia
This year the annual events commemorating the siege of Gaeta (February 10-13, 2017), which marked the fall of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, took on added meaning as it also marked the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Comitati delle Due Sicilie, and included the abundant participation of many groups and associations from the Two Sicilies community. Among the many dedicated Neobourbonists were local Gaeta author Antonio Ciano, Neobourbon movement founding fathers and leaders Gennaro De Crescenzo and Fiore Marro, and the founders of The Francesco II di Borbone Foundation, Don Luciano Rotolo and Don Massimo Cuofano.
The siege of Gaeta began in September 1860 and found the brave people of Gaeta, HM King Francesco II and HM Queen Maria Sofia, the Royal Army, and many brave students of the Nunziatella military academy, united with volunteers, heroically defending the Kingdom in the final battles before its fall. Thus Gaeta forever became the “city of memory,” significant for our people’s identity. Echoing the cry of the Nunziatella students and the volunteers who shouted “We’ll see each other in Gaeta!,” as they departed from around the Kingdom, every year men and women from around the historic territories of the Kingdom gather to honor the fallen and to celebrate the national identity.
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| The Tiragliatori Borbonici (Bourbon Sharpshooters) led by Captain Alessandro Romano executing the lowering of the flag in honor of the Fallen |
This year hundreds of individuals and organized groups decided to bring bricks and stones, as well as soil and flowers from every corner of the former Kingdom and united them to visually and tangibly commemorate the fallen and give back a voice to all those who suffered and died as a consequence of the invasion of the Kingdom, while uniting to build a better future for the descendants of the survivors of that turbulent time.
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Don Massimo Cuofano of the Francesco II di Borbone Foundation
presents a brick for Montefalcione |
This sizable commemoration was the fruit of much hard work and represented a major step forward in restoring national identity and pride, with so many groups from the various regions united in one common effort. A special flag previously blessed by HRH don Alessandro di Borbone Due Sicilie during the flag blessing celebration held in Polignano, Puglia on December 11, 2016, and which covered the altar during mass, was flown over Gaeta. In agreement with all of the Two Sicilies groups and movements, under the aegis of the Francesco II di Borbone Foundation and its clergy members, the National Flag was blessed at a mass commemorating all of the deceased members of the Royal House of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies as a sign of unity with the Royal House of the Bourbon of the Two Sicilies and its head, HRH Prince Carlo di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, Duca di Castro, the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, and all friends and supporters.
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Fiore Marro of the Movimento Neoborbonico
presents a brick for Fagnano Castello |
On February 10, 2017 by the late morning the city of Gaeta’s streets were filled with Two Sicilies flags as hundreds went to attend the Convention, with local historical writer Antonio Ciano in the forefront and on the walls of the city. Stands and booths with informational flyers and books, prints and pictures were set out for visitors. At 5:00 pm all of the various groups gathered together to present their initiatives and undertakings, coordinated by Prof. Gennaro de Crescenzo.
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| Chiara Foti presents a brick for Palermo |
February 11, 2017, Our Lady of Lourdes feast day, also holds special significance for the people of the Two Sicilies who show devotion to the Immaculate Conception, including King Francesco II, who felt himself drawn to Lourdes, where he went twice on pilgrimage. Many participants also enjoyed guided tours that morning, such as the Angevin Castle and sites in the heart of the Fortress of Gaeta, where the two beloved Monarchs lead the defense of the city and of the Kingdom. A second guided tour included the local churches and neighborhoods. There was also a presentation of the book “Il Reggimento Real Marina” by Salvatore Carreca.
A stirring moment of the afternoon occurred when the various groups gathered in the piazza in front of the Serapo Hotel to begin the pilgrimage to the upper part of the Carlo V Battery, with hundreds of raised flags joining the flag blessed in Polignano, which was carried by two delegates of the Francesco II Foundation, a girl from the Neobourbon Movement, a woman from the Movimento Duosiciliano and a young man from the Comitati Due Sicilie. This pilgrimage was led by Pino Aprile, who was the promoter of this initiative whereby the first bricks of the “Monument for the Memory of the Peoples of the Two Sicilies” were lovingly brought to Gaeta. Upon these bricks were inscribed the names of the many cities destroyed during the occupation and sacking of the invading Piedmontese army. During the placing of the bricks the anthem of the Two Sicilies by Paisiello was performed by the Real Cappella Napolitana. Verses dedicated to the homeland written by Roman Delegate Carlangelo Schillimà Chiarandà were added to the anthem.
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Flowers and earth from across the south
were placed on the future site of the monument |
Before the placing of the bricks, the actor Angelantonio Aversana read excerpts about all of the destroyed cities from Pino Aprile’s last book Carnefici. All of the delegates and friends of the South from all of the associations and movements then placed their bricks and flowers on the future site of the monument. The ceremony concluded with Father Massimo Cuofano and Father Luciano Rotolo of the Francis II Foundation blessing the bricks, and the Tiragliatori Borbonici (Bourbon Sharpshooters) led by Captain Alessandro Romano executing the lowering of the flag in honor of the Fallen.
At 5:30 in the evening in the banquet hall of the Hotel Serapo, the convention dedicated to the topic of “From Memory to Identity” began. Gennaro De Crescenzo coordinated the work on this meeting. Nobile attorney Franco Ciufo of the Associazione Italiana Cavalieri Costantiniani greeted the participants and authorities present before the presentations.
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| Honoring the memory of the fallen with song |
Pino Aprile presented reflections upon the meaning of the “Un Mattone e un Fiore” (A Brick and a Flower) event; Marina Carrese of the publishing house “Il Giglio” presented the special re-edition of the work on the history of the Two Sicilies by Giacinto De’ Sivo, reporting on the theme: “De’ Sivo and the memory of the South;” Fiore Marro president of the Comitati Due Sicilie addressed the “places of remembrance;” Pino Marino of Daunia Due Sicilie, presented “Briganti, memories and film”. This interesting convention was enriched by the presence of Eddy Napoli, who sang several of his songs, including the well-known “Malaunità.” The evening concluded with a performance by compatriot Povia, with his moving “A Sud.”
The evening concluded with the Comitati Due Sicilie (Two Sicilies Committees) celebrating their first 10 years with a banquet and the personal greetings of President Fiore Marro, who also presented awards of recognition. The Real Cappella Napolitana also performed the National Anthem and several Neapolitan villanelles.
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| Bricks from towns throughout the south |
The third and final day, Sunday February 12th, was celebrated as a moment of faith and commemoration. At 9:30 in the morning participants gathered at the Santuario della Montagna Spaccata, where Holy Mass was celebrated by Don Natalino Di Rienzo, who in his homily discussed the Gospel roots of our need for truth also in the remembrance of those who gave their lives to defend the Fatherland and the Faith. Don Luciano Rotolo and Don Masssimo Cuofano concelebrated. After Mass Avv. Franco Ciufo, recalled the defenders of Gaeta in 1860-61 and thanked the numerous participants. Don Massimo Cuofano, after a brief introduction, led the prayer for the beatification of HM Francesco II of Bourbon Two Sicilies.
Before leaving the Church Don Luciano Rotolo delivered to the Bourbon squadron the flag blessed in Polignano by Don Alessandro di Borbone, and the participants returned to the “Batteria Carlo V,” for the raising of the flag, in honor of the heroes of Gaeta, to remind all that the Homeland of the Two Sicilies is ever present and alive. With this the commemoration events concluded and the participants bid each other farewell, agreeing to reconvene next year.
The participants and Il Regno extend heartfelt thanks to HRH Prince Carlo di Borbone Due Sicilie, who himself sent thanks to the organizers and participants (see addendum below), the Associazione Nazionale dei Cavalieri Costantiniani d’Italia, author Pino Aprile, Gennaro De Crescenzo and the Movimento Neoborbonico, the Fondazione il Giglio, Fiore Marro and the members of the Comitati Due Sicilie, Michele Ladisa and the Movimento Duosiciliano, the Zavaglia brothers and the Gioiosa Jonica group, Captain Alessandro Romano and the Rete Due Sicilie, Davide Brandi and the Lazzari e Briganti group, the Daunia Due Sicilie group, the “Le Ali di Checco” association, Carlo Capezzuto, Matteo Vaia of the Bottega delle Due Sicilie, Two Sicilies fashion stylist Salvatore Argenio and his wife Annamaria Pisapia, the choral group Real Cappella Napolitana, Angelantonio Aversana, Eddy Napoli and Giuseppe Povia, and the numerous members of the participating organizations, friends and supporters of the Two Sicilies community.
Addendum: Translated thank-you letter from HRH Prince Carlo di Borbone Due Sicilie
To the Movimento Neobornico
To the Mayor of the Comune di Gaeta and to the Authorities and mayors present
To the Fondazione Il Giglio
To the Comitati Due Sicilie
To Dr. Pino Aprile
To the Associations that have participated in the Days of Remembrance:
Fondazione Francesco II di Borbone, Daunia Due Sicilie, Tesori dell’Arte, Osservatorio delle Due Sicilie, Meridem, Milites Luci, Imago Historiae, Terraurunca, Passato e Futuro Onlus, Ilnuovsud.it, Rete delle Due Sicilie, Comitato Studi Storici Meridionali, Associazione Due Siclie Gioiosa Jonica, Terroni di Pino Aprile, Siamo Tutti Briganti, Rivista Il Brigante, Briganti della Magna Grecia, Parlamentoduesicilie.it, Lazzari e Briganti, Le Ali di Checco, Bottega delle Due Sicilie, MBL Musicisti Basso Lazio, Agorà di Volcei Buccino.
Memory is a fundamental part of entire communities and of entire populations. In not just Italian history memory has been and is the basis of the success of those communities and those populations.
For this reason the manifestation underway in Gaeta, the Day of Remembrance of the 13 February with the celebrations of these days and the monument to history’s vanquished and for the Two Sicilies are important and not just from the cultural aspect.
My family, in the memory of the heroes of Gaeta the day that you are all celebrating, greets with affection the organizers and participants. In the hope of continuing, also together, this precious rebuilding of memories and of pride as a symbol of historical truth, of mutual respect, and of the sharing of values and of traditions ever so current.
In the certainty that memory, thanks to all of you and to work carried out in these years, is finally “finding again its pages, its dates and its places” and from there future generations could set out towards a future ever more worthy of our great past.
Carlo
Duke of Castro
