The Feast of the Ascension at Carditello

HRH Princess Beatrice of Bourbon–Two Sicilies with dignitaries and reenactors
Photos courtesy of Gaetano Bonelli and 1° Reggimento Re

At the historic Royal Site of Carditello, the Feast of the Ascension unfolded as a rare union of sacred tradition, historical memory, and Bourbon heritage. The event gathered clergy, historians, reenactors, and distinguished guests—including HRH Princess Beatrice of Bourbon–Two Sicilies—for a day that restored something of the ceremonial spirit once associated with the old Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Members of the 1° Reggimento Re

Particularly notable was the presentation of several unique and largely unseen artifacts from the collections of the Museum of Naples, many connected to the history of the Bourbon dynasty. The exhibition transformed the estate from a mere historical site into something closer to a living continuity, offering a rare glimpse into a world too often flattened into stereotype, yet still preserved through objects, ritual, and memory.

The religious dimension of the celebration remained central. The traditional floral display, the solemn Mass celebrated by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, and the procession of Carlo Brunelli’s altarpiece reaffirmed the deeply Catholic character of the feast. Especially striking was the ancient blessing of the waters from the Carolino Aqueduct, a rite that seemed to bind together landscape, faith, and history in a distinctly Duosiciliano way.

Rather than functioning as a simple cultural event, the Feast of the Ascension at Carditello demonstrated how historical memory can still be lived publicly and spiritually. For a few hours, the Royal Site became, once again, part of a living tradition rather than a monument to a vanished world.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, May 20th, Feast of San Bernardino da Siena

HRH Princess Beatrice of Bourbon–Two Sicilies with Gaetano Bonelli

Cav. Mirko Speranza