H.E. Dr. Norbert Wójtowicz, Grand Prior of Continental Europe for the San Luigi Orders, has contributed an article on “Freemasons in the Church” to this recent Polish language publication.

H.I.H. Prince don Hugo-José Tomassini Paternò (1927-) is a Knight Grand Cross of the Orders of the Crown of Thorns and of the Lion and the Black Cross, being so appointed by Prince-Abbot Edmond I of San Luigi. His father don Tullio was also a member of the San Luigi Orders.

The Prince is the head of the line of the Dynastic House of Leopardi of Constantinople (Tomassi/Tomassini) and a pretender to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire by virtue of his descent from the Justinian and Heraclian dynasties.

During the latter years of the Second World War, the young Prince, who was a devoted follower of Mussolini, fought as a junior officer in the Italian Social Republic (RSI) Black Brigades. He participated alongside the Waffen SS in combat against the Russians in the eastern theatre and against the British and Americans in northern Italy. For his service he was honoured with the Medaglia d’Argento al Valore Militare R.S.I., the Croce al Merito di Guerra R.S.I., the Medaglia d’Argento al Valore Arditi d’Italia, the Croce Nera del’Ardito di Guerra and the German Iron Cross 2nd Class. During the war, his family property in Fermo was invaded and looted and many books, documents and possessions of a historical nature were lost or destroyed.

The recovery of this property occupied much time and effort for the Prince, and eventually the surviving part of his family library (around 20,000 volumes) was re-organized in 1955  and joined with the Academy that had been founded by the Tomassini Paternò family in 1939. In 1951, the Prince had adopted for his Academy the symbol of the white phoenix, representing the reclamation of the family heritage. This united entity was registered with the National Agency for Popular and Scholarly Libraries under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Education as the “Biblioteca Popolare e Scolastica dell’Accademia Universitaria Internazionale di Fermo del Piceno” (Reg.n.7957), and also referred to simply as the “Historical File”. The Very Revd. Canon Piegallina Guido, Director of the Historical Archives of the Archbishop of Fermo and chaplain of the Tomassini Paterno family, was appointed as the Independent Director of the archive. The Academy made contacts overseas, and in 1952 was joined to the American International Academy which had been founded in 1898. Cultural events were organized in New York among other cities, and a monthly newsletter was initiated and circulated. Among the collaborating institutions in America was the Augustan Society, whose co-founder Archbishop Forest Barber received honours from the Prince.

In peacetime, the Prince devoted himself to the study of history (particularly that of Ancient Rome) and heraldry. He produced a major work, “Universal Encyclopaedia of Knighthood Orders and Decorations” with over 3,000 historical notes. The San Luigi Orders were included in this book. He produced other works on the subject of chivalry, including the study “La Caballeria a través del tiempo” (FF.AA.C., Caracas, 1961).

In 1953, the Prince instituted an order of merit, the Ordine della Guardia d’Onore di Santa Sofia. Other orders of his house included the Ordine Imperiale della Corona Eracliana di Costantinopli. On 15 April 1967, a Bull of Mar Joannes Maria I (Jan Frederik Nico Blom van Assendelft-Altland) (1923-2008), Patriarch of the Eglise Catholique Apostolique Primitive d’Antioche Orthodoxe et de Tradition Syro-Byzantine, recognized the Prince as the legitimate successor of the Justinian and Heraclian dynasties of the Eastern Roman Empire and head of the house of Leopardi of Constantinople Tomasi Tomassini Paternò. Mar Joannes Maria had been consecrated bishop on 20 March 1955 by Archbishop Harold Nicholson and would eventually (as Anba Marcos) become Metropolitan of Europe in the Coptic Orthodox Church. The present Prince-Abbot of San Luigi stands in the fifth generation of episcopal succession from him.

The Prince had a close relationship with the government of Venezuela, to which he acted as a heraldic advisor, and received several appointments of attaché and commissioner. He was awarded honours and decorations from around the world, including the Papal Lateran Cross, as well as the Order of the White Eagle, the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Gold Cross of Merit from the Polish Government in Exile. In 1975, he became Grand Protector of one of the branches of the Order of St John.

In 1971, there was an exchange of correspondence between the Prince and Prince-Abbot Edmond II of San Luigi. The Prince wrote that he had been a very good friend of the late Prince-Abbot Edmond I as well as having corresponded with the Count de l’Estrange (erstwhile Chancellor of the Orders). During the post-war years the Prince had lived in Los Angeles and in due course had moved to Miami Beach, Florida.

The Prince succeeded his father on the latter’s abdication on 20 November 1950. He married Donna Margherita-Andreana Caneparo-Carotti.

>>A rare book owned by the Prince
>>The Prince in the uniform of the Black Brigades (links to the website of Abraxas Books)
>>Website of the Historical File (in Italian)

Members of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church have commemorated Mar Julius I Alvares with a new portrait. Mar Julius I Alvares was the consecrator of Prince-Abbot Joseph III and one of the first members of the refounded Order of the Crown of Thorns in 1891.

Article source: http://marthoman.tv/?p=24623

Click on the image to see full size picture (links to Malankara news site)

“Niranam, India, July 27, 2014,   – The Niranam St. Mary’s Orthodox Valiyapally, one of the few churches found by St. Thomas the apostle; commemorated the blessed memory of Metropolitan Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares Mar Yoolios of India, Goa and Ceylon on Sunday the 27^th of July 2014. To mark the 125^th year of his consecration of metropolitan, Fr. C. V. Oomman, vicar, unveiled a portrait of Alvares Mar Yoolios. Prominent historian Dr. M. Kurian Thomas delivered the key-note address.

Fr. Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares, Roman Catholic priest from Goa, a born philanthropist and nationalist, inspired by the true Christian doctrines and motivated by the Indian nationality spirit, embrace the Malankara Church, the only church in India that follows the true apostolic doctrines and with the true nationalist background. He joined the Malankara Orthodox Church in 1889 that he found fit to his dreams and several thousand Roman Catholic Christians throughout British India who really wants to get rid of their European dominion.

On 29 July, 1889, Fr. Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares was consecrated as the Metropolitan Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares Mar Yoolios. He was enthroned as the Metropolitan of the newly formed Latin archdiocese of India, Goa and Ceylon of the Malankara Church at Old Seminary, Kottayam, India. He was consecrated by H.G. Geevarghese Mar Gregarious of Niranam (later canonized as St. Gregarious of Parumala), H. G. Paulose Mar Ivanios of Kandanad (later H.H. Mar Baselius Paulose I, Catholicos of the East), and H. G. Paulose Mar Athanasius of Kottayam & Angamaly by the order of H. B. Mar Dionysius V, Pulikoottil, Malankara Metropolitan.

Earlier, he was elevated as a monk (Remban) according to the West Syriac tradition by H.G. Geevarghese Mar Gregarious of Niranam on 27 July, 1889 at the Old Seminary, Kottayam.

“We, the Niranam church, one of the very few churches with St. Thomas origin, privileged to starts the jubilee calibrations of Mar Alvares Yoolios, the most zealot Indian missionary” said Fr. Ommen on the occasion. Cor-Episcopa Thomas Kurian presided over the meeting. Fr. John K. Varghese, lay trustee M. V. Abraham and the church secretary K. B. Mathew gave the felicitations.

The present Niranam church was consecrated by H. B. Mar Dionysius VI, Vattasseril, Malankara Metropolitan (later canonized as St. Dionysius of Malankara) along with H.G. Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares Mar Yoolios Metropolitan on 2 Kumbham 1912 (15 February, 1912 – feast of Mayalatho – the presentation of Christ)”

Members of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church have commemorated Mar Julius I Alvares with a new portrait. Mar Julius I Alvares was the consecrator of Prince-Abbot Joseph III and one of the first members of the refounded Order of the Crown of Thorns in 1891.

Article source: http://marthoman.tv/?p=24623

Click on the image to see full size picture (links to Malankara news site)

“Niranam, India, July 27, 2014,   – The Niranam St. Mary’s Orthodox Valiyapally, one of the few churches found by St. Thomas the apostle; commemorated the blessed memory of Metropolitan Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares Mar Yoolios of India, Goa and Ceylon on Sunday the 27^th of July 2014. To mark the 125^th year of his consecration of metropolitan, Fr. C. V. Oomman, vicar, unveiled a portrait of Alvares Mar Yoolios. Prominent historian Dr. M. Kurian Thomas delivered the key-note address.

Fr. Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares, Roman Catholic priest from Goa, a born philanthropist and nationalist, inspired by the true Christian doctrines and motivated by the Indian nationality spirit, embrace the Malankara Church, the only church in India that follows the true apostolic doctrines and with the true nationalist background. He joined the Malankara Orthodox Church in 1889 that he found fit to his dreams and several thousand Roman Catholic Christians throughout British India who really wants to get rid of their European dominion.

On 29 July, 1889, Fr. Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares was consecrated as the Metropolitan Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares Mar Yoolios. He was enthroned as the Metropolitan of the newly formed Latin archdiocese of India, Goa and Ceylon of the Malankara Church at Old Seminary, Kottayam, India. He was consecrated by H.G. Geevarghese Mar Gregarious of Niranam (later canonized as St. Gregarious of Parumala), H. G. Paulose Mar Ivanios of Kandanad (later H.H. Mar Baselius Paulose I, Catholicos of the East), and H. G. Paulose Mar Athanasius of Kottayam & Angamaly by the order of H. B. Mar Dionysius V, Pulikoottil, Malankara Metropolitan.

Earlier, he was elevated as a monk (Remban) according to the West Syriac tradition by H.G. Geevarghese Mar Gregarious of Niranam on 27 July, 1889 at the Old Seminary, Kottayam.

“We, the Niranam church, one of the very few churches with St. Thomas origin, privileged to starts the jubilee calibrations of Mar Alvares Yoolios, the most zealot Indian missionary” said Fr. Ommen on the occasion. Cor-Episcopa Thomas Kurian presided over the meeting. Fr. John K. Varghese, lay trustee M. V. Abraham and the church secretary K. B. Mathew gave the felicitations.

The present Niranam church was consecrated by H. B. Mar Dionysius VI, Vattasseril, Malankara Metropolitan (later canonized as St. Dionysius of Malankara) along with H.G. Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares Mar Yoolios Metropolitan on 2 Kumbham 1912 (15 February, 1912 – feast of Mayalatho – the presentation of Christ)”

The last communication in our archive from Prince-Abbot Joseph III is this Easter card from 1929, sent to the future Prince-Abbot Edmond I – “my Very Dear Friend”. Prince-Abbot Joseph III passed away on 1 July 1929.

The typed annotation is by Prince-Abbot Edmond II, referring to a card that is also in our Archive. This envelope is dated 7 June 1928 and it will be seen that it was redirected as a result of the future Prince-Abbot Edmond I leaving his Episcopalian parish in Canada for one in Los Angeles.

On 19 June 1925, Prince-Abbot Joseph III wrote to the future Prince-Abbot Edmond I, then Grand Chancellor-General of the Order of the Crown of Thorns. His letter is important in that it discusses some of the details of Prince-Abbot Joseph III’s formal ceremony of reconciliation with the Roman Catholic Church and also in that it reaffirms the closeness between the two men, such that Prince-Abbot Joseph III was moved to write of “my most sincere and faithful friend for ever”.

The first paragraph of the letter details assistance that had been sent to Prince-Abbot Joseph III, most likely of a financial nature. It is a myth that Prince-Abbot Joseph III was living in abject poverty before his reconciliation with Rome. He was always able to provide for himself, but was in constant need of more funding for his mission work. It appears that he was given an annuity from the American Catholic Church, based in Chicago, of which he had formerly been Primate, but was initially not able to access this from his new home in Versailles, hence the appeal for funds. He was also to receive a generous Papal pension.

At the end of the letter the signature of Georges Panchaud is found under that of Prince-Abbot Joseph III. Panchaud was the nephew of the Prince-Abbot and lived with his uncle at Versailles.

The three-page letter is reproduced below (click each page for a larger version) with a transcript following:

[Seal of the Order of the Crown of Thorns]

Versailles, the 19^th June 1925

To Monseigneur Barwell Walker
Grand Chancellor General
C[hivalrous] & R[eligious] Order of the Crown of Thorns
La Porte, USA

My dear and sincere Friend,

First I must reply to your kind and sincere letter of June 22. I have received your most welcome offer, who came in the right time to help me in this rainy days. Many, many thanks.

In your letter July the 7^th you ask me if I was received in to the Church of Rome. I will say Yes, I was received, with all respect and great consideration after 12 days of retraite in the Home and Chapel of the Fathers of the Fraternity Sacerdotal by His Excellency the Papal Nuncio of Paris in the presence of 12 dignitary. The ceremony was imposing, strictly private full of charity and of the spirit of God.

Through the kindness of the Holy Father I have to my disposal and use a pavillon of 5 rooms, and a very large garden for Georges to work and amuse. This is in the City of Versailles, near a monastery of Cistercians, from time to time I visit the Abbot and he always return the visit to me with large baskets of vegetable or fruits. I am a free man in that papal pavillon and do what I want, visiting Paris or others city if it please me.

Again 3 or 4 months of forebearance and then I will receive more regularly my Chicago money etc. etc. May be Dr. Slade will paid me. Will you in charitable way give him my new address.

Concerning my situation in France, I like to say more to you but please wait and do not stop to correspond with me. You are my Chancellor General and my most sincere and faithfull friend for ever.

Your last letter to me shows your noble Christian spirit. God will certainly reward you. Thanks for your comfortable words in your letter. Don’t be discouraged. We will meet again. God is good.

Believe me dear Monseigneur Yours affectionately old friend, +Mar Timotheus Archbishop Vilatte.

Strictly Private letter never to be publish in news papers,

My address: Monseigneur J.R. Vilatte Archevêque
19, rue de Pont Colbert,
Versailles
Seine-et-Oise,
France

Respectuous salutations of Georges.