The Abbey-Principality of San Luigi has become aware of the dissemination of material via the website Wikipedia that is inaccurate and defamatory to the Abbey-Principality. The Abbey-Principality has submitted an official complaint to the Wikimedia Foundation and has published a full response at this link:

Response to material placed on Wikipedia by Robert Kobylinski and others

This statement should suffice to make it clear that the Abbey-Principality contests in the strongest terms the false statements that others have sought to present, and that it intends to respond fully to these attacks. We note also that a friend of the Abbey-Principality has published his own personal response to the matter which may be read (in French) here, and which expresses a trenchancy that is well in keeping with the spirit of the “valiant knight”.

The Grand Collar of the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi is worn by the Prince-Abbot on ceremonial occasions. The collar was hand-crafted and enamelled by Admiral Carl Lemke, KCCT, KCLBC, who holds the Warrant of the Abbey-Principality for the making of insignia.

The Abbey-Principality has granted a Charter and Apostolic Mandate to the Union Apostolique Gallicane under the Most Revd. Raphaël-Magnoald Steck, OA, KOCT as Bishop Moderator. The Union is an umbrella body that seeks to bring together those who continue the ministry of the Eglise Gallicane as that was expressed under the primacy of the Abbé Julio, formerly Prelat-Commandeur of the Order of the Crown of Thorns and previously of Prince-Abbot Joseph III of San Luigi.

The Union endorses the Duval Faith and Order Declaration of Prince-Abbot Joseph III agreed at Wisconsin on 16 December 1889 and published in 1890. As well as church missions, it includes in its membership several religious orders.

A website for the Union can be found at http://union-gallicane.org

The Abbey-Principality has granted a Charter and Apostolic Mandate to the new Mission Gallicane Saint Julio in Belgium under the Most Revd. Willy Fiorucci OA, KOCT (Mgr. Vilhelmus). The Mission is a canonical continuation of the ministry of the Eglise Gallicane as that was expressed under the primacy of the Abbé Julio, formerly Prelat-Commandeur of the Order of the Crown of Thorns and previously of Prince-Abbot Joseph III of San Luigi.

The Mission endorses the Duval Faith and Order Declaration of Prince-Abbot Joseph III agreed at Wisconsin on 16 December 1889 and published in 1890. It is a member communion of the Union Apostolique Gallicane together with the Mission Gallicane d’Alsace under the Most Revd. Raphaël-Magnoald Steck OA, KOCT, which has also received a Charter from the Abbey-Principality.

A website for the new Mission can be found at http://mgsj.be.

The Prince-Abbot has been honoured by the Polish Collegium Heraldicum Concordiae. The CHC was founded in 2009 to promote traditional and conservative values within society.

The Medal “Pro Probitas” was instituted in 2010 and is awarded in three classes: gold, silver and bronze. It is awarded to those who have promoted conservative values. The obverse design of the medal depicts Adam Jerzy Czartoryski (1770-1861), while the reverse bears a quotation “CONVENIT DIMICARE PRO LEGIBUS, PRO LIBERTATE, PRO PATRIA” (it is fitting to fight in defense of rights, freedoms and country) taken from “Tusculan Disputations” by Marcus Tullius Cicero. The ribbon depicts the national colours of Poland and of France.

The Prince-Abbot has received the Medal “Pro Probitas” in gold (Class I) which is the highest award of the CHC.

Additionally, the Prince-Abbot has received the CHC Medal commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the birth of the late Archduke Otto von Hapsburg. The reverse of the medal depicts a quotation from Vergil, “Semper honoris nomenque laudesque manebunt tuum” (Your honour, name and glory will remain forever)

The chairman of the CHC is Dr Norbert Wojtewicz, who is a Knight Officer of the Order of the Crown of Thorns. Dr Wojtewicz, who earned his first two degrees from the Papal Theological Faculty in Wroclaw and his PhD from the University of Wroclaw, is the former Keeper of the Laws of the Association of Polish Monarchists. Among his many chivalric offices, he is Grand Herald and member of the Grand Chapter of the Order of Saint Stanislaus, and is author of the official history of the Order. He is photographed below with the late Prince-Bishop Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki, Grand Master of the Order of Saint Stanislaus, who was briefly Assistant Bishop to the Prince-Abbot in his capacity as Archbishop of Great Britain in the Apostolic Episcopal Church.

Mgr. Raphaël-Magnoald Steck wears the insignia of a Knight Officer of the Order of the Crown of Thorns at the recent Synod of the FSJ&V in France.

The Abbey-Principality is pleased to announce the launch of the Companionates of the Order of the Crown of Thorns and the Order of the Lion and the Black Cross.

The idea that there should be a rank in the Order of the Crown of Thorns below that of Knight was first planned in 1938, when a draft scheme of membership was presented to Prince-Abbot Edmond I that made provision for Companions. However, the Companionate has had to wait until now to be formally inaugurated.

The Companionate is therefore the introductory rank of membership in the San Luigi Orders, and is available to men and women of good character located anywhere in the world. For Christians of any denomination, membership is as a Companion of the Order of the Crown of Thorns. For members of other faiths or those of no religious belief, membership is as a Companion of the Order of the Lion and the Black Cross. The Companionate offers an opportunity for members of the public who wish to become involved in the work of the San Luigi Orders, since its members are full members of the Orders, and those who show an active commitment to this work will be eligible for promotion to the higher ranks in due course.

Insignia for Companions

Companions are entitled to wear the Companionate Medal of the respective Order. The Companionate Medals are of 40mm diameter finished with gold and worn from the chest ribbon of the respective Order. They bear an image of the insignia of their Order on the obverse, while on the reverse of both medals is depicted the full achievement of arms of the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi.

Click the images below to enlarge them.

D	Companion of the Order of the Crown of Thorns (obverse) Medal of a Companion of the Order finished in gold depicting the insignia of the Order on the obverse and the arms of the Abbey-Principality on the reverse. The medal is worn on the chest ribbon of the Order.
CD	Companion of the Order of the Lion and the Black Cross (obverse) Medal of a Companion of the Order finished in gold depicting the insignia of the Order on the obverse and the arms of the Abbey-Principality on the reverse. The medal is worn on the chest ribbon of the Order.
CD	Both Companionate Medals (reverse) The reverse of both Companionate Medals depicts the full achievement of arms of the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi.

In informal dress, companions may also wear the lapel badge of San Luigi (depicted at the top left of this page) which is available to purchase separately.