Investiture at Anholt – May 2026

Wasserburg Anholt / Isselburg, 2nd May – On the 2nd of May, a solemn Investiture of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George took place for the first time on German soil. The Grand Master of the Order, His Royal Highness Prince Don Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, presided over the Investiture.

The solemn High Mass with Investiture was celebrated at the Parish Church of St Pancras in Anholt. The celebrant was the Order’s Chaplain, the Reverend Professor Dr Stefan Samerski. The Investiture underscored the spiritual character of the time-honoured Order, whose roots reach back to the 16th century and which is devoted to the protection and defence of the Christian faith, as well as to charitable and cultural endeavours. During the ceremony, distinguished individuals were admitted into the Order who have demonstrated a particular commitment to its mission in the Church, in society, and in the service of charitable causes.

In his address, His Royal Highness Prince Don Pedro emphasised the responsibility of the Order’s members to unite faith, service to one’s neighbour, and civic engagement. He described the first-ever Investiture of the Constantinian Order on German soil as a momentous symbol of the Order’s international presence and living tradition.

A musical highlight of the liturgy was the performance of the “Missa brevis No. V in C major, Op. XXXIII” (1782) by Johann Anton Kobrich (1714–1791). The musical programme was rendered by the Parish Choir of St Pancras under the direction of Mr Sven Joosten, the Isselburg Wind Orchestra under the direction of Mr Nils Saatkamp, Mr Martin Boland at the organ, and a chamber orchestra under the direction of Priska Strümpfel. The soloists Mrs Stephanie Reiker and Mrs Heike Plitt lent the celebration a particular splendour.

The host of Wasserburg Anholt, Prince zu Salm, President of the German Royal Commission of the Order, placed the castle at the Order’s disposal for this distinguished occasion. Following the High Mass, numerous guests from Germany and abroad gathered in the historic setting for a festive reception.