"Knights of St. Timothy" invade St Peter's Square

(Vatican Radio) Among the scores of throusands of pilgrims on hand to see Pope Francis on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square for the weekly General Audience, were a group of unusually dressed characters from Termoli in central Italy: the Cavalieri di San Timoteo or “Knights of St. Timothy”.

More than just historical re-enactors, the Knights of St. Timothy (so-called for their patron and base of operations out of San Timoteo parish in Termoli) are a group of men involved in volunteer and charity activities in the parish and throughout their city and their region.

Their costumes represent those of the three major monastic-chivalric orders of the High Middle Ages: the Knights Templar; the Knights Hospitaller; the Knights Teutonic.

A delegation from the Association formed of founder Antonello Sciarretta, parish pastor and “chaplain” Don Benito Giorgetta, and artist Cleofino Casolino, presented the Holy Father with a sculpture realized bby Casolino himself.