Biography Prince Abbot
Archbishop of Seborga
Metropolitan Archbishop Giovanni Luca, born Monsignor Gianluca de Lucia, was born in Bordighera on 27 May 1978. Having graduated in Accounting in 1997, he continued his studies in law at the University of Imperia. In 2013 he obtained a short degree in theology, thanks to the support of the Deanery in Europe of the Polish National Catholic Church.
Former Auxiliary Carabiniere with Medal of Merit, he was a political activist in Ventimiglia, city councilor from 2002 to 2010, former mayoral candidate, he had the privilege of participating in the election of the Italian Chamber of Deputies in 2013, achieving a modest result ( 8997 valid votes).
In 2010/2011 he collaborated with the Prime Minister of an African state and thanks to this opportunity he became a member of the National Association of Collaborators and Ministers and Parliamentarians of France (ANCMP). He ran three businesses in West Africa in mining, transportation and renewable technologies from 2015 to 2019.
He has resided for years in the Principality of Monaco, manager of a well-known real estate agency from 2012 to May 2023, and since 2018 he has directed the religious association, under Monegasque law, called "Polish National Catholic Church in Monaco", mission of the Old Church of the same name. American Catholic called "Polish National Catholic Church", a church in full sacramental exchange with the Roman Catholic Church by will of Saint John Paul II.
Passionate about history and theology, he was fascinated by Seborga and the ancient Principality, so he decided to conduct historical-legal research on the birth and evolution of Seborga and its Abbey Principality. Three years ago he published a study online, which can be consulted on the site: https://castrumsepulchri.org
In 2019 he involved a group of enthusiasts in the re-constitution of the Monastic Order of Seborga and its Abbey.
On 29/9/2019, together with nine lay monks, he took the vows of tertiary life: obedience and moderation. Following the Divine Liturgy, celebrated by the Reverend Father Gastone Bernacchi, secretary of the Italian Deanery of the PNCC and Vice President of the Monegasque religious body, PNCC in Monaco, the Reverend Father, assisted by two Orthodox religious, in the spirit of ecumenical dialogue as arranged by the Apostle John, accepted during the religious celebration the vows of the ten lay (tertiary) monks: obedience and moderation. At the end of the ceremony, Fra Gianluca de Lucia was elected Commander Abbot of Seborga, obtaining the title of His Most Reverend Highness Monsignor Giovanni Luca, Prince-Abbot pro tempore of Seborga.
The new tertiary monks have prepared a monastic rule, de facto reconstituting the Abbey of Seborga in order to vindicate every right of the ancient Abbey Principality.
The Monastic Order of Seborga is based on the Monegasque religious body PNCC in Monaco, but since its establishment it has taken on a hybrid theological form that welcomes all Christians in the world, mainly Catholics and Orthodox.
On 1 November 2019, the Commander Abbot of Seborga had the privilege of receiving diaconal ordination, together with two other tertiary brothers. He later received Priestly Ordination in order to perfect his mission.
On 28 December 2019, His Most Reverend Highness Monsignor Giovanni Luca de Lucia was consecrated and crowned Prince-Abbot of Seborga by a high Orthodox prelate who blessed him as the 91st Sovereign, Prince of Sabourg, as successor to the last Prince-Abbot of Sabourg , His Most Reverend Highness Monsignor Fauste de Ballon .
On that date, the new Constitution was voted by the clerics and monks of the Abbey of Seborga, repealing the one adopted by the constituent monks in 1261 and subsequent amendments.
On 13 November 2021, His Most Reverend Highness, in the enchanting setting of Viglas Castle in Slovakia, reconsecrated the Order of the Dragon, an ancient chivalric order created by Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg in 1408. On this occasion he consecrated the new Grand Master of the Order, His Excellency Baron Daniel von Rechitar, descendant of Elizabeth of Luxembourg, together with his knights and ladies. The Grand Master out of deep gratitude awarded him the highest decoration and appointed him Sacristan of the Order.
His Most Reverend Highness John Luke completed studies regarding Orthodoxy, in particular the canons of the First Great Councils of the Church of Christ, adopting the Orthodox confession as a life choice, in compliance with the canons of the Councils of Nicaea, Ephesus and Chalcedon until the Council of Trullano.
It should be noted that the Prince-Abbot recognizes the regularity of the married clergy, in particular of the Bishops who, compared to the Chalcedonian churches, whether Catholic or Orthodox, are made up of monks with the obligation of celibacy.
On 20 February 2022 the Prince-Abbot of Seborga was consecrated Bishop by His Eminence Theodore, Bishop of Heraclea and Primate of the Autonomous Italian Orthodox Church known as Cisalpine Gaul, a direct emanation of the Patriarchate of Kiev. acquiring the regular Apostolic Succession.
On 25 February 2023, His Most Reverend Highness was incardinated into the Episcopal Conference of Orthodox Bishops of the Ukrainian Diaspora in the United States, a direct emanation of the UAOC and officially recognized as Prince-Abbot Archbishop of Seborga (see document at the bottom of the article).
His Most Reverend Highness, wishes to consolidate the work that public administrators, through the presentation of a program of economic, tourist and cultural development of Seborga with the following objectives to be achieved, in harmony with the Italian State. The following interventions are recognized in this program:
• Obtain legal recognition from the International Community and the United Nations organization, as a Sovereign State without territory;
• Finalize a bilateral agreement with the Italian Government in order to obtain autonomy of the lands of the ancient Principality of Sabourg, through the establishment of an autonomous area as provided for in article five of the Italian Constitution;
• Establish the Ecumenical Institute, dedicated to religious interaction for spiritual cohesion, primarily Christian and then aimed at the interaction of all the other religions of the world;
• Relaunch culture and tourism through the implementation of a program of annual events scheduled by the cultural association “La Vela Bianca”.
