Official press releases

The Prince Abbot of Sabourg His Reverend Highness Mgr Giovanni Luca has sent an official message of congratulations to the new President-elect of the United States Donald Trump on behalf of the religious and all the citizens of Sabourg. He hopes that this important mission will help to restore peace in the world.

The Prince Abbot of Sabourg, His Most Reverend Highness Mgr Giovanni Luca, opened the celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the Monastic Order on 29 September 2024, congratulating all the personalities and collaborators whose active participation and constant work have made it possible to reach this milestone.

The Prince Abbot, accompanied by the Secretary of State and Minister of Communication, H.E. Florence de Barros Contì, welcomed the swearing-in of the Minister of the new Ministry of Sport, H.E. Dr. Stéphane FOUCHER, and the Minister of the Ministry of Health, H.E. Frédéric Pfeferberg.

During the event, an appeal was made to all those entitled to Sabourg citizenship, with a view to the forthcoming opening of the Sabourg census.

On the evening of 22 July in Seborga, the Prince Abbot of Sabourg, His Most Reverend Highness Mgr Giovanni Luca, concluded the festivities for the co-patroness of Seborga, Saint Mary of Magdala, with a classical music concert in her honour.
The concert was performed by our French soprano Béatrice Fontaine, director of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral choir, accompanied on the piano by maestro Cristina Squarciafichi, a native of Seborga.
The anthem of the Principality of Sabourg, Psalm 91, was created by soprano Béatrice Fontaine.

On this occasion, the appointment of Fra Mattia, born Fra Mirco Norberti, as the new President of the Monastic Council, i.e. the Parliament of Sabourg, was made official. The new President will be sworn in on 13 December 2024, during the Sabourg Festival.

The Prince-Abbot of Sabourg Giovanni Luca travelled to Rome on Monday 24 June at the invitation of the President of the Confraternity of Saint Michael the Archangel and the Holy Spirit of the Borgo Corridors.
At 6pm, Giovanni Luca took part, in his capacity as Prince-Abbot Archbishop of Sabourg and Deputy Metropolitan Vicar General of the Orthodox Church in Italy, in the solemn Mass for world peace under the protection of Our Lady of Debtors, in the church of Santa Maria Annunziata in Borgo, on Vatican territory.
In addition to the Prince of Sabourg, the members of the delegation accompanying him on this visit also took their places in the seats reserved for the authorities, next to the celebrant. These included the Prime Minister of the Principality of Sabourg, His Excellency the Very Reverend Marc Vincent Vattier Exarch of the Gallican Church in France, Professor Luigi Battistini Grand Commander of the Equestrian Order of Saint Martin the Charitable, and the Director General of the Land Division of the Abatial Gendarmerie, General Giovanni Luca del Sabourg, who was appointed to head the delegation.
Giovanni Luca del Sabourg expressed his satisfaction with the event organised at the Vatican,
This is an important event for the Principality. It confirms the legitimacy of Sabourg and of my ecclesiastical role, which is all too often criticised by ill-informed people who do not want to accept the presence of our institution in its historic headquarters in Seborga’.
Prince Giovanni Luca also gave special thanks to Dr Gilberto Di Benedetto for his work as guardian of the icon of Our Lady of the Debtors.

5th May 2024

On 5 May, on the occasion of the Orthodox Easter celebrations, the Prince-Abbot of Sabourg, His Most Reverend Highness Bishop Jean Luc, presented the digitisation of the State of Sabourg through the creation of the Sabourg Digital Foundation.
To this end, 144,000 digital identities called e-sbr, or tokens available to all citizens of Sabourg and future digital residents of Sabourg, have been issued. The acquisition of these tokens will be activated by 13 December 2024, Sabourg’s bank holidays, by presenting the programme that will give access to the formal application for all those wishing to participate in the digitisation of the Abbey State by donating a sum of money that will be used for economic development to carry out the major projects of the Principality of Sabourg.

10 January 2021