The Prince-Abbot of Sabourg was received as head of state in Africa

The news was released by His Most Reverend Highness Monsignor Giovanni Luca, Prince-Abbot Archbishop of Sabourg, (born Monsignor Gianluca de Lucia) during a public conference held on Friday, December 13, in Ventimiglia on the occasion of the National Day of Sabourg, entitled: “The Principality of Sabourg in 2024, a sovereignty recognized throughout the world.”

These are the most important statements made by the Prince-Abbot: “2024 has proved to be a decisive year for the fate of this ancient abbatial state. Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, the Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland), and the Central African Republic have established official contacts with the Government of Sabourg with a view to signing an international cooperation agreement. Following relentless diplomatic efforts in recent months, I have been received as Head of State by the following high-ranking institutional figures: the Head of Government of Guinea-Bissau, the Minister of State of Liberia, and the Monarch of Swaziland. Meanwhile, Sabourg diplomats have been received by the Head of State of the Central African Republic. The first cooperation agreement was signed in Bissau on September 13, 2024, to establish a series of serious and decisive projects for the future of this developing country. Negotiations are underway to formalize other international cooperation agreements, and we will inform you as soon as they are concluded. Sabourg, which has recently begun a general census, is not only a reality in the Priories located in Seborga and Ventimiglia, but is also engaging in diplomatic activities with other nations in order to support developing countries with concrete projects.

As a Franco-Italian religious state, it wants to strengthen cross-border cooperation between Italy and France, given that the territory of the municipality of Sospel (France) was an integral part of the ancient Principality of Sabourg. I believe that the time has come to make our diplomatic and governmental activities public. Italian, French, and European citizens should know that the Principality of Sabourg, the first abbatial state in human history, was legitimately reconstituted five years ago by a Benedictine-inspired religious congregation called the “Monastic Order of Seborga,” which is based in a Monegasque religious institution.

Our government, snubbed by the media, is often confused with a local tourism promotion association called the ‘Principality of Seborga’, run by a German citizen, assisted by a group of Italian citizens. Our aim is to make it clear that this association based in Seborga has nothing to do with the Principality of Sabourg.

The founder of this commendable tourism initiative is recognized by a commemorative plaque as the creator of past realities, paraphrasing myths and legends that have nothing to do with the origin of the Principality of Sabourg, which was founded in 1261 by papal, not imperial, decree.

The Prince-Abbot of Sabourg also spoke of the international character of the state: Today, the Principality wants to become a very large spiritual community, attentive to inter-religious integration, in order to extend its action of establishing spiritual communities outside its territorial borders as a model of tertiary life with great respect for natural resources, the protection of humankind, and attention to technological and digital development.

In conclusion, the Prince-Abbot reassured those present of his desire to establish good relations with the Italian Republic: “Since 2019, our aim has been to obtain autonomy for the lands that have been under the protectorate of the Roman Pontiff to the House of Savoy for more than three centuries, which, to our understanding, has never been revoked. We do not want to clash with the Italian government over the reasons for our existence, but rather to showcase the potential of Sabourg and promote a cooperation agreement that would grant the Principality of Sabourg special autonomy over the territories under the protectorate, exercised by the Italian Republic since 1946. This is because the Principality of Sabourg wants to share its autonomy with the Italian people in order to create benefits for both. Let it be clear to everyone that I am talking about autonomy and not independence, because independence is a concept that has now been superseded by the establishment of institutions that bring together several states, such as the European Community. I extend an invitation to all those who do not yet know Sabourg: “It should be emphasized that we are not a tourist invention, nor do we want to involve people in unlikely geopolitical projects. The time for utopias and village festivals is over. We have demonstrated that Sabourg exists in 2024 just as it existed in 1261. Follow our government’s actions by frequently consulting our website: seborga.org.