SAINT ANDREW THE FIRST CALLED – PATRON SAINT OF THE ROYAL FAMILY

Belgrade, December 13, 2005 - Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine celebrated today The Royal Family’s saint day - Saint Andrew the First Called, the Patron Saint of The Royal Family Karadjordjevic.

In the morning with the blessing of His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Pavle, the Divine Liturgy was served at The Royal Chapel of Saint Andrew the First Called by His Eminence Metropolitan of Montenegro Amfilohije, together with the clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church: V. Reverend Vladan Perisic, Trajan Kojic and Dragan Terzic, hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic, Consultant to the Holy Synod of Bishops, and deacons Momir Lecic, Nebojsa Topolic, and the The Holy Trinity Church choir “All Saints” from Zemun. The cutting of the Slava cake followed in the Blue Room of The Royal Palace.

Besides Their Royal Highnesses the Slava ceremony was attended by His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaj of Dabar and Bosnia, HE Minister of Religion of the Government of Serbia. Mr. Milan Radulovic with spouse, HE Mr. Martese, Ambassador of Argentina and Dean of Diplomatic Corps in Belgrade, Their Graces: Bishop of Sabac and Valjevo Lavrentije, Bishop of Zvornik and Tuzla Vasilije, Bishop of Hvosno Atanasije, Bishop of Jegar Porfirije, representatives of religious communities: Mufti Muarem Effendi Zukorlic, Mufri Hadzi Hamdia Efendi Jusufspahic with his son, Honourable Imam of Nis, Mustafa Efendi Jusufspahic, Father Vitalij Tarasjev, head of the Moscow Patriarchy Podvorje, Mr. Vladimir Bozovic, Chief inspector if Interior Affairs of Serbia, Mr. Bogoljub Sijakovic, former Federal Minister of Religion, and Mr. Vojislav Milovanovic, former Minister of Religion in the Government of Serbia, as well as the members of The Advisory Bodies of The Crown with their families.

While speaking about the significance of Saint Andrew the First Called, His Eminence said “the Karadjordjevics were the first, not only by their honour, but also by their justice and sacrifice.”

“They were also an example of love which unselfishly sacrifices itself,” said Metropolitan Amfilofije, mentioning as examples HM King Peter I and HM King Alexander I. “And King Peter II carried the crucifixion and the cross of his people.”

After the cutting of the cake, the Slava lunch took place for the distinguished guests. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander addressed Their Eminences, Graces, Honourable Imams, ladies and gentlemen’s advisers of The Crown, representatives of the religious communities and churches and friends.

The Crown Prince Alexander expressed his pleasure that The Royal Family gathered on the occasion of Saint Andrew’s Day representatives of all religious communities, former and current politicians, and emphasized that unity of all is the necessary condition for progress of Serbia and Montenegro.

“With great joy I always welcome you to The Royal Palace and I hope that in many years to come we will meet here united in friendship and obliged by good will to serve and help each other and our nation in the name of the saint who gathered us here today as people aware of their responsibilities before God and his laws as well as before people and their lives,” Crown Prince Alexander II said.

HE Vojislav Kostunica, the Prime Minister of Serbia extended his congratulations to Their Royal Highnesses for their Patron Saint Day, wishing them to always celebrate it in the true welfare, joy and spiritual peace.

“Today, as many times before, we need unity for the Serbian people at the time when we strive to protect our land and our people in Kosovo and Metohija,” said Prime Minister Kostunica in his letter.

Two Slava receptions took place in The White Palace during the day. Their Royal Highnesses welcomed the representatives of the Government of Serbia, the Army of Serbia and Montenegro, the Police, the Gendarmerie, the diplomatic corps, religious communities, local and international non governmental organizations, local and international cultural institutions, media and health institutions, and numerous figures from the cultural, political and public life of Serbia.

Among the state officials who came to The White Palace to congratulate the Home Patron Day to Their Royal Highnesses were HE Vuk Draskovic, Foreign Minister of Serbia and Monteengro, Mr. Zoran Sami, the speaker of the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro, Mr. Predrag Markovic, Serbian Parliament Speaker, HE Zoran Stojkovic, Serbian Minister of Justice, HE Milan Radulovic, Minister of Religion, HE Milan Parivodic, Serbian Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, HE Velimir Ilic, Serbian Minister of Capital Investments, HE Radomir Naumov, Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining, HE Dragan Kojadinovic, Serbian Minister of Culture, Mr. Radovan Jelasic, the Governor of National Bank of Serbia, Mr. Vladeta Jankovic, an advisor to the Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, General Miroslav Milosevic, Deputy Minister of Interior and many others.