MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR HIS MAJESTY KING ALEXANDER I

Belgrade, 8 October 2007 – A Divine Liturgy and a Memorial Service will be held for His Majesty King Alexander I on 9 October at the Saint George Church at Oplenac, the endowment of the Karadjordjevic family.

The Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service for His Majesty King Alexander I will be officiated by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadija and the clergy of Sumadija parish, followed with the recital of the church choir “Oplenac”.

Following the completion of service, in the name of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine who are in Greece, Mr. Vladan Zivulovic member of the Crown Cabinet, will lay wreaths and flowers on the grave of King Alexander I.

The wreaths will be laid with the highest state honours, in the name of the Serbian Government, by representatives of Ministry for Employment and Welfare as well as representatives of Serbian Armed Forces, the municipalities of Topola and Arandjelovac, Endowment of King Peter I, and organizations which foster traditions of Liberation Wars of Serbia.

King Alexander I was assassinated on 9 October 1934 in Marseille where he travelled to strengthen the defensive alliance with that country against Nazi Germany. The French Foreign Minister Monsieur Louis Barthou was also assassinated alongside His Majesty King Alexander I during that state visit to France.

The King’s death deeply moved the whole of Yugoslavia and sent shockwaves throughout Europe, and hundreds of thousands of people paid their last respects all along the funeral route through the country to the royal crypt at Oplenac. King Alexander I was buried there in the Mausoleum of the Church of St. George, built by King Peter I Karadjordjevic.

In recognition of his greatest accomplishments, namely the fact that the King had led the Serbian Army through WW 1 and was a key person in the unification of Southern Slavs into the state of Yugoslavia, the National Parliament and the Senate of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia had named him Noble King Alexander I the Unifier.

His Majesty King Alexander I was the grandfather of Crown Prince Alexander II.

The Royal Family thanks all those who plan to come at Oplenac and pay their respects to King Alexander I.