THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES IN MOSCOW

CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE RECEIVES IFUOCN AWARD “FOR OUTSTANDING ACTIVITIES ON STRENGTHENING UNITY OF ORTHODOX NATIONS”

Belgrade, 22 January 2008 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine are on an official visit to Moscow, which is taking place from 20 to 23 January. Yesterday afternoon, Crown Princess Katherine was honoured with an award for “outstanding activities on strengthening the unity of Orthodox nations”.

On the first day, Their Royal Highnesses visited the Church of the Patriarchate of Serbia in Moscow, as well as the well known Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

Yesterday, Their Royal Highnesses met with His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexei II at the St. Daniel Monastery, which is also the residence of His Holiness.

In the afternoon, Their Royal Highnesses were guests for lunch organised by the Council of Russian Nobility.

The official award ceremony organised by His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexei II and the Trustee Council of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations (IFUOCN), took place in the late afternoon yesterday, at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Katherine addressed the present upon receiving the award. In her speech, the Crown Princess said that she is very grateful and moved to accept this prestigious award for the year 2007. She reminded the present that she and her husband, Crown Prince Alexander II have been working for years to help, assist, support and encourage the needy and the deprived. “It is our duty as children of God, as Christians, as human beings, as those created out of love”, emphasised Crown Princess Katherine, adding that we must all strive to help others, as “one man’s misery is a misery and misfortune of an entire community, and that pain suffered by a single child is everybody’s pain and a wound that hurts”.

“In this solemn moment and in this splendid company, I am commending to all of you my Serbian Nation and my Greek Motherland, two countries to which I belong, two peoples that have preserved their Christian identity and their Holy Orthodox Faith”, emphasised the Crown Princess, especially making an appeal for more love, friendship and togetherness, for the ears to listen and the hearts to hear this message. She concluded her speech by thanking everyone and adding that “we all have to give whatever we can afford, and we have to offer love among all”.

This year’s recipients, besides HRH Crown Princess Katherine, include the Archbishop of Athens and whole Greece Christodoulos, the President of Moldavia Vladimir Voronin, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov and the Theological School of the Cyprus Archbishopric in Nairobi.

The ceremony was followed by a concert and reception for the laureates.

Today, Their Royal Highnesses attended the service of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexei II at the Dormition Patriarchal Cathedral at the Kremlin, on the occasion of St. Philip, the Metropolitan of Moscow and Wonder Maker of All Russia.

Following the visit, Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine will visit Kremlin.

At the end of the day, Their Royal Highnesses, together with His Excellency Mr. Stanimir Vukicevic the Ambassador of Serbia to the Russian Federation will host a reception for many Serbian and Russian invitees at the Serbian Embassy in Moscow.

The last day will be marked by a visit of Their Royal Highnesses to the Cloister of Martha and Maria, which will end their visit to this brotherly, Orthodox, friendly country.