THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES VISIT KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Belgrade, 28 June 2009 - Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine accompanied by Mr. Dusan Babac, member of the Privy Council and Professor Nikola Moravcevic, member of the Crown Council visited Kosovo and Metohija today to mark St. Vitus Day. They visited Gracanica Monastery where they attended Holy Liturgy. Their Royal Highnesses then went to a commemoration at Gazimestan. Princess Katherine also delivered humanitarian aid to the monastery.

Their Royal Highnesses attended the St. Vitus Day Liturgy served by His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and Littoral, His Grace Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren, His Grace Bishop of Lipljane Teodosije and His Grace Bishop of Mielsevo Filaret at Gracanica Monastery.

The Holy liturgy at Gracanica Monastery, the legacy of Serbian medieval King Milutin, was also attended by Mr. Goran Bogdanovic, Serbian Minister for Kosovo and Metohija, Mr. Bogoljub Sijakovic, Minister of Religion, Mr. Nebojsa Bradic, Minister of Culture, rectors of all State Universities as well as large number of citizens from Kosovo.

After the Liturgy, Princess Katherine delivered humanitarian aid to the children of Kosovo.

Their Royal Highnesses then went to Gazimestan, the place where the famous Battle of Kosovo took place in 1389. A commemoration service was held for the fallen heroes of Kosovo. His Grace Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren greeted everyone and announced His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander.

Crown Prince Alexander in his speech: “I won’t talk today about things that we all know: That we are here on our land. This is where our cradle is, our homes, our churches, our roots, part of our history and part of our identity. I would like to point out something else. This is where our people live, you and your children, my dear compatriots. I deeply believe that your grandsons and your granddaughters are going to live here. I hope that they are going to live here under better and happier circumstances. That they will grow up, study, and have their own families and that they will be occupied by ordinary things and joy. In the name of my wife and sons on this holiday I would like to wish our children, grandsons and granddaughters to study, to work, to live in peace with themselves and their neighbours, to share with them ordinary joy and sadness. And that nobody attacks us because we are different, and that we see nobody as our enemy because of any difference”.

The Crown Prince congratulated everyone for St. Vitus Day, a very important religious and national holiday of the Serbian people worldwide, marking the remembrance of the fallen Serbian heroes at Kosovo. Crown Prince Alexander then laid a laurel wreath at the Gazimestan monument.