GREAT FIRE IN CHILANDAR MONASTERY

Belgrade, 4 March 2004 – HRH Crown Prince Alexander II sent a letter to His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle on the occasion of the catastrophic fire that broke out in Chilandar Monastery on Mount Athos last night.

“It was with great shock and anxiety that I received the news of the catastrophic fire that caught Chilandar Monastery. I pray the Almighty that the damage caused by the blaze is not irreparable, and it was with relief that I learned there were no human loss in this terrible accident.”

Serbian Imperial Lavra, the priceless treasure of Serbia and all her citizens, has left an unforgettable impression on me during my visit, both by its amazing beauty and its immense collection of our national historical and cultural heritage.

It is my hope that Chilandar Monastery, the center of Serbian spirituality and the oldest Serbian sacred place will continue its beneficial influence in the centuries to come.”