EASTER MESSAGE FROM HRH CROWN PRINCE ALEKSANDAR II

Orthodox Easter is approaching, the greatest of all Christian holidays, the day when we celebrate victory over death and the joy of eternity promised. One should remember eternity in times when the challenges of everyday life tend to obscure our awareness that we existed through our ancestors before we were born, and shall live through our descendants even after we had joined our ancestors. It is good to remember that we are all together building our solid future today for one and all, as we did construct our today in days gone by. Therefore, let us be cautious about what we do, say and leave behind. Each deed leaves a trace upon the world that had been given to us; each innocent victim is a liability for the future, each noble act an endowment for eternity!

Most of the difficult times are behind us, times of great suffering, wars, exile, ideological hatred, apostasy from the laws of God and men. The times we are approaching are not that much easier, but should be times of hope, pride, strength and creative effort for everyone regardless of religion or ethnic origin. We are as nation faced with the challenge of finding our place among nations, among worlds, among destinies. We face the task of coming to terms with our own fears, our passions and our desires. We need spiritual revival and a civic, legal and democratic renewal. We require tremendous effort and determination to overcome our poverty, the lack of jobs and humanitarian problems, to acquire what we lack and to rebuild what has been destroyed. We must build together in a disciplined and organized manner for today’s generation and future generations. We all want and need a future. We need also a major effort to return to the norms of life that, with all their shortcomings, are the norms of the world to which we belong as a great European historical nation, i.e. the old European world and its civilisation. The Royal Family and House of Karadjordje shall not stand aside in this enterprise.

The life we are striving for is stronger than death! The passions of Good Friday and the joy of Easter bear witness to that! To this promise we dedicate our thoughts, work and our strivings. With this hope in our hearts and our souls I address this message to all Serbs, to all Orthodox Christians, to all God’s people, to all denominations and all people who live in goodness and are neighbours to their neighbours who respect each other.

Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed!

IN TRUTH HE IS RISEN!

Aleksandar II