Several months before our pilgrimage to Serbia, I had the honor of having a telephone conversation with Princess Katherine, the spouse of the Crown Prince of Serbia and Montenegro, Alexander II (Karadjordjevic), about their charitable activities. We discussed plans to hold a benefit concert in Washington, with the participation of our cathedral choir and other musicians in our parish, to benefit orphans and refugees from Kosovo. During that conversation I mentioned in passing that our parish was to have a pilgrimage to Serbia's holy sites. Princess Katherine insisted that the pilgrims visit the Royal Palace in Belgrade.
So, on November 1, the last day of our pilgrimage, after having an audience with His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia, and after praying in the homeland of Holy Hierarch St. Nikolaj Velimirovic and Venerable St. Justin Popovic, we returned to Belgrade and immediately left for the Royal Palace, where Crown Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine awaited us.
Their Highnesses warmly met us in the front hall, which is richly decorated with copies of the frescoes of the Decani and Sopocani Monasteries. The Royal Couple expressed their great joy that our group of pilgrims from far-off America had made the effort to come to Serbia and worship in its holy sites. On behalf of the pilgrims, I thanked Their Highnesses for inviting us to visit their residence, told them where we had been, and said a few words about the benefit concert planned for Great Lent in Washington.
 |
After having a group photo taken, Crown Prince Alexander ordered his secretary to escort the pilgrims about the palace and show them the palace church dedicated to Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the patron saint of the Serbian Royal Family. There we prayed, and sang "Many Years" to His Holiness Patriarch Pavle, Crown Prince Alexander, Princess Katherine, and the entire Serbian people. |
The Royal Palace was built between 1924 and 1929 with the private funds of His Majesty King Alexander I (the grandfather of HRH Crown Prince Alexander). Construction of the Royal Residence was entrusted to the eminent Russian émigré architect Nikolai Krasnov.
The palace church is connected by a covered collonade to the Southern side of the palace. The walls were decorated by a group of Russian iconographers who utilized motifs from the works of medieval Serbian masters.
We also were able to see a second Royal Palace, located on a hill below the main palace. It is Western in style.
Our last day in Serbia ended with a farewell dinner in a restaurant in the picturesque old quarter of Serbia's capital. Here for one last time, our group of 22 pilgrims sampled traditional Serbian cuisine, to the accompaniment of Serbian and Russian melodies musicians played especially for us.
Over the course of 14 days in October 2003, we were able to visit 25 monasteries and 18 individual churches, and to pray before great Holy Things of universal importance.
Glory to the Lord for showing us such mercy, which we shall never forget! Glory to God for all things!