Belgrade, 2 October 2024 – TRH Hereditary Prince Philip and Princess Danica welcomed today members of the Society of Friends of the Holy Archangels Monastery near Prizren to the Royal Palace. Their Royal Highnesses greeted the guests, and on this occasion, Mr. Bojan Babić, the President of the Society, presented the Hereditary Prince with a Certificate of Appreciation.
"Today I had the great pleasure of receiving representatives of the Society of Friends of the Holy Archangels Monastery near Prizren, on the occasion of the celebration of 20 years of existence and active work of the Society. Since I moved to Serbia, I have followed the work of the Society and had the pleasure of being a guest with my family at the celebration of Ascension Day (Ser. Spasovdan), the Patron Saint Day of the city of Prizren, as well as visiting this old town on Bistrica River, our sanctuaries and cultural monuments. I was happy and fulfilled that I was the first Karađorđević since my great-grandfather King Alexander I, who walked through Prizren, a city that my ancestors felt deeply about, and that I had the opportunity to take my son Stefan with me.
The Society, in these difficult times in Kosovo and Metohija, functions as a specific cultural centre of the Serbs in Prizren, with its headquarters in the Monastery of the Holy Archangels, preserving and nurturing our culture. With my wife, I supported the work of the Holy Archangels Summer School of Calligraphy and History for children, which the Society organizes every summer in the Holy Archangels Monastery near Prizren, and sent the message that the education of young people, especially children, about the tradition, culture, spirituality and heritage of the Serbian people in ancient Prizren, is of exceptional importance for the preservation of our heritage in these difficult times in Kosovo and Metohija, and perseverance on that path is the most important undertaking of our generation. Over the past 20 years, the society has done a lot to protect and restore cultural monuments in the city and its surroundings, organized events that preserved the identity, continuity and presence of the Serbian people, and with the original intention to restore the Monastery of the Holy Archangels after the Pogrom of 2004 and help life in it, they have come a long way”, said HRH Hereditary Prince Philip.
As it is stated, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Society of Friends of the Monastery of the Holy Archangels near Prizren and the tireless work of its members and associates to preserve cultural and historical heritage of the Monastery of the Holy Archangels, Imperial Prizren, the Holy Land of Kosovo and Metohija, and the spiritual and national identity of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.
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From its foundation and first goal - the restoration of the monastery and helping the brotherhood to stay and survive in it, until today, the Society has been involved in the restoration of sacred sites and cultural heritage, the inclusion of displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija, children, young people and many others in the spiritual life in the area of Prizren and Kosovo and Metohija, realized numerous pilgrimages, a rich cultural and artistic program, and several manifestations and festivals of local and international reach.
“The society restored the church of Saint Panteleimon, the church of the Holy Doctors (Ser. Sveti Vraci), and is working on the restoration of the church of Saint Nicholas (Rajkove), restored the cross on the church of Saint Savior, arranged the atrium and the plateau; It organized numerous trips and pilgrimages, published many publications related to Prizren and Kosovo and Metohija; It organizes “Medimus”, an international festival of medieval music that promotes Serbian culture and heritage in the world in the most beautiful way, as well as many other activities that gather scattered Prizren residents and friends and bring them back to their town. It is a great honour for me that Mr. Bojan Babić, the President of the Society, presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation on the occasion of 20 years of work. It is a privilege, but also a duty and obligation, to continue rebuilding our life in Prizren. Thank you, friends, see you in Prizren!" concluded HRH Hereditary Prince Philip.
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