Princess Marija of Serbia is baptized

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@Ana Marija Jovanović

@Igor Ursić   HRH Prince Alexander, Milan Cile and Beba Marinkovic,  Doña Sol María de la Blanca de Medina y Orléans-Braganza, Countess of Ampurias, HIRH Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans and Bragança, Duchess of Segorbe,  HRH Princess Elisabeth of Serbia,  HRH Hereditary HRH Prince Philip, HRH Crown Prince Alexander, Hereditary Princess Danica with HRH Princess Marija, HRH Prince Stefan, Alina and Nicholas de Roumanie, TRH Prince Michael with Princess Natalija,  Princess Ljubica holding Princess Isidora, an unidentified man and HRH Crown Princess Katherine

Belgrade, 11 May 2024 – His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia christened today HRH Princess Marija, the daughter of TRH Hereditary Prince Philip and Princess Danica, at the Royal Chapel of St. Andrew the First-Called in Belgrade, Serbia. The solemn act of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism of the little Princess is a very significant event for the Royal family of Serbia, especially knowing that now, after too many decades, Karadjordjevics are again being born, baptized, and raised in their Homeland, with their people.

@Ana Marija Jovanović

@Igor Ursić

Princess Marija’s godparents are Mr. Nicholas-Michael and Mrs. Alina Medforth-Mills from Romania, the grandson of the last King of Romania, the late HM Michael I, and Queen Anne. As the connections between the people of Romania and Serbia have always been sincere and brotherly, filled with much love and respect, this bond represents another special addition to these connections.

“We are sure that this will only be the beginning of a long and abundant line, that will bear rich fruits, which are necessary for our people. Therefore, as these necessary and beneficial fruits are being given to our people, we believe that it will also benefit the Karađorđević family, our Royal Family”, stated Patriarch Porfirije in his speech.

@Igor Ursić

@Ana Marija Jovanović

Together with the Patriarch, the priests of the Belgrade Archdiocese officiated the christening, while the Choir “Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming”, which is under the patronage of Holy Imperial Serbian Lavra Monastery Hilandar, and who were led by Mr. Bojan Starčević, performed in the adequate parts of the church service. Their Graces Bishops Pahomije of Vranje, Irinej of Eastern America, Siluan of Australia, Isihije of Valjevo, as well as vicar Bishops of His Holiness, Nektarije of Jegar and Dositej of Lipjan also attended the ceremony.

Same as for the baptism of Princess Marija’s brother, HRH Prince Stefan, water that was used was brought from several Serbian rivers – Danube, Sava, Drina, Morava, Ibar, Žiča, Prizrenska Bistrica, the spring of Saint Joanikije near Devič Monastery, as well as from Vardar River and the Adriatic Seа. This represents the following of a century-old tradition, as for the christening of King Peter II, the Army divisions sent a bottle of water from the rivers on which they were named - Danube, Sava, Drava, Vardar, Bregalnica etc.

Another very interesting detail, which additionally enriched this day, is the Christening gown that Princess Marija wore. The dress was brought specially from Seville, Spain for this occasion, and it belonged to Amelia of Orléans, sister of Infanta Louise of Orléans, grandmother of HIRH Princess Maria da Gloria, mother of Hereditary Prince Philip. It was kept in the Villamanrique Castle near Seville, which belonged to the parents of Princess Maria da Gloria.

@Igor Ursić

@Ana Marija Jovanović  From L-R  Princess Danica's parents,  Hereditary Prince Philip and Princess Danica with Princess Marija, the godparents, Nicholas and Alina de Roumanie and the Duchess of Segorbe (Philip's mother) and Doña Sol (Philip's half-sister)

Following the tradition of the Royal Family of Serbia, after the christening HRH Crown Prince Alexander as the Head of the family decorated his granddaughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Marija, with the Royal Order of Saint Sava, Grand Cross. Also, on this occasion the Crown Prince awarded his daughter-in-law, HRH Princess Danica with the same Order and in the same rank.

@Igor Ursić

@Igor Ursić

Besides the parents and brother of Princess Marija, TRH Hereditary Prince Philip, Princess Danica, and Prince Stefan, the christening ceremony was attended by TRH Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine, and Prince Alexander, HIRH Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans and Bragança, Duchess of Segorbe, Doña Sol María de la Blanca de Medina y Orléans-Braganza, Countess of Ampurias, Princess Danica’s parents Beba and Milan Cile Marinkovic, as well as TRH Prince Mihailo, Princess Ljubica, Princess Natalija, and Princess Isidora, HRH Princess Elizabeth, His Eminence Archbishop and Metropolitan of Belgrade Msgr. Dr. Ladislav Nemet, HE Mr. Ivica Dacic, Minister of Interior Affairs of Serbia, Dr. Nikola Banjac, envoy of the Prime Minister of Serbia Mr. Miloš Vučević, Mr. Marko Romić, envoy of the President of Republika Srpska Mr. Milorad Dodik, as well as members of the Advisory Bodies of the Crown, and other friends of the Royal Family.

@Ana Marija Jovanović

@Ana Marija Jovanović   Hereditary Prince Philip, Nicholas de Roumanie, Princess Danica holding Princess Marija, Prince Stefan and Alina de Roumanie

HRH Princess Marija was born in Belgrade, Serbia on 5 November 2023. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia, the bells of Belgrade’s St. Sava Temple tolled heralding the birth of the newborn member of the Royal Family of Serbia. That was the second time that the 49 bells of the biggest orthodox temple in the Balkans announced such a birth after it announced the birth of Princess Marija’s brother, HRH Prince Stefan. The bells of St. George church in Oplenac, as well as Gračanica Monastery and Ziča Monastery, tolled celebrating the birth, too. This birth of a female child was the first one in the Ruling Branch of the Royal Family of Serbia, after 139 years, when Princess Hellene, the daughter of HM King Peter I was born. "