STATEMENTS

THE CHANCELLERY OF
H.R.H. CROWN PRINCE ALEXANDER
OF YUGOSLAVIA

ARCHBISHOP CRISTODOULOS, HEAD OF GREEK CHURCH
VISITS OPLENAC

Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Aleksandar and Princess Katarina today welcomed Archbishop Cristodoulos of Athens and all Greece, Head of the Greek Orthodox Church, at Oplenac. The Archbishop was accompanied by a high-level delegation of the Greek Church and Serbian Orthodox Church Bishops.

His Beatitude Archbishop Cristodoulos served a memorial service at St. George Church at Oplenac for all late members of the Karađorđević Family and all heroes killed in the liberation wars.

Addressing members of the Karađorđević Family and other believers the Head of the Greek Church said he was very happy to have met the Crown Prince in his homeland where he had settled down after a long time to the great joy of his people. Archbishop Cristodoulos added that the Serbs and Greeks were two people with two languages, but with one heart and one soul and, above all, with one religion. “Over the past ten years the Greek people have shared all the sorrow with the Serbian people, but I hope that the time has come for a better life and happier future” Archbishop Cristodoulos pointed out.

After the service H.R.H Crown Prince Aleksandar showed his eminent guests from Greece around the exhibition at the King Petar I Karađorđević Museum. The Crown Prince gave a cocktail reception at the King’s villa at Oplenac where he had an open and cordial conversation with the guests. Crown Prince Aleksandar was accompanied by the members of the Crown Council Mr. Dragomir Acović, Mr. Matija Bećković and Prof. Miroslav Gašić.

Belgrade, 12 September 2001