The Royal Foundation of TRH Hereditary Prince Philip and Princess Danica, in cooperation with the Endowment of the Holy Monastery Hilandar, organized on Saturday, 16 May 2026 at the Royal Palace in Belgrade, Serbia, the Donor Evening in order to support the renewal of the Holy Imperial Serbian Lavra Monastery Hilandar’s Metochion Estate Kumica, located at the border of the Holy Mountain Atos in Greece.
TRH Hereditary Prince Philip and Princess Danica were the initiators and hosts of this important gathering, together with their son HRH Prince Stefan, which was also supported and attended by TRH Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine. The goal of this endeavor is to preserve the Serbian church and cultural heritage by restoring and revitalising this sacred and historic site, so that it can serve as a place of rest and gathering for children and youth, including those with special needs.
The event started with a prayerful gathering in the Palace Church of Saint Andrew the First Called, with the memorial service for the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of its suffering in the First World War. After that, the video presentation of the current condition of the Kumica Metochion Estate with a photo exhibition in the Cinema of the Royal Palace was held, followed by a solemn dinner.
HRH Crown Prince Alexander emphasised that he is very proud of his son and daughter-in-law for starting this initiative, and also reminded of the unbreakable bonds with which the Royal family of Serbia and Holy Monastery Hilandar are connected with. “King Peter I planted an olive tree in this sacred place, and the same incredible honor was given to me during my first visit. My father, King Peter II, during the most difficult days of his life, the time of our exile, found comfort in the letters he received and sent to Hilandar.
Three years ago, I decorated Hilandar with the Royal Order of the Star of Karađorđe, for all the important services to our people and our country. My son and grandson also visited the monastery, continuing the Karadjordjevics’ connection with Hilandar, and receiving the great love and respect from Father Superior and the brotherhood. Without this great sanctuary, we Serbs would have had a hard time persevering and staying on the Lord’s path. By helping this sanctuary, we are making a lasting trace in eternity. This evening is the continuation of the connection between Hilandar and our family, which will continue to grow and flourish in the years to come”, concluded HRH Crown Prince Alexander.
During the dinner, Hereditary Prince Philip, as the organizer of the gathering, also addressed the guests, emphasizing the spiritual and national significance of Hilandar, as well as the symbolic importance of the restoration of Kumica. “For centuries, Hilandar has been a spiritual pillar of our people, a place that has shaped, but also preserved, our identity, our faith and our worldview,” said the Hereditary Prince. He emphasized that “difficult times have once again brought closer two institutions that together have preserved the continuity and soul of Serbia – the Crown and the Church,” adding that the Serbian people increasingly recognize the importance of this unity.
Speaking of Hilandar as a place of special spiritual significance, Prince Philip pointed out that Serbs “do not say by chance that they go ‘on’ Hilandar, instead of ‘to’ Hilandar”, describing it as “a place that is not on earth, but somewhere in between, as a threshold from which we see the Lord most clearly”.
In his address, he particularly emphasized the importance of preserving traditional values in modern times. “At a time when, under the influence of cultural relativism, many values and foundations of society are being questioned, it is important to return to what is permanent – faith, morality, and responsibility. This is the foundation of long-term thinking, a foundation that teaches us not to live only for today, but with awareness of the generations to come”, he said.
The Hereditary Prince also shared with those present his personal experience of Hilandar, recalling that last year he took his son Stefan to this Serbian shrine for the first time. “That experience reminded me of how important it is to teach our children by example, to introduce them to the life of the Church and to give them strong roots,” he said.
Speaking about the project itself, he emphasized that Kumica “is not just a project of renewal, but a project of the future.” “It will be a gathering place for children and young people, rooted in the living faith and enduring traditions of the Serbian people. Through this project, the Crown stands with Hilandar, the spiritual heart of our people, with an awareness of responsibility towards our ancestors, but also towards the generations to come,” Prince Philip emphasized.
The evening was also attended by His Grace Bishop Dositej of Lipljan, vicar Bishop of His Holiness the Patriarch of Serbia Porfirije, Very Reverend Archimandrite Metodije, Father Superior of Hilandar, together with Very Reverend Archimandrite Gerasim of Hilandar, Monk Jelisej, Hilandar brother, and many other prominent guests.
Abbot Metodije took the opportunity to express his great gratitude, primarily to the hosts, as well as to all those who gathered with a sincere desire to contribute to the mission that was started in the Holy Monastery of Hilandar by the founder of Hilandar, Saint Sava, and which continues actively today.
As a memento of this charitable event in the Royal Palace in Belgrade, Abbot Metodije presented appropriate gifts to members of the Royal family on behalf of the holy brotherhood of the Hilandar Monastery: a photograph of Crown Prince Alexander Karađorđević with the Hilandar brotherhood created during his visit to Mount Athos in 2023 and an icon of St. Hieromartyr Charalampius, the patron saint of the Kumica Metochion, the work of the holy brotherhood of the Hilandar cell of St. Nicholas of Myra – Burazeri. All donors were presented with specially made albums with authentic photographs of King Petar I Karađorđević’s visit to the Hilandar Monastery in 1910.
As a symbol of the unity of the Royal Family and the Hilandar Monastery, red wine from the Hilandar vineyards and white wine from the Royal vineyards in Oplenac were served during the dinner.
The Hilandar’s Metochion Estate Kumica is historically one of the most important monastery estates, which for centuries was used for raising livestock, with a vineyard and an olive grove. It is located on a hill above the sea coast, 4.5 km east of the town of Nea Roda and 2.5 km west of the border of Mount Athos. The entire area is located in a unique Mediterranean landscape, right next to the Garden of the Most Holy Mother of God.
The Metoh today consists of the remains of several buildings, arranged around an approximately rectangular central courtyard, in the northern part of which is the church of St. Haralampi from 1867. The buildings are mostly demolished, and only the remains of the ground floor walls exist; only the church has been preserved in its entirety.
The priority of the renovation is to preserve the existing buildings and their parts to the greatest possible extent and to respect the historical architectural composition and appearance of the buildings. The monastery intends to renovate the Kumica monastery with a new purpose, as a resort for group stays of children and young people, with conditions for the stay of a certain number of children with special needs. The construction of accommodation facilities, bathrooms, a room with accessible access for children who need assistance with movement, and separate bathrooms dimensioned according to the appropriate standard, an administrative building, a dining room, a kitchen, a library, facilities for outdoor activities, and transport infrastructure is planned.
Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank everyone who supported the project, especially the “Madera” restaurant and the “Kalemegdanska terasa” restaurant, which prepared the donor dinner, the “Metropol” hotel, “Divino evento”, as well as the associates of the two Foundations participating in the implementation of the renovation.
