TRH Hereditary Prince Philip, Princess Danica, Prince Stefan and Princess Marija participated yesterday in the traditional “Pilgrimage to Cer Mountain”. This is an event that the descendants of the warriors of the Drina Division of the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia from World War I from Mačvanski Prnjavor have been organizing with dignity for years in memory of the anniversary of the decoration of this tragic and heroic place, as well as the 104th anniversary of the construction of the Memorial Ossuary, known as the Ćele-kula of Western Serbia.
During the day, Their Royal Highnesses visited the Memorial Ossuary, the Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Prnjavor, the Čokešina Monastery and the Church of St. John of Shanghai on Cer, dedicated to the heroes of Cer. The twenty-kilometer march, through areas crowned with the glory of our ancestors, took place in a spirit of prayer, dignity and deep respect for those who laid down their lives for the freedom of the Homeland.
“This pilgrimage, which brings together people from all parts of Serbia, Montenegro and the Republic of Srpska, testifies to the living strength of our national memory, faith and unity.
A special experience was the walk through the very heart of Cer, along the paths that our ancestors walked in the days of the glorious Battle of Cer. In these places, the greatness of their sacrifice and the unwavering determination of the Serbian soldier to defend the freedom, honor and right of his people to survival can still be felt today,” said Hereditarz Prince Philip.
Mačvanski Prnjavor holds a special place in the history of our people. In the Great War, it lost 704 civilians, while more than 1,300 of its residents, civilians and soldiers, laid down their lives for Serbia. This is a sacrifice that binds and must not be forgotten.
The memory of the suffering and heroism of Prnjavor is also preserved in the Royal Family. On 3 June 3 1934, HM King Alexander I, great-grandfather of Hereditary Prince Philip, visited Mačvanski Prnjavor and awarded it the Karađorđe Star of the 4th degree with swords, as the only village in Serbia to receive this high decoration. This act recognized not only the suffering, but also the exceptional courage and loyalty to the Homeland that the residents of Prnjavor showed in the most difficult times.
After him, Prnjavor was also visited by HM King Peter II, as well as HRH Crown Prince Alexander. Today, this place also has memorial busts of King Alexander I and the great friend of the Serbian people, Dr. Archibald Rice, whose work remains a lasting reminder and testimony to the truth.
“At all the places of suffering and memorials, we laid wreaths and paid tribute to the innocently suffered civilians, warriors and heroes who built their lives into the foundations of the freedom of Serbia.
I sincerely thank the descendants of the Drina Division from Mačvanski Prnjavor for the invitation, fraternal hospitality and dedicated effort they invest in keeping the memory of our ancestors, their sacrifice and the spirit of freedom alive and passed on to future generations.
Eternal glory to the Prnjavor martyrs, the Cer heroes and all those who laid down their lives for the freedom of Serbia. Their sacrifice remains our vow and our lasting obligation,” concluded Prince Philip.
