In the line that has been forming for days in front of the Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade, among the thousands of believers waiting patiently to bow to the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God, today were also hereditary Prince Filip and Princess Danica Karađorđević with their children, Prince Stefan and Princess Marija.
Without any special protocol, without standing out, without requests to be allowed faster passage, and without any distance from the people, the members of the royal family stood in the same line as all the other believers.
In the days when, due to the arrival of one of the greatest Orthodox holy relics, tens of thousands of people from Serbia, Republika Srpska, Montenegro, the region, and the diaspora gather in front of the Temple of Saint Sava, the sight of Prince Filip and Princess Danica among the people drew special attention.
Believers approached them, greeted them, took photos with them, but most of the comments were generated precisely by what was the simplest and strongest: the Karađorđevićs waited in line just like everyone else.
For many who stood for hours in front of the Temple today, that sight was not just a beautiful detail from the crowd. It was a powerful reminder that before the holy relic there are no privileged ones, no titles that open doors, and no protocol that is more important than faith, humility, and respect.
The long wait, the heat, and the crowd did not change the decision of Prince Filip and Princess Danica to remain among the citizens with their children. In an atmosphere where prayer, silence, patience, and fatigue alternated, their presence was experienced as a gesture of respect not only towards the holy relic, but also towards the people who have been coming for days to bow to it.
Precisely that image, the royal family in line with other believers, stood out as one of the most striking sights of the day in front of the Temple of Saint Sava.
There was no separate passage, official distance, or emphasized ceremoniousness. Instead, Prince Filip and Princess Danica found themselves where tens of thousands of ordinary people had stood in previous days: in the same line, with the same intention, waiting for the same moment of bowing.
That is why many perceive them as a prince and princess from the people. Not because of the titles they carry, but because of the way they carry them.
Precisely in this, many see a continuation of that old, deep connection of the Karađorđevićs with the people, a connection that is not built by court protocols, but by presence among the people, modesty, and a sense for the moment. This is the path once trodden by the greatest among the Karađorđevićs, above all King Peter I, a ruler whom the people remembered for his simplicity, closeness, and understanding for the ordinary man.
Today, in front of the Temple of Saint Sava, Prince Filip and Princess Danica once again showed why a large part of the people sees them as the most popular and beloved Karađorđevićs of the modern era.
Special symbolism is given to this event by the historical connection of the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God with the Serbian ruling tradition.
According to church tradition, Holy Prince Lazar gifted this great holy relic to the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos, where it has been kept for centuries. In that act, one can see the deep connection of medieval Serbian rulers with Orthodoxy, Mount Athos, and the Mother of God.
Because of this, today’s sight in front of the Temple had an even stronger meaning for many believers. The holy relic which, according to tradition, a Serbian ruler gifted to Vatopedi is now in Belgrade, and before it stand the descendants of the Serbian royal dynasty, not separated, but among the people.
That parallel was not intrusive, but it was clear to those who recognized it: from Prince Lazar, whose name is associated with the gifting of the Holy Belt, to the Karađorđevićs who approach it today without the right of priority, in prayer and humility.
In that encounter of history, faith, and the present moment, the gesture of Prince Filip and Princess Danica took on a broader meaning than the mere fact that they waited in line. It was read as an expression of modesty, faith, and the awareness that respect towards a holy relic is not shown with a title, but with behavior.
Long lines continue to form in front of the Temple of Saint Sava. People arrive in an organized manner, by buses, but also individually, from different parts of Serbia, the region, and the diaspora. Many wait for hours in order to kiss the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God, which is rarely taken outside the Vatopedi Monastery.
For those who have never been to Mount Athos, the arrival of the Holy Belt in Belgrade represents a rare opportunity to approach a holy relic that has been kept for centuries in one of the most important monasteries of Mount Athos.
And for those who saw Prince Filip, Princess Danica, and their children in the line in front of the Temple today, that day will remain remembered also for an image that is rarely seen, but long remembered: the Karađorđevićs among their people, without privileges, without pomp, before the holy relic, just like all other believers.
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Source: Serbian Times, Photo: Kabinet NJ.K.V. Princa-Naslednika Filipa