At the conclusion of his three-day official visit to the autonomous region of Sicily, Italy, for the preparation of next year’s Centenary Commemorations of the 1908’ Sicilian Earthquake — after visiting Palermo as guest of the Sicilian Region on June 22, then Agrigento and Taormina on June 23 — His Royal Highness Crown Prince Nicolas Petrovitch Njegosh arrived today, this Sunday June 24, 2007 in the afternoon, to Messina, in the Northeastern corner of Sicily, where he was welcomed off the car by H.E. Count Don Carlo Marullo di Condojanni, Prince of Casalnuovo, former Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1997 to October 2001 [1] [2].

Accompanied by Their Excellencies Count Don Carlo Marullo di Condojanni and Mr. Antun Sbutega, Ambassador of Montenegro to the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and by his elder daughter, H.R.H. Princess Altinaï Petrovitch Njegosh, Crown Prince Nicolas’ agenda in Messina notably included:

1.— A solemn homage, with a laying of a wreath at Montenegro’s colour standards, in front of the Messina’s monument to Queen Elena of Italy (º1873, †1952), daughter of King Nikola I of Montenegro (º1841, †1921) and aunt of Prince Nicolas’s father, Prince Michael Petrovitch Njegosh (º1908, †1986).

During the ceremony, His Royal Highness was escorted by voluntary nurses of the Italian Red Cross, in memory to the fact that Queen Elena funded the Corps. On the occasion, Crown Prince Nicolas delivered a speech, during which he particularly underscored that “he wished to visit Messina at the time when the city is one the way to commemorate the sad event of the 1908’ Earthquake in order to stimulate the work of all, so that never again in the future such a natural catastrophe has some similar consequences onto the population.”

2.— A ceremony at the Palazzo Zanca — the headquarters of the Municipality of Messina — during which His Royal Highness honoured the Gonfanon of Messina with the Cross of the Order of Danilo I. The ceremony was followed by a traditional exchange of gifts and a meeting with the Mayor of the city, Mr. Francantonio Genovese, which was the occasion for the Crown Prince to reiterate the importance for him to be the first to commemorate the painful event of the 1908’ Sicilian Earthquake, remembering the general devotion to humanitarian causes of his great-aunt and, in particular, her role aside the Sicilan people after the 1908 disaster. For their part, all members of the Municipality Council reaffirmed their commitment to continue commemorate the 1908’ Earthquake in a “productive way” to always secure more the city against such kind of natural catastrophe.

3.— A ceremony at the headquarters of the Regional Province of Messina where the Crown Prince was welcomed by its President, Mr. Salvatore Leonardi, and numerous officials, and during which His Royal Highness honoured the Gonfanon of the Province of Messina with the Cross of the Order of Danilo I. The ceremony was followed by a reception which was the occasion for the Prince — who is architect himself in Paris — to discuss urbanism, urban design and landscape planning, particularly regarding the development of the city; Crown Prince Nicolas showing great interest and being very concerned with every question on Messina’s seafront planning.

The various events in Messina were also the occasion for the Crown Prince to go for a walk and visit the city. Messina officials brought His Royal Highness from the Cathedral (12th century) — which was partially destroyed by the 1908’ earthquake and almost entirely rebuilt from 1919 to 1920, the Fountain of Orion, built by Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli in 1547, the Fountain of Neptune, built by Montorsoli in 1557, up to the seafront promenade.

In the evening, Crown Prince Nicolas took part in a formal dinner with the highest city authorities at the Prefecture of Messina, offered by the Prefect, Dott. Stefano Scammacca, representing the Italian Government. At 10:00pm, His Royal Highness left in car Messina to Taormina, escorted by a police honour guard, from where he came back to France, his habitual place of residence.