Central celebration of the Nativity of Christ in Gracanica

The feast day of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ was solemnly celebrated throughout the Diocese of Raska-Prizren.

The central celebration of Christmas was held at the Gracanica monastery where Bishop Teodosije of Raska-Prizren served the Divine Liturgy. Besides several hundreds of believers from many parts of Kosovo and Metohija the celebration was attended also by high representatives of the Government of Serbia: First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Minister Aleksandar Vulin and Minister of Defence Nebojsa Rodic.

Mayor of Gracanica Branimir Stojanovic and president of the civil list "Srpska" Vladeta Kostic as well as representatives of other Serbian municipalities on Kosovo and Metohija also attended the celebration. After the Divine Liturgy, in front of the church of Gracanica Bishop Teodosije and Aleksandar Vucic.

Bishop Teodosije wished the all present merry and blessed feast day of the Nativity of Christ.

Aleksandar Vucic said that his message to the Albanians is that the Serbs want peace, negotiations and talks, but also that Serbia would never forget its people, and especially not its people in Kosovo and Metohija.

Addressing the citizens after the Christmas liturgy in the Gracanica Monastery, Vucic said that the position of Serbs is not an easy one and quoted the example of recent incidents involving destruction of Cyrillic plates in Vukovar and the stoning of Serbs in Djakovica on Monday. He said that Serbia is reacting with peace and restraint not because it is weak but because it is strong. Serbia wishes to reinforce its position in the world and to strengthen its economy so as to ensure prosperity, he said.

He noted that unlike others, Serbia is not threatening anyone and it needs peace, welfare and new jobs, which will be the topic of talks with the clergy and Serb heads in Kosovo-Metohija.  The talks will also cover the finalisation of construction works at the local hospital and opening the department of the Faculty of Agriculture in Gracanica, as well as the opening of new plants and jobs in other municipalities.

Source: Diocese of Raska-Prizren