Patron Saint-day of the church of Saint Nicholas in Pristina

- Saint Nicholas has neither left this church which was burnt, nor has left Christians who have remained in Pristina. With restoration of this church we show that in these life conditions one may serve the Liturgy and praise the Lord, and by celebrating Liturgies each year we restore the life in Pristina as well.

These words, pronounced after the Holy Liturgy in the church of Saint Nicholas in Pristina, were addressed to the present congregation by Bishop Teodosije of Rasko-Prizren. Emphasizing that this church was burnt in riots in 2004 and that a part of its property had been still occupied, Bishop Teodosije pointed out that the duty of the Diocese of Raska-Prizren was to testify continuously to the conditions of life the Church was facing along with her pious people on Kosovo and Metohija and to advocate that life conditions and respect for fundamental rights have to be improved.

– We have another church in Pristina, but they neither allow us to enter it nor to restore it. We will continuously do good deeds; if someone destroys, we will restore ourselves and our soul, and those who usurp  someone else’s property should ask themselves what future they will have and whether they will have it at all, Bishop Teodosije said.

Deputy Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Mr. Dusan Kozarev said that the Office for Kosovo and Metohija would continue to work towards the return of displaced. – Regardless of what some say that the Serbs do not belong here, we will continue to find our place,  Kozarev said.

The displaced Serbs from Pristina and other cities that came organized to Pristina, said that the Liturgy in the church of Saint Nicholas was one of opportunities to visit their church and the city which they had been forced to leave. We point out that out of about 40,000 Serbs who lived in this city until 1999, there are only forty today,  according to the data of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren,.

Source: Diocese of Raska-Prizren (translation – The Information Service of the SOC