Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
May 11, 2003

Gracanica, May 11, 2003

The Diocese of Raska-Prizren most strongly condemns the act of stoning of the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas in Pristina, committed by the Albanian hooligans last night. The attack was ferocious and happened last night, just after dusk. The windowpanes of this church got smashed. This church was built at the beginning of the 19^th century on the foundations of a much older Orthodox monastery of St. Nicholas, which is mentioned to have existed at that place as early as in the 16^th century.

Unfortunately, this is not the only attack on the St. Nicholas Church in Pristina. Since the termination of war in 1999 it has been attacked by vandals for several times. The unfinished Church of Christ the Saviour, next to the University Library, was also attacked a couple of times.

Up to the previous month the St. Nicholas Church was under constant KFOR protection. As soon as the security guard was removed, provocations started. Bishop Artemije personally addressed a written request to international representatives in Pristina, asking them to return KFOR guards so as to protect the church and the parish centre. Unfortunately, this appeal produced no positive response and the church and the few remaining Serb houses in its immediate vicinity were left without permanent protection.

Yesterday's stoning of the Pristina church once again proved that the removal of the security patrols protecting Orthodox shrines in risk zones represents a dangerous experiment possibly leading to serious and undesirable consequences. The mining of the Orthodox church in the village of Ljubovo near Istok and the attack on the church in Djurakovac in December last year are just some of the examples.