Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
November 4, 2005

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS SERBIAN PATRIARCH PAVLE ON BEHALF OF THE HOLY ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH REGARDING UPCOMING NEGOTIATIONS ON THE STATUS OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
MESSAGE OF THE HOLY ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH REGARDING TALKS ON THE STATUS OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS SERBIAN PATRIARCH PAVLE ON BEHALF OF THE HOLY ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH REGARDING UPCOMING NEGOTIATIONS ON THE STATUS OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Our dear spiritual children,

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church unfalteringly prays to the Lord and hopes that at this decisive moment, as talks on the status of Kosovo and Metohija begin, the most responsible countries of the world and the International Community as a whole will not commit violations of God’s and man’s laws, nor remain deaf to the law and justice on which the international order rests. Only in this way will justice and truth triumph against arbitrariness and discourage violence. The Assembly reminds that in human history to date everything that has been forcibly taken has been damned. It would be no different today.

Convinced that the International Community will not allow this at any price, it is our duty before God and all persons to clearly state and warn today: in the language of justice and international law every thought of taking Kosovo and Metohija by force would mean that, under the eyes of the entire world in the twenty-first century, a democratic country in the middle of Europe would have part of its territory taken by force, which is also considered to be its spiritual cradle. And no matter how well this might be covered up, this act of forcible taking away would have the essential character of occupation. It is superfluous to mention all the consequences that could ensue, not only for Serbia and Montenegro, but also for the future of Europe and the world. Only by agreement can a compromise and a just solution be achieved. We ask for nothing more than that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija be resolved in the same manner that all other European democratic states have resolved similar issues. The state of Serbia must be prepared in this process to ensure true and substantial autonomy for Kosovo and Metohija, and for all people and nations that live there.

In conclusion, we address you, the faithful of our holy Orthodox Church, the children of St. Sava, and our spiritual children: be faithful, courageous and united! Let us protect our soul and our conscience! That is how the holy, martyred land of our honorable forebears will also be protected and saved.

May God bless you all and all people of good will!

MESSAGE OF THE HOLY ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH REGARDING TALKS ON THE STATUS OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

It is with deep concern that the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church is following events in Kosovo and Metohija, where for six years already since the NATO bombing and the deployment of international forces the suffering of our faithful people and our holy shrines continues.

Since the UN Security Council has proposed the beginning of negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija, the Holy Assembly of Bishops gives its full support to the position articulated by the Prime Minister of Serbia, Dr. Vojislav Kostunica, that the issue of the future status of the Province must be resolved in accordance with international principles of inviolability of the sovereignty and integrity of democratic countries, among them Serbia and Montenegro. The future solution for Kosovo and Metohija must take into account the interests of all citizens who live there and must be such that it does not destabilize the regional situation, which after years of war and suffering needs peace, reconciliation, cooperation, moral, economic and every other form of progress.

Novinari In order for the political solution to be just and lasting, it must be arrived at through negotiations. It cannot be imposed unilaterally, nor can it be the result of re-tailoring of territory on an ethnic basis because this would provoke the mass departure of the population and new tensions in the Balkans with unforeseeable consequences. If this should occur, God forbid, that such a solution should be imposed, the Assembly expects the Serbian Assembly to advise the entire people that an illegitimate and illegal occupation has been carried out of one part of our national territory.

The Assembly is of the opinion that the prerequisite of every serious attempt to resolve the issue of the status of the southern Serbian province is the unobstructed and sustainable return of the expelled and the protection of their property rights, as well as of their individual and collective freedoms.

Moreover, taking into account that since the establishment of the UN administration to today many homes and churches have been destroyed in Kosovo and Metohija, and that evidence of the personal and real property of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people does not exist, having disappeared in this period and the property being usurped for years, it is necessary to gather documentation on illegally appropriated, usurped and destroyed property, and to conduct identification on the ground to see who is the legal title holder of the property.

In addition to institutional legal and property protection for the people in Kosovo and Metohija, the Church is vitally interested in lasting protection of its holy shrines: monasteries, churches and cultural heritage. For centuries, and during the most difficult of times, these Orthodox Christian holy shrines have been the faithful guardians and witnesses of the spiritual and cultural identity of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. Hence the Holy Assembly of bishops welcomes the recommendation of the UN special rapporteur, Mr. Kai Eide, which proposes special protection for Orthodox holy shrines by the creation of protection zones, with the presence of international KFOR forces. In addition to the protection zones it is necessary to ensure special international guarantees for the free, spiritually and physically unhindered life and work of monastic communities. Since the majority of our holy shrines are located in an Albanian majority environment, this kind of protection must in no way prejudice the issue of the status of the Province, which must be resolved in accordance with international law. Thus, the Holy Assembly of Bishops tasks the Holy Synod of Bishops and its own Council for Kosovo and Metohija, to find the best institutional solutions in accordance with possibilities and needs imposed by the situation on the ground, and in cooperation with relevant domestic and foreign experts, and in full harmony with the appropriate institutions of the state of Serbia.

As well, the appropriate institutions of Serbia should continue their care of our cultural heritage and protection of its religious and cultural identity, in cooperation with foreign experts. In this respect, the Holy Assembly of Bishops supports the already begun process of renewal of destroyed holy shrines, including participation by representatives of our Church and the Serbian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, the Diocese of Raska and Prizren, as well as international institutions, because the restoration of the destroyed is the best response to those who destroyed these holy shrines wanting to erase the existence of our Church and people, and to carry out changes of the civilizational identity of this territory. At the same time, it must never be forgotten that Kosovo and Metohija is the location of the Pec Patriarchate, the spiritual seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the seat of the Serbian Patriarch, which is also of great importance for the future solution of the issue of the status of this Province.

The Holy Assembly of Bishops will continue to directly follow events in Kosovo and Metohija through the Diocese of Raska and Prizren, the Holy Synod of Bishops and its own Council dedicated to Kosovo and Metohija, and it will invest every effort to ensure that the voice of the Church is heard and respected in timely fashion.

Addressing in this way the relevant domestic and international institutions, we also address at the same time our Albanian co-citizens, wishing them the same peace, justice and every progress from God as we wish for ourselves. At the same time, we sincerely offer them reconciliation and mutual forgiveness. Moreover, we remind them and ourselves yet again, as we have done so many times before, of an obvious truth: historically and existentially we are intertwined, and there is enough bread, sun, water and God’s love in Kosovo and Metohija for us all. Every person of conscience and reason understands that violence, expulsions, schisms, hatred and crime, no matter from which side they may come, have never brought happiness to anyone. One’s own future cannot be built on tragedy and innocently spilled tears and blood of others, especially innocent children. Every trampling of eternal moral laws and common human justice sooner or later returns to all people and nations according to God’s measure and justice.

Once again we call on our Serbian people to persist in its faith and its human decency, not to despair before the dangers and attacks of madness but to remain firm and determined in the land of its forefathers and in its God-given holy shrines.

[Serbian Translation Services]