Police ban liturgy at Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina

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This morning, members of the Kosovo police prevented a number of believers and priests of the Serbian Orthodox Church from attending and serving liturgy in the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina, the Office for Kosovo and Metohija has announced.

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When the believers and the clergy gathered in front of the temple this morning, the members of the police who were there in large numbers did not allow them to approach the Church of Christ the Savior, nor to enter the shrine.

In order to avoid any incident and protect the believers, the priests of the Serbian Orthodox Church called on those gathered to go to the Church of St. Nicholas in Pristina, and liturgy was served there.

There is no doubt that this uncivilized act by the Kosovo police was directly orchestrated by the authorities in Pristina and shows their attitude towards religious freedoms in Kosovo and Metohija, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the faithful Serb people, a statement said.

It stresses that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are prevented from entering temples and shrines, praying to God and professing their faith, while Serbian Orthodox Church temples are desecrated every day - and that is the reality in which Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija live.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija recalls that last year graffiti "Jesus hates Serbs" was written on this same temple, along with numerous other derogatory messages.

It is high time that representatives of the international community clearly see what kind of persecution Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are facing and take appropriate steps to protect the legitimate rights and freedoms of the Serb people in the province, the statement said.

Petkovic: Do not close your eyes before Albin Kurti's religious violence

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, asked if the values that Pristina must have to be accepted as a Council of Europe member include banning liturgy in the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina this morning, while allowing the reconstruction of the house of Nazi collaborator Xhafer Deva.

"Pristina has banned Serbs from attending liturgy in the Church of Christ the Savior, but allows the reconstruction of the house of Nazi collaborator Xhafer Deva. No one should pretend not to see the religious violence perpetrated by Albin Kurti," Petkovic wrote on Twitter, addressing EU and OSCE missions in Pristina.

(Telegraf.rs)