$2 mln for Church Restoration in Kosovo
17/8/2010
The Russian Orthodox Church has hailed the government’s decision to donate $2 million for rebuilding damaged Orthodox shrines in Kosovo.
Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, deputy head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations told the Voice of Russia the money would go to four major Serbian Orthodox centers in Kosovo – the monasteries of Pec, Decani and Gracanica and the Church of Our Lady of Ljevis.
The decision was announced before the death of Patriarch of Pavel of Serbia. His Holiness relished the news. We are glad that this aid has started to come. On June 15, Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed the official order. Restoration is to be carried out in cooperation with UNESECO, and we hope the first practical steps won’t be long in coming.Kosovo is the spiritual core of Serbia, a region where key Serbian Orthodox shrines are located.
The Pec Patriarchate is the ancient residence of Serbian patriarchs, the spiritual leaders of Serbs. There, on October 3, the newly-elected Patriarch Irinej of Serbia will be enthroned. The Moscow Patriarchate appreciates government donations for the reconstruction of Orthodox shrines in Kosovo. For the Serbian people, it’s a gesture of solidarity showing that Russian brothers are with them in times of trouble.
After some controversy over who precisely should control the restoration of Serbian Orthodox churches in Kosovo, a consensus was reached between Russian and Serbian authorities, the Serb Orthodox Church and international organizations. Father Nikolai said he had no doubt that control would be in the hands of competent people.
