Historic ceremony on foreign Soil

By FATOS BYTYCI, REUTERS

Serbian Orthodox Church and political leaders gather on Sunday to enthrone a new patriarch to guide a religion embodying the spirit of Serbia, but the once a generation ceremony will take place on foreign soil in Kosovo.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but many Serbs still see Kosovo and the monasteries there as the cradle of their Orthodox religion. Old churches and monasteries dot the landscape of the smallest country in the Balkans.

“As you can imagine the political situation is very heated now in the period of the patriarch’s enthronement,” said one Serbian Orthodox Church official who did not want to be named.
“The church needs a long-term arrangement which would guarantee its normal life, preservation of its identity and religious freedom, autonomous right to manage its properties in Kosovo as well as special provisions for protected zones.”

Among those expected on Sunday is Serbian President Boris Tadic, whose government does not recognise the independence of its former province.

And with thousands of Serbs expected to travel through an Albanian-majority area for the ceremony, officials are on guard against trouble.

A reinforced number of Italian soldiers, part of a NATO mission, guard the walls of the frescoed Pec Patriarchate where Irinej will be enthroned.

“We will provide security for them but (Serb officials) must not use this religion event for a political campaign,” Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci told Reuters.

Until this month, Serbia sought to isolate Kosovo, but under European Union pressure, Belgrade has agreed to negotiate on practical issues, including on assuring access to the fate of the churches, in talks to begin in October.

To date, the Serbian Orthodox Church and Pristina authorities have not talked officially.

“There so many sensitivities and political considerations on the two sides that made direct talks not possible,” said Dimitris Moschopoulos, who serves as the intermediary for talks as head of the Greek liaison office.

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