Life Returns to St Nicholas Church, Pristina

26/2/2010

Pristina’s St Nicholas Church is not as easily spotted as the city’s many lofty minarets, but continues to survive, despite its discrete location and the substantial fall in the city’s Orthodox population.

Located in the Tauk baqe neighbourhood, the top of the bell tower is the only facet visible from busy Nazim Gafurri Street, which leads to Germia Park.

Although subject to incredible damage during the March riots that swept Kosovo in 2004, the centuries old Church has a completely peaceful track-record, and now a future founded upon cultural cooperation.

On Saturday, St Nicholas Church held its first liturgy since March 2004 following the completion of reparations at the end of last year, which were carried out by an ethnic Albanian team of contractors.

However, Albanian contribution in restoring the church was not welcomed by everyone in the Orthodox community, Ranjil Nojkic, keeper of the church told Balkan Insight. According to Nojkic, St Nicholas was initially not given Diocese permission to hold church liturgies after its restoration in 2009, because “those that burned it had no right to rebuild it”.

To Nojkic’s and many other Kosovo Serb’s joy, the appointment of Bishop Atanasije as Orthodox church leader of Kosovo in late 2009 led to a change in position and immediate consent to begin liturgy at St Nicholas.

This decision makes St Nicholas the only functioning Orthodox Church in the city, as Christ the Savior, located beside the national library, remains unfinished.

On Saturday, Bishop Atanasije and other clergymen from the region held liturgy at the Church to mark the feast of St Theodore, and were joined by around 250 Kosovo Serbs. International representatives from the Greek, US and UK offices in Prishtina attended the service, which was also followed by major media stations visiting from Belgrade.

At first glance, the church does not seem to possess any antiquities which suggest a venerable historical past. The exterior noticeably has had a fresh coat of paint, extensive roof reparation, and new doors and windows.

Inside, bright-white plaster covers most of the walls, and all icons and religious symbols are visibly new.

Floors are covered in new marble tiles, and wooden railings leading to the second level are seemingly recent installments.

However, Nojkic says that the church’s initial construction can be traced back to the 17th Century.

The church was heralded for its wooden icons, made by painters from the city of Debar, current-day Macedonia, in the 18th Century, elaborate wall frescos completed in the 18th Century, and a very rare silver cross brought to the Church from Belgrade in the 19th century.

March rioters set fire to the church in 2004, damaging all of its distinct pieces. The only reminders of its history are the remaining sections of the hand-painted fresco that, when analysed closely, illustrate images of the Orthodox Churche’s values and history.

Unfortunately, even the remaining frescos will have to be completely repainted, said Nojkic, because of the extent of the damage.

A tender is expected to be released soon in order to commission the project.

The bell within the tower, one of two other structures of the church located in the enclosed grounds, also had to be replaced and only rang for the first time since March 2004 in November 2009, after reconstruction was completed.

The second structure in the grounds is the parish home, located near the entrance of the Church, which is occupied by Nojkic in the evenings.

Other tasks at hand at St Nicholas Church include the appointing of a parish priest, in order to hold weekly liturgies for Prishtina and the surrounding area.

Nojkic said the decision would be made soon, and that Kosovo Serbs were eager to begin service at the church.

The renovation of St. Nicholas church was funded from the European Commission in 2007, and specifically covered the cost of roof reconstruction and the restoration of the choir gallery, the paraklis, the baptismal chamber and the parish home.

If you would like to visit the church, Ranjil Nojkic is happy to show you around when he is in attendance, most evenings from 5pm.

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