Tensions Rise as Kosovo Ministry Labels Historic Serbian Orthodox Church “Catholic”

eparhija-prizren.com

OCP News Service – 28/12/2023

Prizren-Kosovo: In a controversial move, the Ministry of Culture in Priština, Kosovo, has unilaterally initiated the reconstruction of an Orthodox cemetery church in Gornje Vinarce, marking it as “Catholic” without consulting the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC). The reconstruction, labeled as the “Catholic Church in Gornje Vinarce,” was undertaken without any coordination with the SOC, raising concerns about the appropriation of Serbian Orthodox heritage.

The church, a protected monument since 2016, has undergone repairs to its stone slab roof, sidewalk installation, and interior plastering, according to ministry sources. The SOC, aware of the church’s existence since the 14th century in a historically Serbian village, denounces the unilateral action, highlighting the lack of evidence of Roman Catholic ownership or use.

The SOC asserts that Kosovo Albanian institutions aim to change the identity of Serbian Orthodox churches, erasing traces of Serbian historical existence. The Diocese calls on international representatives to intervene and prevent further incidents that fuel ethnic and religious tensions.

Source:

OCP News Service