Serbian Church regains seized ancient temple in Kosovo from schismatics

Priests and parishioners of the Serbian Orthodox Church at the Church of St Michael the Archangel in the Kosovo municipality of Podujevo. Photo: eparhija-prizren.com

The abbot of the Visoki Dečani Monastery, Archimandrite Sava (Janić), and Archpriest Staniš Arsić performed the consecration of the desecrated temple of St. Archangel Michael in the Kosovo village of Rakinicë, which had been vandalized by Albanian schismatics. This information was reported by the website of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raška and Prizren.

With the blessing of Bishop Teodosije of Raška and Prizren, Archimandrite Sava, assisted by parish priest Archpriest Staniš Arsić, conducted the lesser consecration of the church and subsequently celebrated the Divine Liturgy.

During the sermon at the service, Father Sava emphasized that the St. Archangel Michael Church "has been restored to its usual church status as a place of worship for the Serbian Orthodox Church." He expressed hope that this sanctuary, like other Serbian Orthodox Church properties in Kosovo, will be treated with respect and protected from desecration.

Representatives of the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX), carabinieri patrols, and Kosovo police officers were present near the church during the service. After the Liturgy, the locks on the church doors were replaced.

The Raška and Prizren Eparchy expressed concern that the Kosovo police twice refused to accept reports of the robbery and desecration of the church and to investigate false priests Nikolla Xhufka and Kristian Zagali, along with other participants in the seizure of the church. The diocese's lawyer made a second attempt to file a report in the presence of EULEX observers. The Church informed representatives of all international structures in Kosovo about the unlawful conduct of the police.

As previously reported by the UOJ, on November 28, 2023, an Albanian citizen named Nikolla Xhufka, who claimed to be a priest, along with his supporters, entered the Serbian church in the village of Rakinicë, built in the 15th century, conducted a "service" there, and declared that the sanctuary falls under the jurisdiction of the so-called "Albanian National Orthodox Church".

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