Holy Trinity Church in Kosovo
Moscow fears that NATO's decision to transfer the protection of Serbian Orthodox shrines in Kosovo to the local police maystir up tensions in the region.
Spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Andrey Nesterenko believes that this may lead to distrust of international peacekeepers. NATO made this decision without approval of the Serbian Orthodox Church and is breaching the1244 UN resolution.
The resolution was adopted in 1999 and states that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia and its shrines should be protected by Serbia. The document is still valid, thus, it has to be followed.
Monasteries in Gracanica,Visoki Decani and Monastery of the Holy Archangels will be transferred to the police in late August. Many of them areon the UNESCO World Heritage list.
In 2004, 35 Orthodox shrines were vandalized and burnt down by Kosovo Albanians,while they saw no resistance from peacekeepers. Russians expert on Serbia Alexander Kravchenko believes that Kosovo military men are interested in controlling local Orthodox sites to make Serbian enclaves recognize the power of Kosovo government.
The goal of Kosovo Albanians is to make Serbs leave Kosovo. This decision is another way to push them put of the region. Now all Serbian monasteries are controlled by Kosovo-Albanian companies. They provide them with water, electricity, communal utilities. As this needs to be fixed in agreements it means recognizing Kosovo's state institutions.
The Serbian Orthodox Church believes NATO will revoke its decision, especially when many European countries are also concerned with the situation.
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Holy Trinity Church in Kosovo
Render unto Caesar what is Caesars. Looks like Orthodoxy is going to have to get back into the business of evangelism and missions, it will be good for the church in the long run as it will strengthen faith. Like my last priest use to tell me, suffering can be redeeming.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile American Orthodox can make a social stand and shout out the inequity on Kosovo.
David - your statement presumes these Orthodox faithful have something of Caesar's that belongs to Caesar. Could you tell us what it is?
ReplyDeleteI don't presume anything, the Orthodox Church is not the governing body of Kosovo. Let the church send out missionaries two by two as sheep amongst wolves bringing the gospel to all the people. Why do we fear that the Holy Spirit can not overcome man be it NATO, Muslims, or nominal Christians of every stripe?
ReplyDeleteSo was America right to bomb Serbia under to color of NATO? I know a number of local Orthodox who have been called "Good" by the local Metropolitan who helped put Clinton in Office, one bought his daughter an Ambassadorship to Hungary.