A group of pilgrims drove six hours from Belgrade into the former Serbian province of Kosovo – to pray at this church. It is one of the most revered Serbian Orthodox Churches in the world, the 14th-century – Visoki Decani. It houses the tomb of King Stefan Decanski, considered by Serbs – a holy monarch. VOA reporter Jamie Dettmer has recently brought the story to U.S. viewers from the UNESCO protected Serb and world heritage site.
“I come from Belgrade, but my roots are actually here. Our nation is very old, that is why it’s so important to us,” said Jelena, a Serbian resident.
The Serbian Orthodox Church is surrounded by ethnic Albanians. It came under attack during the 1998-1999 Kosovo war – a conflict brought to a halt by a US-led NATO intervention. The church remains a source of irritation for Kosovo Albanian ultranationalists. Soldiers – from the NATO-led Kosovo force of peacekeepers – still protect the site.
“For centuries, places like this monastery, and we have some other valuable monasteries in Kosovo, have played a very important role in preserving the religious and cultural identity of our people through very turbulent times,” said Abbot Sava Janjic.
If ethnic conflict ever erupted again in Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008 to Belgrade’s rage, this church would be in the crosshairs.
“Since 1999 we have had three mortar attacks and one RPG-bazooka attack,” Janjic added.
The presidents of Serbia and Kosovo have discussed border changes in the bid to reach a historic peace settlement. Under a land swap deal, Serbia would be extended south to include Serbs in Kosovo’s North. In return, Kosovo would get some ethnic Albanian areas in Serbia. Most EU leaders oppose any Balkan border changes, fearing a reigniting of ethnic violence. Serb ultranationalists also are adamantly opposed.
“They can only have the highest level of autonomy. We will not recognize their independence,” said in Belgrade the leader of the Serbian Radical Party, Vojislav Seselj.
Serbs and Kosovo Albanians remain at odds about how they can put ethnic conflict behind them. The jigsaw puzzle of the Balkan’s map is not helping them.
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