The Catholic Church in Kosovo says it was neither informed of nor involved in the organisation of a controversial religious ceremony held by a Catholic priest last week at the site of a medieval Serbian Orthodox monastery near Istok.
Speaking to KoSSev, Father Fatmir Koliqi, the parish priest for Pristina representing the Catholic Church in Kosovo, emphasized that the institution distances itself from any discourse that offends religious or ethnic sentiments.
The remarks follow the publication of a statement by the Raška-Prizren Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which condemned a Catholic service led by Father Fran Kolaj on July 23rd in the village of Studenica near Istok. The service reportedly took place at the archaeological site of the medieval Serbian Orthodox Monastery of the Holy Virgin of Hvosno—an area designated as a Special Protective Zone and part of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s heritage.
According to the Diocese, the Catholic priest conducted the service without the Church’s prior knowledge or consent. Moreover, it claimed that the priest used inflammatory and nationalistic language during his speech, calling the site “ethnically Albanian and Illyrian,” and denying the Serbian Orthodox Church’s identity, presence, and historical heritage in the area.
The Diocese published both a transcript and video of the speech, describing it as a “political performance” rather than a religious gathering. It also noted that the content included revisionist views of history, calls for the unification of “Albanian lands,” and references to the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), the 1999 war, and Serbia’s president. Those in attendance, the Diocese added, “appeared more like political followers than worshipers.”
In response to KoSSev’s inquiry, Father Koliqi confirmed that neither Archbishop Dodë Gjergji nor the Catholic Diocese in Kosovo were aware of the ceremony or the speech given by Kolaj.
“With regard to the event that took place on July 23 near the archaeological site of the Holy Mary of Hvosno, we clarify that the Catholic Diocese in Kosovo was neither informed of it nor involved in its organisation,” Father Koliqi stated in a written response.
He added that, according to their internal inquiries, it did not appear that the service took place within the officially protected zone, but rather “within the public area of the village.”
Koliqi also said that based on witness accounts, Father Kolaj was invited to lead the mass “without any offensive or inciting intent.” However, he noted that they do not possess an official recording of Kolaj’s remarks and therefore cannot assess the content of his speech.
Still, he stressed:
“The Catholic Church in Kosovo distances itself from any discourse that offends the religious or ethnic feelings of anyone, including the language used by our priest Kolaj,” Koliqi told KoSSev.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
