Serbian Orthodox Church

Serbian Orthodox Church - History

DESTRUCTION OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES
AND MONASTERIES IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
(June 13 - October 1, 1999)

All these barbaric acts by the Albanian terrorists have occurred in the presence of the UN and the International Peace Forces (KFOR), not in time of war but of peace.

The Serbian Orthodox Church and its historical and religious heritage are being exposed to systematic destruction and extermination in the very presence of the most powerful armed forces of the world and in the very heart of Europe. The Kosovo Albanian gangs of looters, arsonists and miners are mercilessly destroying the monuments which are of worldwide renown and which have survived centuries of turbulent history. With such a systematic campaign against Christian civilization and world culture, Kosovo Albanian terrorists prove that their goal remains an ethnically cleansed Kosovo without Serbs and their Christian monuments.

The Updated List of Destroyed Churches - Updated Oct. 1, 1999

The Holy Trinity Monastery near Musutiste (near Suva Reka 14th century) looted, burned and soon after completely demolished by explosives in July 1999.

The Holy Trinity Monastery Before the Destruction
The Holy Trinity Monastery Before Destruction

Demolished church
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The view of the church
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The ruins of the monastery
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 The house for nuns
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He house for nuns
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 Parts of the 14cent frescoes
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Scenes of the Demolished Monastery near Suva Reka,
beginning July 1999 (German KFOR Sector)

The Monastery of St. Cosma and Damian in Zociste near Orahovac was built in 1327. The old residental buildings have recently been renovated. The monastery was looted in June 1999 when the monks had to leave this shrine. The living quarters were set on fire and the church was vandalized. The church was mined and completely destroyed by the local Albanians on September 13, 1999.

Zociste Monastery prior to destruction
Zociste Monastery Before Destruction

 The mined church
medium/high res

 The work of professional miners
medium/high res

 The mined Bell tower
medium/high res

 The monks living quarters
medium/high res

 The view of the destroyed monastery
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 Monks' cells
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Scenes of Destruction

The tombs of Fr. Moses and Abbot Damian before they were desecrated
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The overturned and desecrated tombs now
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The graves of deceased monks have not been spared.


The Dormition of Mother of God Church in Musutiste, (Suva Reka) built in 1315, was burned and later completely demolished by explosives in July 1999.

Holy Virgin Church in Musutiste, 1315

The Church of the Holy Virgin in Musutiste Before Destruction
A Pearl of the Medieval Serb-Byzantine Art in Kosovo and Metohija

 The Holy Virgin Church, 1315
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 The Destroyed Church With a Bell Tower
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 The Only Remains of the Ancient Church
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 The Remains of the 14th cent. Church
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The Altar Wall 
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 Only rubble was left
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 The Church Was Demolished by Professional Miners
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 The vandalizam in the Parish Center
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 The Priest's Home Was Torched
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Scenes of the Church Demolished by Albanian Extremists
(Beginning of July 1999) (German KFOR Sector)

St. Mark's Monastery in Korisa (near Prizren), 1467, vandalized and completely demolished by explosives. (The site is still inaccessible.) (July 1999)

The Monastery Church Before the Destruction
The Monastery Church of St Mark Before Destruction

 The Monastery of St. Mark in Korisa
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The ruins of St. Mark's Monastery
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 The ruins of St. Mark's Monastery in Korisa
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Destroyed Church of St. Mark
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Apostles St.Peter and St. Paul Parish Church in Suva Reka, built in 1938, was vandalized and later completely demolished by explosives in July 1999.

 The church before destruction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Church in Suva Reka Before
Destruction

 SS Apostles Church in Suva Reka
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 The work of the professional miners
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 The ruins of the Orthodox church in Suva Reka
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The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Djakovica, 1998, was vandalized and set on fire. Precious mosaics were smashed into pieces. The Cathedral was completely destroyed by explosives on July 24, 1999.

The Cathedral before complete destruction
The Cathedral was built on the site of the previous Orthodox Cathedral destroyed by Albanian-led Communist authorities after WWII.

The Smashed Mosaic of the Holy Trinity
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UCK Grafitti on the Walls 
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 The Fire Was Burned Inside the Church
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Djakovica Cathedral in Ruins July 24
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 The Cathedral in Ruins
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 The action of professional miners
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Only rubble has remained
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The Barbarism in Presence of NATO
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After the destruction of the Cathedral, the Albanian population of Djakovica organized a celebration which lasted all night.


The Holy Trinity church in Petric, built in 1993, was vandalized and later severely damaged by explosives at the end of June 1999. By the end of August 1999, the church was totally destroyed.

Holy Trinity Church in Petric
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The Church in Ruins
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 The Explosive Pulled Out the Walls
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 The Interior of the Church
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One of the Side Walls
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 Trying to pull out a stole
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 The Front Facade of the Church
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The church is finally destroyed at the end of August 99
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St. Nicolas Church in Slovinje (near Lipljan),
built in 16th century, was set on fire and later completely demolished by explosives in July 1999.

Slovinje Serbian Orthodox Church
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The Church Was Mined in a Professional Way
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The last remains of St. Nicolas Church
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An antimension found in the rubble
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The Holy Trinity Church in Ratis (near Decani),
built in 1922, was destroyed in 1941 and reconstructed in 1992. In the summer 1997, the church was set on fire by Albanian extremists and was reconstructed again. In June 1999, the church was finally mined and completely destroyed.

The Interior of the church before the destruction
This is interior of the church before destruction.

The mined church of St. Trinity
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The ruble has only remained
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A cross in the ruins
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Destroyed Chalice and the Paten
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St. Archangel Gabriel's Monastery in Binac (near Vitina), built in 14th century, was set on fire and almost completely demolished in June 1999.

 The Monastery of Binac
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 Destroyed Monk's House
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 Desecrated Altar in the Church
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 The Interior of St. Gabriel's Church
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The Presentation of the Virgin church in Dolac (near Klina), built in 1620, was vandalized and set on fire. The altar table was smashed into pieces in July 1999. At the end of August 1999, the church was completely demolished.


Dolac Church - Outside View
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The Vandalized and Burned Interior
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 The Altar Table Is Smashed Into Peaces
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Dolac church is completely destroyed at the end of Aug 99
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The Presentation of the Virgin Parish Church in Bijelo Polje (near Pec), built in 16th century (reconstructed in 19th century), was looted and set on fire at the end of June 1999.

 The Parish Home Near the Church
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 The Interior of the Vandalized Church
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 The Altar
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 Holy Icons Smashed On the Floor
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 The Fire Was Set In the Middle of the Church
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 Books and Icons on the Floor
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 Destroyed Tombstone of a Priest
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St. John the Baptist Church in Samodreza (near Vucitrn), reconstructed in 1932, was vandalized and set on fire at the end of June 1999.

 The Outside View of the Vandalized Church
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 The Entrance Door
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 The Attackers' Graffiti
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 The Torched Walls
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The UCK Signs on the Wall
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The Church Bell
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The Bishop in Front of His Church
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The famous Devic Monastery of St. Joanikije, f. c.1440,
was looted and vandalized. The marble tomb of the saint
was desecrated in June 1999.

 St. Joanikije's Tomb Desecrated
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 The Traces of Albanian Vandalism in Devic
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St. Elijah's Parish Church in Vucitrn, built in 1834,was
vandalized and looted in June 1999.

 The Icons Smashed on the Floor
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St. Elijah's Church in Vucitrn
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 The Vandalized Altar of the Church
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A Desecrated Icon
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St. Eliah's Church (near Djakovica), reconstructed in 1994,
was vandalized and damaged by an explosion at the end of June 1999.

 The Smashed Icons In Front of the Church
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 The Vandalized Interior of the Church
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 Inside the St. Eliah's Church
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The Holy Trinity church in Velika Reka (near Vucitrn),
built in 1998, was vandalized and set on fire in June 1999.

 The Holy Trinity Church Before Destruction
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 The Church Devastated by Fire
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Holy Virgin's Parish Church in Djurakovac (near Pec),
built in 1997, was vandalized in July 1999.

 The Vandalized Church
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 A Torn Icon On the Desecrated Altar
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 The Parish Home Destroyed By Fire
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The Orthodox Cemetery Chapel and the Cemetery in Mitrovica,
were vandalized and desecrated in the beginning of July 1999.

 The Cemetery Chapel in Mitrovica
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Desecrated Orthodox Graves
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St. Uros Parish Church in Urosevac, built in 1933,
was vandalized and set on fire at the end of June 1999.

 The Vandalized Urosevac Cathedral
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 The Holy Icons Were Systematically Smashed
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The parish church in Zegra, near Gnjilane, 1931, was vandalized and
set on fire by the local Albanians.

 Destroyed church and the graveyard
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 Only walls have remained
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 The interior of the church
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 The Holy Table
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St. Elias Church in Smac, 1996, near Prizren, was damaged
by explosives and vandalized in July 1999.

 Damaged church in Smac
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Inside the Sanctuary
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Desecrated and damaged icons
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The Iconostasis is almost completely destroyed
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 St. Parasceva Church - heavily damaged
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   St. Parasceva Church, (near Vitina) 15th century, was set on fire and heavily damaged by explosives.
The parish church in Grmovo, near Vitina, was first set on fire and then completely destroyed by explosives.

 Leveled to the ground
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 The ruins of the church in Grmovo
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The parish church in Kijevo, near Klina, 14th century,
was completely destroyed by explosives.

Kijevo church in ruins (14 c.)
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Kijevo church in ruins (14 c.)
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St Elijah Church in Podujevo, built in 1930, was demolished in 1941 and restored in
1971. In July 1999, the church was vandalized by Albanian extremists.

Podujevo church - outside view
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The vandalized altar
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The part of the iconostasis was set on fire
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 The signature of the UCK vandals on the icon of St. Sava
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The church of St. Nicholas Rajkov, erected in 14th century, was reconstructed in 1857.
This school chapel was mined on September 3, 1999, and was severly damaged.

The church of St. Nicholas 14 cent.
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Severe damage inside the church
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The part added in 19th cent was alsmost totally destroyed
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The result of the vandalous attack
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 Novake Church
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  The parish church in Novake, near Prizren, was vandalized and damaged.


Barbarians in Action

The Monument of the Serb Writer Vuk Karadzic in Pristina
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The monument of Serb writer Vuk Karadzic in Pristina
was pulled down and dumped in the trash during the Albanian rally on July 2.
During the rally, the monuments of Vuk Karadzic and Njegos were trailed
by tractors through the streets of Pristina. The rally was headed by the UCK leader
Hashim Thaci who later denied any responsibility for the vandalism.

THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH
BY THE ALBANIAN EXTREMISTS IN THE PAST

HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF

Desecrated Orthodox Graveyard 1987
Desecrated Serbian Orthodox Monuments and Graveyards - 1987

The Burning of the Patriarchate in Pec 1981
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 Destruction of Devic Monastery 1941
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Suffering of Christians - Requiem for the Serb beheaded by an Albanian 1903
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The Virgin of Ljevis Cathedral was converted into a mosque
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 An Albanian Extremist Killing an Orthoedox Priest in 1941
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Destruction of Christian Orthodox churches, desecration of graveyards and
murders of the clergy were methods used by Albanian Muslim extremists
to blot out all traces of the Serbian presence in Kosovo.




THE MAP
of Main Orthodox Shrines in Kosovo and Metohija
145 Kb

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