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Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church
PRAVOSLAVLJE PRESSKOSOVO AND METOHIA CHRONICLE
Belgrade, July 14, 1999
The news delivered by a Spanish captain in the Patriarchate of Pec, stating that the Albanians yesterday set on fire the old Orthodox church in Djakovica, was not true. The monastics and priests from Pec have visited Djakovica today, with KFOR escort. The old church is whole and intact. The visitors have taken old church books, archive and chandelier, and carried them in Visoki Decani monastery. As for the new church in Djakovica, a very valuable mosaic, 80.000 DEM worth, which was recently set has disappeared: it has probably been taken by the Albanians.
The monastics and priests have also visited Serbian graveyard in Piskote village, near Djakovica, and a chapel on that graveyard. They have dismantled the iconostasis and taken it into Decani monastery. About thirty old men and women are in the churchyard of the old church in Djakovica. There are other Serbs in the similar situation; they live their apartments, and fear to come out. The visitors have decided to move those Serbs from the churchyard into the Patriarchate of Pec at the earliest convenience, probably tomorrow.
The Orthodox church in Musutiste, built in 1315, and burned by the Albanians some time ago, has now undergone new calamities and final destruction. After the first blazing the iconostasis has been saved. Unfortunately, now, only a part of the wall on the altar side, 2-3 meters high, has remained.
The Albanians attacked Draganac monastery near Gnjilane on the Holy Day dedicated to Sts. Peter and Paul (July 12), thereat seizing monastery car; there has been no greater destruction.
The Albanians also attack the villages in the area of Novo Brdo. There are dead Serbs, mostly old people, and a large number of refugees there. Although the pressure on the Serbs from this area is very hard, they hold their place courageously.
In the area of Lipljan, Serbian houses have still been being set on fire, and grenades have been being tossed at them. There are also some Serbs, seriously wounded or with minor injuries.
Sveti Vraci monastery in the village Zociste was demolished and robbed, but it was not burned and destroyed completely.
We have obtained the news from Obilic and nearby villages that KFOR soldiers barge into Serbian homes, and search them thinking they would find weapon there. If the house is empty, they smash the windows, enter on their own and scatter the things.
The Albanians also destroy Serbian graveyards and tombstones. For example, 12 tombstones were destroyed in the graveyard in Gnjilane, and the similar destructions happened in Kosovska Mitrovica. It is known for sure that two monastic tombstones were destroyed in Sveti Vraci monastery.
Rt. Rev. Bishop Atanasije Rakita
The Bishop of Hvosno
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