The Raška-Prizren Diocese has announced that recent illegal construction work has caused severe damage to the site of the Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša near Prizren, an ancient Serbian Orthodox shrine dating back to the 13th century.
In its statement, the Diocese emphasized that the destruction of medieval Christian shrines is absolutely unacceptable. It demanded the immediate cessation of all unlawful activities and strict adherence to the Law on Special Protected Zones to prevent further destruction of valuable religious and cultural heritage and to preserve the centuries-old spiritual and cultural legacy of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija.
The Diocese has called for an urgent response from international institutions in Kosovo and Metohija, including the EU Mission, EULEX, OSCE, and KFOR, as well as relevant Pristina institutions, urging them to take immediate action within their authority to stop this latest lawlessness, sanction those responsible, ensure the shrine’s protection, and repair the existing damage in full coordination with the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC).
The Diocese added that UNESCO and other relevant international organizations for the protection of cultural heritage in Europe, the USA, and worldwide would be informed about this scandalous case to highlight the actions of local provisional institutions regarding Serbian Christian spiritual and cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija.
“Recent illegal construction work at this site, including the creation and paving of a wide access path leading directly to the cave of the saint, around which the shrine is located, has severely damaged and endangered its archaeological and historical integrity. The very foundations of this medieval complex have been undermined, meaning that in the event of heavy rains or even the slightest tremor, there is a risk of landslides and the collapse of the entire hermitage,” the statement said.
The Diocese recalled that the Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša is officially protected as one of fifty special protected zones under the Law on Special Protected Zones established by the provisional institutions.
Following the armed conflict in 1999, the hermitage was desecrated multiple times—by the excavation of the saint’s grave, the vandalization of medieval frescoes with graffiti, and the placement of an Albanian flag above the hermitage, which remains visible. The Diocese has repeatedly spoken out, demanding protection.
“The desecration of frescoes is the clearest evidence of the utterly vandalistic behavior towards this shrine, deeply offending the faithful of our Church and demonstrating to the world the treatment of medieval Serbian Orthodox heritage in Kosovo and Metohija. It highlights the glaring lack of care and competence among local Kosovo institutions, which, by law, should collaborate with the Church and international representatives to show at least a minimal level of civilized respect for Christian culture and monuments. Instead, they act recklessly on their own, causing irreparable damage to a heritage that belongs to all people of goodwill,” the statement stressed.
The Diocese pointed out that the appropriation of Serbian shrines, which have been subjected to years of brutal devastation and attacks, as well as the malicious rewriting of history, is deeply ironic and hypocritical given the treatment of SPC sites by provisional Pristina institutions and extremist groups on the ground.
Саопштење Епархије поводом најновијих оштећења и незаконитих радова на испосници Св. Петра Коришког код Призрена
— Рашкопризренска (@EparhijaKIM) March 5, 2025
Епархија рашко-призренска изражава најоштрији протест поводом тешких оштећења на простору Испоснице Св. Петра Коришког https://t.co/DX6jToNT9m
It further noted that this is particularly the case in areas of Kosovo and Metohija where, unfortunately, there are currently no Serbs or Serbian monastic communities. In contrast, in places where they do reside, they make every effort to preserve their centuries-old heritage.
The Diocese emphasized that although the law explicitly prohibits any interventions in this area—including road construction, vegetation clearing, or any other work that would compromise the site’s archaeological and historical integrity without SPC’s consent—the Municipality of Prizren (through the Directorate for Economic Development and Tourism) nevertheless carried out illegal activities without the knowledge or approval of the SPC. This represents a blatant violation of the law and a serious threat to this valuable historical site.
It was stated that the illegal construction work was carried out by the local Kosovo Albanian company EUROVIA, as indicated on an installed sign. Given the extreme unprofessionalism of the work, the use of heavy machinery to carve out a path, and the haphazard dumping of materials and soil across the wider site, it is evident that no experts in cultural heritage were involved. This further reflects the complete lack of coordination with the SPC and the Commission for Special Protected Zones, exposing the local institutions’ disregard for Serbian Orthodox heritage.
Beyond the legal aspects of this issue, the Diocese also highlighted the strong moral and historical significance of this shrine for the Serbian people, as the Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša represents an invaluable spiritual and cultural treasure for both the Serbian nation and the entire Christian world.
“We emphasize that, unfortunately, this is just one in a series of incidents demonstrating the systematic violation of SPC rights. Local Kosovo municipal authorities continuously engage in illegal construction within protected zones without prior consultation with the Church or relevant international bodies (such as the case of the Bogorodica Hvostanska Monastery or the planned road construction at the Dolac Monastery site),” the statement said.
The Diocese concluded by stressing the urgent need for special institutional mechanisms to protect the rights of the SPC and its sacred sites in Kosovo and Metohija, backed by firm international guarantees—an issue the SPC has been advocating for years.
MORE TOPICS:
Source: RTS, Foto: Eparhija raško-prizrenska