President arrives in Kosovo for Christmas

President Boris Tadic has arrived at the Visoki Decani Monastery in Kosovo, where he will spend Christmas Eve and Christmas. Tadic will this evening attend Christmas Midnight Liturgy and take part in the ritual of placing the badnjak (oak branch) on the bonfire in front of the shrine. President arrives in Kosovo for Christmas Visoki Decani is located in Metohija, in western Kosovo, and it is the largest and best preserved Serb Orthodox medieval monastery, famous, among other things, for its 14th century frescoes. The villages around the monastery are populated almost entirely by ethnic Albanians, and the monastery facilities, its fraternity and economy are guarded by Italian KFOR units. Tadic last visited Visoki Decani on Orthodox Easter on April 17, 2009. Tadic in Visoki Decani today (Beta) Message of peace President Boris Tadic issued Wednesday from Visoki Decani Monastery a Christmas message of peace to all believers celebrating this Ordhodox holiday as well as to others of different faiths. Christmas is the time for all who have quarreled to make peace, he said. "Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, we are sending a message of peace to all people, regardless of their identity, a message of peace to all who are marking this Christian holiday today and tomorrow, and to those who are not, because this is an opportunity also for those who have quarreled or had misunderstandings to make peace, to shake hands and to understand each other better than they did throughout the past year," he said. Thanking the monastery fraternity for their hospitality, Tadic said that the position and status of Serb monasteries, fraternities and monuments in Kosovo-Metohija have a fundamental importance for preserving the Serb national identity. Some of Serb monasteries in Kosovo are a part not only of Serb national and religious heritage, but also a part of world cultural heritage, he said. Serbia is therefore committed to preserving this cultural heritage as the foundation of Serb identity and a part of world cultural heritage, he said.

President arrives in Kosovo for Christmas

Visoki Dečani is located in Metohija, in western Kosovo, and it is the largest and best preserved Serb Orthodox medieval monastery, famous, among other things, for its 14th century frescoes.

The villages around the monastery are populated almost entirely by ethnic Albanians, and the monastery facilities, its fraternity and economy are guarded by Italian KFOR units.

Tadić last visited Visoki Dečani on Orthodox Easter on April 17, 2009.

Message of peace

President Boris Tadić issued Wednesday from Visoki Dečani Monastery a Christmas message of peace to all believers celebrating this Ordhodox holiday as well as to others of different faiths.

Christmas is the time for all who have quarreled to make peace, he said.

"Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, we are sending a message of peace to all people, regardless of their identity, a message of peace to all who are marking this Christian holiday today and tomorrow, and to those who are not, because this is an opportunity also for those who have quarreled or had misunderstandings to make peace, to shake hands and to understand each other better than they did throughout the past year," he said.

Thanking the monastery fraternity for their hospitality, Tadić said that the position and status of Serb monasteries, fraternities and monuments in Kosovo-Metohija have a fundamental importance for preserving the Serb national identity.

Some of Serb monasteries in Kosovo are a part not only of Serb national and religious heritage, but also a part of world cultural heritage, he said.

Serbia is therefore committed to preserving this cultural heritage as the foundation of Serb identity and a part of world cultural heritage, he said.