Serbians urged to travel to Kosovo and visit holy places

Serbians urged to travel to Kosovo and visit holy places

"Christmas is a time to think about our people in Kosovo and Metohija and call on everyone - and more than three quarters of Serbia never had a chance to visit Kosovo and Metohija - to come here and see this spiritual vertical line that has made our people strong enough through centuries, and at the same time good enough be in the grace of God and survive hard times," he said.

Djuric today attended Christmas liturgy in the medieval Serbian Orthodox monastery of Visoki Decani in Kosovo, and, extending his holiday greetings afterwards, noted that "the recipe for our national, state, and spiritual renewal is there."

"When you come here, you realize that from here you can see not only Belgrade, Podgorica, and Banja Luka, but also Moscow, Kiev, Minsk, Vladivostok, and even Jerusalem, where the most joyous Christian holiday is being marked today," he said.

He once again wished a happy Christmas, saying that prayers and love toward all Orthodox believers and all Serbs across the world were being sent today from Visoki Decani and from Kosovo and Metohija.

Minister for Communities and Return in the Kosovo government Dalibor Jevtic also attended, and wished that those displaced from Kosovo and Metohija can spend next Christmas in their homes.

"I also invite our Albanian neighbors to help us in this, because we wish to send a message of peace, one of living side by side today. I think we can live together in these areas and build a better future in peace," Jevtic said, noting that this future "should be different from what has happened in the past."

Marko Djuric was in Kosovska Mitrovica on Wednesday when he said Serbs should reinforce their commitment to Serbian and Orthodox values and prove worthy of their Serbian names.

Djuric attended the evening service at the Church of St. Demetrios in Kosovska Mitrovica, conducted by Bishop of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija Teodosije together with priests of this church, and the ceremonial burning of the badnjak - an oak log - on Orthodox Christmas Eve.

"May we turn around and go back to our Serbian and Orthodox values to prove worthy of our Serbian names - this is the message we are sending from Kosovska Mitrovica today," said Djuric.