Serbian Orthodox Church flag at the entrance of Gracanica monastery stolen and broken

Serbian Orthodox Church flag at the entrance of Gracanica monastery stolen and broken

As Radio Television Gracanica reports, the case was reported to the police and the investigation is ongoing.

In the meantime, a photo of the flag appeared on social networks, where a masked person allegedly trampled on the stolen flag, holding the Albanian flag in his hands. The abbot of the monastery Visoki Decani, Sava Janjic also reacted to the mentioned picture.

"Please, what is the source of this photo where this masked figure is trampling on the church flag of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The diocese is asking for information in response to the theft of the flag. Where they posted it: on Instagram or Facebook? If possible, address and screen shot", Sava Janjic wrote.

"Direct assault"

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija announced today that unknown perpetrators took off the tricolor of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) and broke the mast at the entrance door to the yard of the Gracanica monastery.

The statement said that "photos of the desecrated church flag appeared on social networks, which show an Albanian disguised in black and trampling on a tricolor with the flag of 'Greater Albania'."

It was assessed that this "act is a direct attack and a threatening message to the believers of the Serbian Orthodox Church, along with an unequivocal indicator of the unstable and dangerous security situation in Serbian communities" in Kosovo.

"At the same time, it is more than obvious that the Kosovo Police is neither able nor in practice to protect the facilities of the Serbian Orthodox Church," the Office stated.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been 70 attacks on Serbs, their property and the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as more than 15 acts of vandalism targeting Serbian Orthodox Church facilities, and such images are said to speak most eloquently about the real life of Serbs.