Dečani Monastery

Today, on Palm Sunday, Metropolitan Teodosije celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of St. Demetrius in Sušica near Gračanica, reminding the faithful that this feast calls us to a faith that does not fade, but remains living and steadfast. Reflecting on Christ’s solemn entry into Jerusalem, welcomed with joy, songs, and palm branches, he noted that the same crowd that cried “Hosanna” would soon turn away. Christ Himself wept over Jerusalem, not for His own sake, but for hearts that rejoice quickly, yet just as quickly fall away. Palm Sunday, he said, invites each of us to examine our own faith: whether we honour Christ only with words, or remain faithful to Him in our lives. It is a call not to passing emotion, but to enduring commitment, to a faith that remains firm in every circumstance, and faithful to Christ in all the days of our life. #SerbianOrthodoxChurch #Kosovo

Today we solemnly celebrated Palm Sunday at Dečani Monastery, where more than 800 faithful took part in the Divine Liturgy. This feast opens the door to Holy Week, through which we follow the solemn and dramatic path that leads from Christ’s entry into Jerusalem to His crucifixion and, ultimately, to the joy of His glorious Resurrection. #DecaniMonastery #Kosovo #SerbianOrthodoxChurch

Today, Abbot Sava and monks of Dečani Monastery conveyed warm Easter greetings to Don Fran and Don Lorenc Sopi, Catholic priests in Peć, the Sisters of Mother Teresa’s community, and Col. Federico Mora with the soldiers of KFOR Regional Command West at Vilaggio Italia base. In a spirit of respect, friendship, and brotherly Christian love, Dečani monks shared Paschal greetings and Easter gifts, witnessing that in our challenging times, faith, solidarity, and goodwill continue to bring people of good will closer.

Today Orthodox Christians throughout the world celebrated Palm Sunday, the joyful entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, where He is welcomed as King, yet freely walks the path toward the Cross. This feast reminds us that true victory is not in earthly power, but in humble love, sacrifice, and obedience, opening for all the way to the Resurrection.

Wishing a blessed and joyful Easter to all who celebrate today. May this holy day bring peace, hope, and renewed strength to you and your loved ones. Mosaic by the Centro Aletti Studio, Rome

It was an honour to welcome H.E. Gian Franco Saba, Archbishop of the Military Ordinariate of Italy, together with Col. Federico Mora, Commander of KFOR Regional Command West, and their colleagues to Visoki Dečani Monastery today. Archbishop Saba is visiting Kosovo to celebrate the Easter season with Italian soldiers serving in KFOR, whose presence continues to play an important role in maintaining security and stability. On behalf of the brotherhood, Dečani Abbot Fr Sava extended his warm Easter greetings to Archbishop Saba and Col. Mora and expressed gratitude for the dedication and service of the Italian peacekeepers, especially for their protection of Dečani Monastery. A visit marked by mutual respect, dialogue, and a shared commitment to peace.🌿 @NATO_KFOR @Esercito @NATOJFCBS #DecaniMonastery #Kosovo

Today, on Lazarus Saturday, around 700 Orthodox Christian pilgrims from Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina gathered in the city of Prizren and took part in the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of the Holy Archangels Monastery. They also visited other Serbian Orthodox holy sites in the city and prayed in the renowned 14th-century Cathedral of the Holy Virgin of Ljeviš. The growing number of pilgrims, especially in recent months, shows the deep and living attachment of Orthodox Christians to their holy sites in Kosovo, which remain places of prayer, memory, and spiritual belonging. The celebrations across Kosovo on Lazarus Saturday and tomorrow, on Palm Sunday, mark the beginning of Holy Week, the final days of preparation before the feast of Pascha, the Resurrection of Christ. #SerbianOrthodoxChurch #Kosovo #Prizren

Lazarus Saturday 2026 🌿🌿 - Blessed eve of the Palm Sunday! youtu.be/VvPRPUTX6YA?is… Rejoice, O Bethany! Rejoice, rejoice, O Bethany! On this day God came to thee, God came to thee; and in Him the dead are made alive, as is right for He is the Life! He is the Life! He is the Life! And in Him the dead are made alive, as is right for He is the Life! When Martha went to receive Him, grieving loudly with bitter tears, bitter tears, she poured out the sorrow of her heart to Him, with great sadness, wailing her lament. Wailing her lament, wailing her lament. She poured out the sorrow of her heart to Him, with great sadness, wailing her lament. She at once cried out unto Him, “My most compassionate Lord! My Lord! At the great loss of my brother Lazarus my heart is broken, help me! Help me! Help me! At the great loss of my brother Lazarus my heart is broken, help me! Jesus said to her, “Cease thy weeping, cease thy grieving and sad lament, sad lament; for thy brother, My most beloved friend Lazarus, very soon will live again! He will live again! He will live again! For thy brother, My most beloved friend Lazarus, very soon will live again!” Then He, the faithful Redeemer, made His way unto the tomb, unto the tomb, where He cried unto him who was buried four days, calling him forth, saying, “Lazarus, arise! Lazarus, arise! Lazarus, arise!” Where He cried unto him who was buried four days, calling him forth, saying, “Lazarus, arise! Come with haste, ye two sisters, and behold a wondrous thing, wondrous thing, for thy brother from the tomb has returned to life. To the beloved Redeemer now give thanks! Now give thanks! Now give thanks! For thy brother from the tomb has returned to life. To the beloved Redeemer now give thanks! To Thee, O Lord of creation, we kneel down in reverence profound, reverence profound; for all we who are dead in sin; in Thee, O Jesus, are made alive! We are made alive! We are made alive! For all we who are dead in sin; in Thee, O Jesus, are made alive! Rejoice, rejoice, O Bethany! On this day God came to thee, God came to thee; and in Him the dead are made alive, as is right for He is the Life! He is the Life! He is the Life! And in Him the dead are made alive, as is right for He is the Life!

Today we celebrated Lazarus Saturday, remembering the raising of Lazarus by Christ, a powerful sign of hope on the eve of Holy Week. As we approach Pascha, this feast reminds us that life is stronger than death and that even in the darkest moments, the promise of resurrection is already present.

Serbian NGOs raise concern over “revisionist narratives” during visit to Peć Patriarchate kossev.info/serbian-ngos-r…

NGOs express concern regarding Inappropriate Conduct and Misuse of Patriarchate of Peć During Student Visit Thirteen civil society organisations from across Kosovo has issued a joint statement expressing serious concern over recent events at the Patriarchate of Peć Serbian Orthodox Monastery, following an organised  visit of local Kosovo Albanian students led by representative of the local museum in Peć/Peja. The Facebook post by Museum of Peje in English translation is attached) PRESS RELEASE Regarding inappropriate conduct during an organized visit of students to the Patriarchate of Peć We express serious concern regarding the events that took place at the Patriarchate of Peć on March 30, during an organized visit which, according to publicly available information, was conducted by the Museum in Peja and the Technical School "Rifat Gjota" from Peja.  According to available social media posts and video footage, during the visit, a museum representative presented controversial and historically unfounded claims within the monastery complex regarding the identity of this protected religious and cultural site, including referring to it as an "Albanian Patriarchate" and claims about an alleged "systematic transformation" of earlier churches into Serbian Orthodox religious sites. Instances of inappropriate behavior by some visitors were also recorded, including the display of national symbols within the monastery grounds. Presenting historically contested and ethnically framed interpretations to children, particularly within the sacred space of an active place of worship, constitutes a serious act of disrespect toward the religious site and its purpose, as well as a deviation from the basic standards of responsible education, professional ethics, and respect for freedom of religion.  The Patriarchate of Peć is a protected religious and cultural heritage site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as one of the most important religious sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with a clearly established historical, legal, and international status. Any attempt to politicize, arbitrarily reinterpret, or ethnically appropriate it represents an attack on the dignity of the Serbian Orthodox Church, on the right to the peaceful enjoyment of religious and cultural heritage, and on efforts to build interethnic trust. It is particularly concerning that this case does not appear to be an isolated incident but rather part of a broader pattern of disputed interpretations, provocations, and attempts to alter the character and identity of the Serbian Orthodox Church's heritage in Kosovo. Such developments further burden already sensitive interethnic relations, deepen mistrust, and hinder the creation of a social climate based on mutual respect, equality, and the rule of law.  We call on the relevant institutions, educational and cultural bodies, as well as international actors monitoring the state of human rights, religious freedoms, and the protection of cultural heritage, to promptly establish the full circumstances of this event and to take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of similar cases. Protected religious sites must remain spaces of respect, professional responsibility, and peaceful coexistence not venues for the dissemination of historically controversial, ethnically framed, and potentially politically inflammatory messages. In a democratic society governed by the rule of law, the protection of religious rights, the dignity of religious communities, and cultural heritage must be consistent, impartial, and in line with existing legislation and international standards. #Kosovo #ReligiousRights

Yesterday we had the honour of welcoming Peter Due, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, to the Visoki Dečani Monastery. Following a visit to the church, we had a constructive and open discussion on the current situation of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the broader challenges faced by the Serbian community in Kosovo. #DečaniMonastery #SerbianOrthodoxChurch #Kosovo

Fifth Sunday of the Holy Lent. Liturgy at Visoki Dečani Monastery was served by Bishop Ilarion of Novo Brdo with ten priests and deacons. More than 500 pilgrims attended the Liturgy. #DečaniMonastery #SerbianOrthodoxChurch #Kosovo

Video footage of the Holy Liturgy at Visoki Dečani Monastery on Sunday, 29 March.

Kossev-Info: Who Became the Perpetrator: Narratives of March 17 Between Facts and Interpretation kossev.info/who-became-the…

Decani monastery publishes archival 1960s German documentary on Serbian monasteries: “The Cross and the Red” now available in multiple languages kossev.info/decani-monaste…

YouTube 1960s footage on Serbian Orthodox Monasteries in Kosovo from a German documentary youtu.be/ar0N9RvPsB8?si… "The Cross and the Red Star" is an early 1960s documentary produced by WDR, the public broadcaster of West Germany, and directed by Klaus Liebe. It focuses on several major Serbian Orthodox monasteries during the communist time Yugoslavia, including the Patriarchate of Peć and Visoki Dečani. A 17-minute segment of the film has now been made available by the Dečani Monastery brotherhood on its #YouTube channel. The footage is available in original German, English, Serbian and Italian audio as well as with captions in those languages and Albanian The film is an important historical document, especially in light of ongoing debates over the identity and interpretation of Serbian religious and cultural heritage in Kosovo. Its narrator treats medieval Serbian art as part of the broader European cultural legacy, placing it on an equal footing with the finest achievements of Western medieval art. He also clearly identifies the Nemanjić dynasty, particularly King Stefan Dečanski and Emperor Dušan, as the historical founders and benefactors of Dečani. The footage is valuable not only for its artistic and architectural record, but also for what it reveals about church life under communist rule. It includes rare scenes of the streets of Peć, the frescoes and architecture of the Patriarchate of Peć and Visoki Dečani, and the daily life of monks during a period of political pressure and institutional control. It also shows the enthronement of Patriarch German, attended by communist officials, local Albanian representatives, and Muslim leaders, reflecting the complexity of the time. Among the most notable scenes are those from Visoki Dečani itself: damaged former monastic quarters that had been used by the authorities, visible monitoring of monastery life, and rare appearances of Abbot Makarije and Abbot Justin. The documentary notes the monastery’s difficult material situation under heavy taxation, although it does not mention the Communist post-war confiscation of nearly 800 hectares of monastic land. Taken as a whole, the film offers a rare visual testimony to the endurance of Serbian Orthodox monastic life in a politically restrictive period and to the effort to preserve religious continuity, cultural heritage, and basic communal survival under difficult circumstances.

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Christophe Kamp with his team, visited the Visoki Dečani Monastery, where he was received by Abbot Fr Sava. During the visit, Fr Sava provided an overview of the current challenges faced by the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, particularly in relation to the protection of religious and cultural heritage, the functioning of Church life, and the broader conditions affecting the Serbian community. The meeting was held in a constructive and open atmosphere, with an exchange of views on the importance of safeguarding fundamental rights, ensuring effective implementation of existing legal frameworks, and promoting an environment conducive to inter-community trust and stability.

Brotherly Gathering of the Clergy Held in Gračanica A brotherly gathering of the clergy of the Priština and Prizren Deaneries was held yesterday, 25 March 2026, at the Gračanica Monastery. The meeting began with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, celebrated by His Grace Metropolitan Teodosije of Raška and Prizren, with the concelebration of priests and deacons. Following the divine service, the clergy held the working session of the meeting, during which they discussed current issues in the life of the Church, with particular attention given to pastoral ministry and the challenges faced by the clergy in their service. They also considered ways of further strengthening the spiritual life of the faithful. As stated in the announcement of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raška and Prizren, the gathering took place “in a spirit of brotherly love, mutual understanding, and shared concern for the entrusted flock of the Church of Christ.”