Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the March Pogrom in Gračanica

The remembrance of March 17, 2004, referred to as the March Pogrom due to the events that occurred then, began with a memorial service at the Gračanica Monastery.

The memorial for the innocently slain Serbs was conducted by Bishop Ilarion, the vicar bishop of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije, in the presence of Bishop Metodije of Budimlje-Nikšić and Bishop Teodosije of Raška-Prizren. Along with a large number of faithful, representatives from the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, as well as representatives of local Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo, were present in the church.

After the memorial service, Bishop Ilarion stated that today we remember all those innocently killed.

“Zlatibor was murdered by rioters in front of his family, his wife. In Gnjilane, Boban was martyred, followed by the death of his mother. In Mitrovica, Jana and Borivoje. In the village of Drajkovce, a father and son. Nenad perished in Lipljan. We must always be aware that the path we are on is one of endeavor, a path of suffering at various levels,” said Bishop Ilarion.

After the memorial service, the attendees proceeded to the Gračanica Cultural Center where they laid white roses at the MISSING monument in memory of the victims of the March Pogrom.

Following the laying of white roses at the “Missing” installation, a monument to those killed during the 2004 Pogrom, crafted by sculptor Branislav Ristić, was unveiled in the yard of the Cultural Center.

At the formal academy, Bishop Teodosije of Raška-Prizren highlighted that the Pogrom of 2004 remains deeply etched in the Serbian collective memory as one of the saddest moments of our recent history.

“Over those two days, our churches and monasteries, which had survived various wars and calamities for centuries, were ablaze. News of atrocities committed against our innocent people and clergy came from all sides; thus, we commemorate this anniversary by holding a memorial service and offering prayers to the Lord,” said Bishop Teodosije.

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TRANSCRIPT OF THE SPEECH OF BISHOP TEODOSIJE AT THE ACADEMY:

Twenty long years have passed since the March Pogrom against the Serbian and other non-Albanian peoples in Kosovo and Metohija. This greatest act of violence by Kosovo Albanian extremists, from the end of the armed conflict in 1999 to the present day, primarily affected the elderly and the infirm, who were brutally expelled from their homes. Our holy sites and Serb homes which were burned during the March Pogrom, deeply etched this tragedy into the Serbian collective memory as one of the saddest moments in our recent history.

Those two days, the 17th and 18th of March, saw our churches and monasteries, which had survived various wars and misfortunes over centuries, engulfed in flames. From all sides, news arrived of the atrocities committed against our innocent people, monastic and clergy. That is why we regularly commemorate this anniversary by holding a memorial service for the victims and offering prayers to the Lord, to protect our people and holy sites from the ethnic hatred that manifested in its worst form, despite the massive international presence.

Those who perished in this pogrom, as innocent victims, will always remain in our memory, for they suffered simply because they were Orthodox Serbs, native to their own land. The painful images of our destroyed churches, burnt homes, and desecrated cemeteries, from Prizren, Đakovica, Peć, southern Mitrovica, Priština, Lipljan, Podujevo, are deeply ingrained in our memory. The aim of the aggressors was to erase centuries of our existence and permanently expel our remaining population from their hearths.

It is disheartening to see that, on the eve of this anniversary, those currently in power in Priština characterize this crime, which was unequivocally condemned by the entire world, as “Serbian violence against peaceful Albanian protesters”, misusing the tragic drowning of three Albanian children in the river as a justification for later committed atrocities. Such irresponsible statements by those at the very top of Priština’s authorities not only demonstrate a fundamental absence of human conscience but also paint new targets on Serbs and call for new ethnic hatred and violence.

Our Church has condemned and will openly oppose any ethnic violence, as taught by the Holy Gospel. This was our stance in 1999, when we gave shelter to suffering civilians of all communities and condemned crimes from any side. Unfortunately, with such a one-sided approach, the current Kosovo authorities are deepening ethnic mistrust and harming their own population as well. The essence of reconciliation is to feel the suffering of the other and to extend a hand of help in times of trouble. Sadly, the continuation of violence and increasing pressure on our people over these years clearly demonstrate the intentions and goals of those who, 20 years ago, publicly or tacitly supported the March Pogrom and now seek to force our people to emigrate and create ethnically cleansed territories.

Despite all this, and all the difficulties faced by the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija today, we must remain dignified and brave, following the example of our ancestors who for centuries persevered under difficult conditions and various authorities, preserving their faith, tradition, culture, and above all, human honor and integrity. Only in this way can we defend Kosovo and Metohija as our home and the place where our forebears built holy sites, expressing their love for God and their kin. For us, Kosovo and Metohija should not represent just the geographical space of one people, but a place where the lives of other people should be facilitated, with whom we want to live in peace and mutual respect. This is the essence of our Christian faith, to humbly and dignifiedly carry our cross, knowing that only in this way can we experience spiritual transformation and resurrection.

We should never respond to evil and hatred in the same manner and measure, for then we would degrade our Christian and human dignity. Therefore, we will respond to all provocations and pressures, lies, and repression, wisely and patiently, knowing that in history, evil has never prevailed, and that only those who endure to the end will be saved.

Therefore, for us, marking this twentieth anniversary of the March Pogrom is primarily an opportunity to reflect on everything we have undergone in the last 25 post-war years, a way of the cross, and to decisively and courageously show that, as the spiritual children of St. Sava, St. Prince Lazar, and St. King Stefan of Dečani, we can remain and survive as our own on our own, only if we adhere to Christ’s Gospel, not wishing upon others what we do not wish upon ourselves, and extending a hand of reconciliation to every person of good will. Hence, for all of us, the memory of these terrible days from 20 years ago should not be an expression of bitterness, but a reminder to all that such evil, like all other evils that had occurred here in Kosovo and Metohija, should never be repeated again, knowing that God will judge all those who wish to build their happiness on the misfortune of their neighbors, regardless of their origin or faith.

This year, the commemoration of the Pogrom coincides with the beginning of Great Lent, during which, with God’s help, we will engage in both spiritual efforts and fasting, hastening towards the Resurrection of Christ. Therefore, in the joy of our greatest holiday, let us lift prayers to the Lord to preserve both us and all other people, in peace and every good.

Therefore, our remembrance of these harrowing days from 20 years ago should not merely be an expression of bitterness but a caution to all, ensuring that such evil, along with all other misfortunes that have occurred here in Kosovo and Metohija, are never repeated, knowing that God will judge all those who seek to build their fortune on the misfortune of others, regardless of their background or faith.

This year, the commemoration of the Pogrom coincides with the beginning of Great Lent, during which, with God’s help, we will engage in both spiritual and physical efforts, hastening towards Christ’s Resurrection. Therefore, in the joy of our greatest holiday, let us lift prayers to the Lord, to preserve us and all other people, in peace and every good.