Published: 05/03/2025
Modified: 05/03/2025
Statement of the SOC Diocese of Raška and Prizren Regarding the Recent Damage and Illegal Works at the Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša Near Prizren
The Diocese of Raška and Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) expresses its strongest protest against the severe damage caused to the Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša*, a historic Serbian Orthodox holy site dating back to the 13th century.
VIDEO of the current situation at the Hermitage of St. Peter of Koriša (with visible damage to the environment and the hermitage)
Recent illegal construction works at this site, including the excavation and paving of a broad access path leading directly to the cave of Saint Peter, have caused significant damage to the archaeological and historical integrity of the hermitage. The very foundations of this medieval complex have been compromised, raising concerns that even minor natural disturbances, such as heavy rains or small tremors, could lead to landslides and the complete collapse of this sacred site.
We remind the public that the Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša is officially protected as one of the fifty Special Protective Zones (SPZ) established under the Law on Special Protective Zones in Kosovo**. Since the end of the Kosovo armed conflict in 1999, the hermitage has been repeatedly desecrated, including the desecration of Saint Peter’s grave***, damage to medieval frescoes with graffiti, and the placement of an Albanian flag above the site — an act that remains visible to this day. The Diocese has previously called for the protection of this holy site, but the situation has only worsened.
The damaged frescoes stand as a stark reminder of the deeply disrespectful attitude toward this sacred site, causing profound pain to the faithful of our Church. Such acts reveal the harsh reality of how medieval Serbian Christian Orthodox heritage is treated in Kosovo. The blatant disregard and incompetence of local Kosovo institutions are evident. Instead of showing a basic level of civilization and respect for Christian culture and monuments, they carry out unprofessional works, irreversibly destroying heritage that holds significance for all people of goodwill.
The Special Protective Zones Law clearly states in its first article: “This law shall ensure protection of Serbian Orthodox Monasteries, Churches, other religious sites, as well as historical and cultural sites of special significance for the Kosovo Serb community, as well as other communities in Kosovo, through the establishment of Special Protective Zones.”
Furthermore, Article 3(b-c) of the Law elaborates: “The objective of the law is to preserve the character and appearance of the sites to be protected, in particular, the historical, cultural, architectural or archaeological context, natural environment or aesthetic visual setting; and to prevent adverse development around the sites to be protected, while ensuring the best possible conditions for harmonious and sustainable development of the communities inhabiting the areas surrounding such sites by regulating development and other activities.”
This legal framework aims to preserve the historical, cultural, and religious heritage of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, prevent its damage and destruction, and ensure that any activities within the Special Protective Zones can only be conducted with the prior consent of the Serbian Orthodox Church and within the framework of the Implementation Monitoring Council. Any other approach constitutes a direct violation of the law and poses a serious threat not only to religious heritage but also to peace and interethnic relations in the region.
In direct violation of this law, the municipality of Prizren (Directorate for Economic Development and Tourism) carried out illegal activities without the knowledge or approval of the Serbian Orthodox Church. These actions severely threaten this valuable historical site. The works were conducted by the local Kosovo Albanian company EUROVIA, as indicated on a displayed sign. The unprofessional nature of the work (by a company unlicenced for such sensitive works on heritage sites), involving heavy machinery and the careless scattering of materials around the site, demonstrates a shocking lack of engagement with heritage experts, underscoring the absence of coordination with the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Implementation Monitoring Council.
Beyond the legal implications, it is important to emphasize the profound moral and historical significance of this holy site for our people. The Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša represents an invaluable spiritual and cultural treasure of the Serbian Orthodox people and the entire Christian world. This hermitage dates back to the 13th century and is mentioned in Serbian medieval texts, including the hagiography of Saint Peter of Koriša written by monk Theodosius of Hilandar (Mount Athos, Greece) in the 13th century. The hermitage was also a metochion of the Athonite Hilandar Monastery, as documented in medieval records and scholarly works by authors from various countries.
For centuries, this unique and the largest cave hermitage monastic complex in the region was a place of monastic asceticism and prayer, renowned for its rich manuscript library. According to historical sources, the Serbian Emperor Stefan Dušan generously endowed this holy site with gifts and visited it with his family in the mid-14th century. For all these reasons, the hermitage is included in the system of Special Protective Zones alongside the most important monasteries and sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija.
The SOC Diocese of Raška and Prizren calls upon international institutions present in Kosovo, including the EU Mission, EULEX, OSCE, and KFOR, as well as relevant Kosovo institutions, to urgently intervene to halt this latest lawlessness, sanction those responsible, and ensure the protection of this holy site. The existing damage must be repaired in full coordination with the Serbian Orthodox Church. UNESCO and other relevant international heritage organizations in Europe, the USA, and globally will be informed of this scandalous case to draw attention to the treatment of Serbian Christian spiritual and cultural heritage in Kosovo.
This is regrettably just one in a series of incidents demonstrating the systematic violation of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s rights. Local Kosovo municipal authorities continue to engage in illegal activities within the Special Protective Zones around medieval sites without prior consultation with the Church or relevant international bodies (e.g., the recent case of the Holy Virgin of Hvosno and the intended road construction at the site of the Monastery of Dolac). All of this underscores the need for special institutional mechanisms to protect the rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church and its holy sites in Kosovo and Metohija, with strong international guarantees, which the Church has been advocating for years.
“The responsible for the illegal works at the Hermitage, source: Facebook”
Such a practice of devastation of medieval Christian holy sites in Kosovo is completely unacceptable. The Serbian Orthodox Church demands an immediate halt to all illegal activities and strict adherence to the Law on Special Protective Zones to prevent further destruction of valuable religious and cultural heritage and to preserve the centuries-old spiritual and cultural heritage of the Serbian Orthodox people in Kosovo and Metohija.
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* Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
On the Hermitage at kosovo.net: https://www.kosovo.net/
**Law on Special Protective Zones, 2008: https://gzk.rks-gov.net/
***Heightened concerns over Serbian spiritual legacy, Christian heritage in Kosovo-Metohija: https://www.
