TRIP TO SERBIA, KOSOVO AND METOHIJA JULY 20-AUG 5, 2021

July 27

After a good night sleep, we attended the liturgy at Pecka Patrijarsija. Nuns start prayers two hours before liturgy (the bells woke us up). Liturgy was at seven. Some of the nuns get up around 3 am.

After the liturgy we had coffee and went to ETC shopping center to purchase all necessary needs for the monastery. We shopped for necessity for monastery Pecka Patrijarsija, Gracanica, and some items for two more families.

Many Serbian items (to my surprise) are back in store displays with Serbian flag under it indicating its origin. I guess some sanctions are lifted.

Store accepted credit card and surprisingly everyone was polite. The cashier even spoke Serbian and I do not think she was Serbian.

Little side note…. since we were using credit card cashier needed credit card unit. Her unit ran out of paper. She called for another one. It was out of paper. …. she ended up going through five units. All out of paper. Now, I needed printed receipt with itemized list. Printer was out of paper. It took another fifteen minutes before I got receipt. So much of efficiency, theirs and ours.

Now back to the monastery and breakfast. Nuns are running around like crazy.

Mati Haritina fell in Vrnjačka Banja and was in Kraljevo hospital. Sister Melanija was with her in case she needed anything. Another sister fell, broke her hip (sister Tekla?) at the monastery compound and was at the Pec hospital. Sister Irina was by her. The monastery was short four sisters.

Usually sisters go to Kosovska Mitrovica, or Gracanica or Beograd or any city in central Serbia for doctors’ appointments or hospital.

But breaking a hip is an emergency; the sister had to stay at the hospital in Pec.

The story is that monastery wanted to take the nun out of Pec hospital and move her somewhere else for surgery. Doctor/surgeon told her that for him it does not matter who is which nationality. He operated on her and the surgery was successful.

Time to leave Pecka Patrijarsija. It is hard and sad, but we must. Sister Mardarija (relative of Saint Mardarije from Libertyville) is hugging us and asking us to come soon and to stay longer. Temperature outside is close to 100 F.

The Patriarchate of Pec is in the Rugovo gorge and is one of the most important monuments of the Serbian past from the 13th century.

Church was targeted by vandals many times. At this monastery many years ago, I learned the meaning of word Freedom. Until then I took everything for granted.

In city of Pec lives only a handful of Serbs.

Not far from Pecka Patrijarsija is monastery Visoki Decani.

Just three weeks ago before monastery of Visoki Decani there were barricades on the road that looked like a war zone. Now, those cement barricades are wrapped/transformed into something that looks like wine barrels and on the top, they planted flowers. So “flowers” are enabling free approach to the monastery.

The street by the monastery is being transformed and widened into a nice boulevard. I understand that Albanians want to make a highway out of this road to which Visoki Decani do not agree.

Before the entrance of the monastery is the guardhouse with international solders. Macedonian solders are guarding it now (for Italians).

Before we enter the monastery’s compound, we must leave our ID/ passports by guard/solder. I was given a visitor badge indicating that basically one person from the group is responsible.

Monk Petar was welcoming us and took us to the monastery where we venerated the relics and then father Petar in fluent English explained the history of Decani.

Visoki Decani monastery was built by Serbian king Sveti Stefan Decanski in 1335. Today, monastery has over 1000 preserved original frescoes and is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Father Peter then pulled out books and picture albums – over hundred years old – and was explaining the development of the monastery and reading Experience review from monastery guest book from many important people worldwide including presidents. Thank you, Father Peter; it was an honor!!!!!

Again, with sadness we leave Visoki Decani!!!! Until next time….

Now we are off to Serbian enclave in Orahovac.

We are welcomed by new priest Father Milan Stanojevic and his wife.

On almost 100F outside, we are strolling Orahovac with Father Milan. He is explaining the needs for kids’ playgrounds; big and small.

Kathy got blessing from bishop Teodosije to build a playground next to church property, provided that we can buy that house/property.

Kids in this enclave have no place to play. At the playground that exists, our children are harassed and many of them physically abused by Albanian children.

Back on the road to Kosovo Polje. Traffic is like the one in Chicago. Buildings are coming up like mushrooms. Most of the apartment buildings are empty but they are building more and more. Garbage everywhere….

In Kosovo Polje we are visiting Delibasic family, Slavisa and Dragana.

They have two kids: Jovana and Svetozar. From birth, Jovana is in a wheelchair. They live on fourth floor (they call it third) without the elevator.

Wheelchair that they had before was about 30 kg heavy. In order to get 19-year-old girl out, mother carries the wheelchair and father carries daughter (about 150 lbs.). It makes you think how much some people sacrifice.

Our Serbs purchased wheelchair which they have asked for. The old wheelchair they gave to a hospital.

Our visit to this family was accompanied by their parish priest father Nikola Dragicevic.

On the way to monastery Gracanica….supposedly we are taking a shortcut. But still, traffic is insane. Pointless to say that we are so tired from heat, traveling, emotionally drained.

We arrive at Gracanica at sundown. Sister Sara welcomed us and took us to the monastery where custodian Trojan Parlic gave very extended and detailed overview of monastery and its history and frescos.

Frescos of four women saints on the left side of monastery got most of our attention. They move their eyes as you are moving. Incredible. Bishop Teodosije waited for us outside of the monastery.

After settling our luggage in rooms, we met with Bishop, Mati Teodora, sister Sara and father Radivoj for refreshments and chat. We truly enjoyed conversations, stories….

Mati Teodora hardly gets out but this time she did and told me: “To sto ste kupili manastiru vodu i zemlju je isto kao da ste podigli manastir” (You buying the well and land for the monastery is the same as if you built a monastery yourself).

Bishop and all of us smiled at her comment. Bishop said that she talks about that purchase all the time. She broke our conversations during evening with that statement.

Following nice evening with even better company we went to sleep.

I’m sharing room with Kathy again. This time we have bathroom for ourselves.

It is hot again. Kathy said that I snored previous night. Will see what this night brings. Maybe more music to her ears.