His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije was shocked to get the news that the authorities in Priština banned him today from traveling to the Patriarchate of Peć ahead of the great holiday of the Birth of Christ, which is observed by the entire Christian world, announced the cabinet of the Serbian Patriarch.

Seeing as the Patriarchate of Peć is the original and centuries-old seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church and a monastery whose patriarch is a hegumen, Patriarch Porfirije will not be giving up on his intention to serve the Holy Liturgy in the Patriarchate of Peć, the cabinet of His Holiness pointed out.

According to them, it is Patriarch Porfirije’s expectation that this incredibly discriminatory decision will be overruled and that they will stop with this trampling of human rights and freedom of religion of the Orthodox Serbs who live in the province, in the land of their ancestors, where the Serbian people have lived in continuity for at least 1,500 years.

“Patriarch Porfirije is praying to God for peace and good will among all people, and he is especially praying for peace between the Serbs and the Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, where they have lived together for centuries,” said the cabinet of the Serbian Patriarch.