Serbian Orthodox Church Vandalised Causing Security Concerns for Serbs in Kosovo
On 23 August 2026, a man damaged two entrance doors and the exterior lighting of the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Saviour in Prizren, Kosovo, an important medieval monument. The incident is the latest in a series of reported acts of vandalism affecting the historic church and comes amid broader concerns about the security of Serbian Orthodox religious sites and the Serbian community in Kosovo.
A unidentified individual damaged two entrance doors and exterior lighting at the Church of the Holy Saviour, a Serbian Orthodox Church in Prizren, on 23 August.
Following the attack, a man was arrested for the crime by the Kosovo police and was charged with destruction of property.
The church is a medieval monument dating back to the first half of the 14th century and is highly valued as a symbol of Serbian medieval culture. The church was also severely damaged in the 2004 riots, and has reportedly been targeted by vandals on several occasions since then. In 2022, iron gates at the site were broken and a cross was previously stolen (OIDAC, reported).
Further, the report stated the general situation for Serbs living in Kosovo is deteriorating. The latest incident therefore forms part of a reported pattern of repeated damage to the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Sources: orthodoxnews, orthodoxnews1
Symbolic Image: Pixabay