Serbian Orthodox Church

GRACANICA - The Citizens' Initiative Srpska has condemned in the strongest of terms a statement by the Kosovo minister for spatial planning Dardan Gasi on demolition of the Orthodox church in Pristina.

Minister Gashi told media on Sunday that a controversial Serbian Orthodox church, built in the capital, Pristina, was erected “illegally” and must go.

“It’s a sensitive issue but the legal basis has to be the same as for every building. This building had no planning permission and will therefore be treated like every other building with no permission,” he said.

Kosovo "could never be outside Serbia," says patriarch

BELGRADE -- Patriarch Irinej has voiced hope that Serbia and its government would never make any gesture that could lead to giving up on the southern province of Kosovo.

BELGRADE - Serbian Patriarch Irinej has voiced hope that Serbia and the Serbian government would never make any gesture that could lead to giving up on the southern Serbian province of Kosovo-Metohija (KiM).

BELGRADE - President of the Coalition of Refugee Associations Miodrag Linta asked the Serbian Ministry of Culture on Thursday to deny Croatia's proposal to return Serbian Orthodox Church property and cultural artifacts of the Serb refugees to Croatia, to a place designated by the Croatian Ministry of Culture.

Catholic archbishop sends Easter message

BELGRADE -- The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hočevar on Wednesday sent his Easter greetings "to Eastern and Western Christians," Tanjug reported.

BELGRADE - The Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Belgrade Stanislav Hocevar on Wednesday sent his Easter greetings to Eastern and Western Christians, who this year will celebrate the greatest Christian holiday on the same day.

Patriarch mentions Ukraine, Middle East in Easter message

BELGRADE -- Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) on Wednesday sent his Easter message to all Christians.

BELGRADE - Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Wednesday sent his Easter message to all Christians and said that he is particularly praying for the brothers and sisters in the Middle East and Ukraine, with the wish that his prayer and the Easter holidays enlighten the minds of hate-mongers against the Holy Orthodoxy.

ZAGREB - The Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana Jovan Pavlovic has died in Zagreb, Croatia, aged 77, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) announced on its website.

A bishop of the SPC for as many as 37 years, he first served as the bishop of Lepavina, and then as the vicar bishop of Patriarch German.