Page 557 - Kosovo Metohija Heritage

are mainly Catholics). Their mutual relations are good and close: and nowhere could one live more peacefully and calmly. Catholics are cheerful, they do not separate them- selves and, among other things, no one needs to fear for their souls in a Christian country. in this respect, the Or- thodox are in their place. Since the abolition of the Patri- archate of Peć, the throne of Raška and Prizren and Sken- deria Metropolitanate is in Prizren and the carrier of old Serbian orthodoxy. The Prizren Serb was an Christian Or- thodox as no one else, tough and firm, but in no way a clerical or narrow-minded Christian believer. always a man of the people, social and humane.
The Prizren Seminary
(Prizrenska Bogoslovija)
The monastic brotherhood from the Patriarchate mon- astery contacted the deans from Serbia in 1870 with the request that a seminary (Theological school) be opened by the monastery in Peć. On the other hand teacher Nikola Musulin suggested in 1857 that a Serbian Orthodox Semi- nary be opened in Prizren. after much consideration the educational committee decided to open a Seminary in Pri- zren for many reasons; firstly, because this city was the cen- ter of Serbian cultural life for this region and because a Russian consul there promised them protection. Metro- politan Meletije of Raška and Prizren gave his consent and so the Prizren Seminary opened on October 1, 1871. The school began with fifteen students for whom a curriculum was prepared in Belgrade. Studies lasted three years and all students who finished four years of elementary school had the right to enroll.
The first generations of Prizren seminarians were ei- ther from Prizren or surrounding areas. Still, they studied under difficult conditions. Students didn’t even have text- books nor a school inventory but living in the dormitory and schooling were free. The Seminary and library were founded thanks to the great financial assistance of Sima andrejević igumanov. Petar Kostić noted that the library was very rich, with works primarily by Russian writers. ac- cording to incomplete records from 1871 to 1911 approxi- mately 380 students completed their studies. The Semi- nary gradually assumed the role as the educational center in Kosovo and Metohija which was significant for the fu- ture development of Serbian schools in these regions. a report of the success and progress of the school was sent to the Ministry of education and Ministry of Foreign affair in Belgrade. The Russian consul, ivan jastrebov in particular, offered much help to the school. also credited for much of the school’s success is the Rector of the Seminary, priest Stevan Dimitrijević. Through its teachers and clergy the Prizren Seminary instilled confidence and safety in the com- ing liberation from Ottomans and indicated the path to- ward a brighter and clearer future.
The Prizren Seminary (Prizrenska Bogoslovija) of the Saint Cyril and Methodius of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Prizren in the 1930s
The Prizren Seminary
Prizren in the inter-war period, watercolors by Todor Švrakić
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