Page 747 - Kosovo Metohija Heritage

School, and return it for the use of competent church au- thorities.29
in regard to the report of the bishop’s Deputy in Peć that local authorities confiscated all church record books kept up to March 23, 1949, and orally advised him that in the future no record books, even private record books, must be kept, the Holy Synod of Bishops on December 22, 1949, asked Bishop Vladimir of Raška and Prizren to advise wheth- er the confiscated record books were those opened after May 9, 1946, or those kept prior to May 9, 1946, in which subsequent entries were also made after that date.30
Bishop Vladimir of Raška and Prizren by an act from December 26, 1949, sent a report by the Bishop’s deputy in Priština that on December 4 of that year military patrols occupied all approaches to the church in Podujevo, and prevented both the priest and the people from entering the church and carrying out religious services.
Following discussion, the Holy Synod of Bishops joined this report to the relevant dossier.31
The Year 1950
in a meeting on january 27, 1950, the Holy Synod of Bish- ops sent Bishop Vladimir of Raška and Prizren the report of the State Commission for Religions of the People’s Re- public of Yugoslavia (No. 70 from March 3) that the District Council of Kosovo and Metohija had undertaken measures to empty the church in Orahovac and then turn it over to church authorities for use.32
in regard to a report by Bishop Vladimir of Raška and Prizren that the executive City People’s Council in Prizren issued a decision retaining the building of the ecclesiastical Court and the Diocese executive Council and ordered that these jurisdictions move to offices in the Seminary, the Ho- ly Synod of Bishops decided on january 27, 1950, to appeal to the Commission for Religions of the People’s Republic of Serbia for intervention with competent authorities to rescind this decision.33
The State Commission for Religious affairs of the Peo- ple’s Republic of Serbia responded to this (No 1023/49 from February 9, 1950) “that the City People’s Council in Prizren has changed its decision on confiscation of building of the ecclesiastical Court for housing the Teachers’ School and— with the agreement of the local Bishop—has housed it in the building of the Bishop’s residence, while the decision of the Council on the removal of the fence of the Cathedral remains in effect.”
in a meeting on February 14, 1950, the Holy Synod of Bishops sent this decision to Bishop Vladimir of Raška and Prizren.34
29 AHSB, Syn No 3154/zap. 942/49.
30 AHSB, Syn No 3266/zap. 969/49.
31 AHSB, Syn No 3358/49/zap. 30/50.
32 AHSB, Syn No 246/zap. 70/50.
33 AHSB, Syn No 278/zap. 72/50.
34 AHSB, Syn No 311/zap. 106/50.
Lunch in the meadow, near Priština, 1918
in regard to contradictory news received regarding the destruction of the church in Djakovica, on March 2, 1950, the Holy Synod of Bishops asked Bishop Vladimir of Raška and Prizren to verify this news and submit a report.35
Upon receiving Bishop Vladimir of Raška and Prizren’s report that the church in Djakovica had, indeed, been com- pletely destroyed, the Holy Synod of Bishops on april 25, 1950, sent a protest to the state Commission for Religions of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia against such serious violations of the law against the vital interests of the Serbian Orthodox Church and her holy shrines.36
in the meanwhile, Bishop Vladimir of Raška and Priz- ren sent the Holy Synod of Bishops a copy of a petition sent to the District People’s Council in Priština asking that a land parcel designated for the building of a parish home in the village of Mušutište not be confiscated, and requesting appropriate intervention.
in a meeting on March 17, 1950, the Holy Synod of Bish- ops sent His Grace Bishop Vladimir’s act in certified copy to the Patriarchate executive Council with a recommenda- tion for intervention with the Commission for Religions of the People’s Republic of Serbia for protection of the land parcel.37
With respect to the complaint of the executive Council of the Diocese of Raška and Prizren sent to the District People’s Council for Kosovo and Metohija regarding the illegal confiscation of a church land parcel in Prizren, the Holy Synod of Bishops decided in a meeting on March 23, 1950, to await the response of the relevant Commission.38
35 AHSB, Syn No 413/zap. 134/50. 36 AHSB, Syn No 870/zap. 280/50. 37 AHSB, Syn No 511/zap. 188/50. 38 AHSB, Syn No 629/zap. 213/50.
The Suffering and Persecution in Kosovo and Metohija from 1945 to 2005
745