12 minute read
Living On A Prayer
Heritage in Danger
Living On A Prayer
A medieval monastery at the centre of world politics
The extraordinary location of the Dečani Monastery in Kosovo* becomes apparent when you look at satellite and drone images. The UNESCO World Heritage site is on the edge of a massive nature reserve that crosses the border into Albania and Montenegro. The Monastery, founded in 1335 by Stefan Dečanski, King of Serbia, seems to exist in perfect harmony with its surroundings.
Aerial shot of the Monastery
Its unique church is constructed in a mixture of Romanic, Gothic and Byzantine styles, and is adorned by more than 1,000 original frescoes. The ensemble of buildings that make up the Monastery today is a heritage treasure with the Refectory, the entrance tower and the historic living quarters. In some of them, you can still discover remnants of the original defensive fortifications. The Monastery holds extensive collections of rare documents and books, icons, along with metal and wooden artefacts spanning the centuries.
Exploring the Monastery’s courtyard, you enter a world where the earthly and the spiritual are united, and where the divine seems a little closer. Monks in their traditional
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herıtage in danger
The Monastery in the 1920s
Aerial shot of the Monastery
black garb are going about their daily activities quietly. During the busiest months, in summer and fall, you can see them working hard in the gardens and on the fields and vineyards. The hay is gathered, and the corn harvested. Honey, cheese, wines and brandies are being prepared, often with the local community’s help. It is hard to imagine a more tranquil and peaceful place, surrounded by deep forests, fresh mountain streams and lush farmlands. It is a joyful place, a calm oasis in a traditionally troubled region. For many years now, these troubles have unfortunately spilt over into monastic life. When you drive up the winding road from the village of Dečan to visit this beautiful site, one encounters roadblocks, armed vehicles and peacekeeping soldiers in full gear at the gate. The contrast could not be more significant, as well as confusing and depressing.
Holy Liturgy
Since June 1999, the Dečani Monastery has been under 24/7 protection by the NATOled KFOR troops. For many years now, the Monastery has found itself at the centre of a contentious and often openly violent dispute of prejudices, misguided nationalism and false narratives. The demons of the past are rearing their ugly heads once more, and the Monastery is in clear and present danger. The NATO troops permanently stationed at the site, are not for show. The Monastery has been attacked several times, and the situation is, unfortunately, not improving.
The interior of the Monastery
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Europa Nostra has been actively engaged with the Dečani Monastery for years.
The Dečani Monastery is part of the 2021 edition of the 7 Most Endangered Programme of Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank Institute. By nominating this site for the 7 Most Endangered List, Europa Nostra wishes
to encourage Europe’s wider mobilization for eliminating any remaining obstacles to a holistic safeguard of this world heritage treasure. The Advisory Panel of the 7 Most Endangered programme notes that the normalisation of the relationship between Serbia and Kosovo should “ensure adequate protection and interpretation of the multi-cultural and multireligious
heritage of Kosovo as a prerequisite for lasting peace and prosperity in the wider region.” The nomination also mentions the untenable political situation and the severe environmental threats to the Monastery.
Father Sava Janjić is celebrating his 12 th anniversary as Abbott of the Monastery this year. His
Working on the farm
kind and quiet demeanour is hiding an iron will, necessary to face the many challenges the Monastery confronts daily. The ‘cybermonk’ - as he is known since his active on-line communication during the Kosovo War of the late ’90s with people from across the world - is the face and voice of the Monastery. We caught up with the Reverend Father to discuss the latest developments and the challenges of living in such a unique yet endangered heritage site.
Can you describe a typical day for you and your brethren in the Monastery? What gives you the most joy?
“In short, the Monastery is like a time machine taking us far away in the times of old, with amazing architecture and the natural setting which provide perfect conditions for seeking God in peace and prayer. The
Beekeeping
Monastery is situated in a valley amid the mountains of western Kosovo, covered with thick wood in amazing peace and tranquillity. That was why the Monastery and the area around it are assigned as the Special protective zone. To the west from the Monastery are the rocky cliffs with a number of caves in which hermits lived in the Middle ages. In some of them, there are still fragments of old frescoes.”
“Our Monastery follows the typicon (the rule) of a coenobitic Monastery in which 24 members of our brotherhood share common monastic life with regular prayers, liturgical life and common meals. We begin our day with our personal prayers and continue at 6.00 by gathering in the church for the morning cycle of prayers: Midnight-service, Matins, First hour and the Holy Liturgy (Mass). After the service, we
have breakfast and the Third
and sorrows. Living as a monkMr Joe Biden, the US President,
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and the Sixth hours are read.
one slowly begins to understandalso visited you. Can you share
Until 15.00, we are busy with our
that life in Christ is not runningsome of your memories of these
daily chores, or ‘obediences’ as
away into an imaginary lifemeetings?
we call them. At 15.00, we have
but actually a deep spirituala second meal and free time for
transformation in which from“US President Joe Biden visited
prayer and reading until 18.00
an egocentric individual, wethe Monastery first as a Senator
when we start with the evening
become deeply connected withand then as the Vice President.
cycle of prayers: the Ninth hour,
the people we live with and withIt is, by all means, one of the
Vespers and Compline. The
the entire creation of God. Inparticularly memorable visits.
rest of the evening we spend in
fact, that communion, which weInterestingly, we spent most of
reading and prayers. Of course,
experience in the Holy Eucharistour discussion talking about
our daily program changes from
daily, changes us completely andfaith. We also tackled our daily
season to season and is different
living in this world we feel morereality, but that somehow was
on feast days. Usually, we have
and more that we are not of thisat that moment much less
lots of pilgrims who visit the
world and that our earthly lifeimportant than the spiritual
Monastery, but in the time of
as we know it is just one aspectimpact the Monastery made
the coronavirus pandemic, we
of our much deeper form ofon Mr Biden. We also had
temporarily remain closed for
existence.”visits by some other heads of
visits.”
states, ministers, many NATOWhat do you hope visitors to
generals and internationalCan you describe to me the
the Monastery and its heritageofficials working for various
moment you realised that the
surroundings take away fromorganisations. I believe Dečani
Monastery would be a central
their visit?Monastery is one of the most
element in your life and calling?
iconic Christian sites in the“Of course, most people are
Balkans and hardly anyone who“As a teenager, I was already
enchanted with the Monastery’shas an opportunity to come over
a kind of a seeker of a deeper
beauty, but many of them tell ushere would miss it.”
truth that I had always
that what particularly touchesstrongly believed existed
their heart is a deep feeling ofThe Monastery has faced and is
beyond everyday reality. After
internal peace and tranquillity.facing many challenges. Which
lots of reading and visits to
We call it the presence of Goddo you consider the most urgent
Orthodox Christian and other
who as we believe permeatesand most threatening? Which
monasteries, especially those
all creation by his Holy Spiritmakes you the saddest and what
on Mount Athos in Greece
and grants those who open theirgives you the most hope?
and getting firmly spiritually
hearts a particular spiritualattached to the Eastern
insight into a deeper meaning of“Despite the amazing beauty,
Orthodox tradition of life in
life.”the high level of preservation
silence (hesychasm). I chose
to become a monk althoughI was studying at that timealready English language andliterature at the Universityof Belgrade. For me, themonastic life is one of the mostbeautiful expressions of ourfaith in Christ. From a groupof individuals we are beingtransformed into a living body of Christ through our common life, prayers, sharing our joysFather Sava and then Vice-President Joe Biden
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herıtage in danger
Peacekeepers in front of the
Monastery
of the medieval church and impressive history with many preserved artefacts and
why Dečani Monastery is currently the only Christian site on the European continent
ethnicities and religions and with particular sensitivity to identity religious groups such
medieval books, the Monastery
under the 24/7 militaryas ours, it would be much easier
was attacked with mortar
protection, granted by theto live regardless of the political
grenades three times after the
NATO-led peacekeepers insolution. However, Kosovo is
war. In 2014, we had graffiti
Kosovo known as KFOR sincefar from these standards. The
on our outer walls. In 2016 an
1999. The Monastery is guardedMonastery and our Church
attempted terrorist attack when
by several checkpoints andwith many of its medieval sites
a group of armed extremists
regular patrols including thosein Kosovo need a particular
were arrested at the very gate of
inside the Monastery courtyard.kind of protection that must be
the Monastery. Simultaneously,
This is a necessity despite thedetermined in the process of
the Monastery as a strong
fact that our Monastery, as Mra European Union-sponsored
symbol of Serbian Orthodox and
Joe Biden recognised himself,dialogue. Above all, we need just
historical presence in Kosovo is
was an oasis of peace duringa normal life without threats,
a thorn in the eye of those who
the war in Kosovo in 1999 whenattempts to deny our identity
would like Kosovo to become
the Monastery offered refugeand culture, which generations
free of Serbs Albanian society.
to many refugees, among themof monks have preserved for
We are often facing insults and
200 Kosovo Albanians, many ofcenturies. Kosovo would need
slanders in the press. The local
them muslims.”to go through a much more
authorities fail to recognise
thorough transformation toour property and often develop
In an ideal world, how shouldachieve those standards in the
projects that threaten the peace
these challenges be resolved?current circumstances. That is
of this UNESCO site despite
why the international civilianlaws that are often completely
“In a society based on the ruleand military presence in Kosovo
ignored. These are all reasons
of law, with equal respect of allremains indispensable to
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protect the vulnerable ethnic and religious minorities.”
The Monastery is selected for the 7 Most Endangered Programme: How can the Programme and Europa Nostra help?
“The particular interest shown by Europa Nostra is a very important signal to the European Union and the Kosovo authorities that medieval Christian sites such as ours must be better protected in every way. The Monastery has been on the list of UNESCO’s most endangered monuments for years, and Europa Nostra can do a lot to emphasise that this site is not just important for one religious community but is a monument of universal value for Europe. It constitutes a part of the European treasure. If Kosovo wants to make progress
towards European standards, the local authorities will have to think more seriously about changing their position towards the Serbian Orthodox heritage. At the same time, we believe that the 7 Most Endangered nomination may encourage more assistance in digitalisation of our frescoes and other activities we are currently working on.”
At the present moment, the dream of long-lasting peace in and around the Dečani
Monastery is elusive, but, as themonks and their Abbott FatherSava have known all along,there is always hope. Maybe thistime, the winds of change areblowing in the right direction.Perhaps this is the right momentto build new bridges betweenthe various ethnic and religiouscommunities. Maybe this timea sustainable solution can befound. The Dečani Monasteryneeds European-wide solidarityto protect its cultural and naturalheritage for new generations. Itspresent predicament is a starkreminder that the process ofreconciliation and peacebuildingin this region of the Balkans stillhas a long way to go.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. www.decani.org
The Monastery
Sculpture at the entrance of the church
The Monastery in winter (photo by Sax0207)