ALBANIAN EXTREMISTS DESTROY ORTHODOX SHRINES

BELGRADE, March 20, 2004. (RIA Novosti). Albanian extremists destroyed and burnt down 25 Orthodox churches and monasteries in Kosovo, Serbia, in the last three days. Medieval architectural monuments under the UNESCO protection were among them, said the Eparchy of Ras and Prizren.

All in all, over 130 Orthodox shrines have been destroyed in Kosovo since 1999 when the UN civil and military missions took the region under its control.

The Cathedral of the Virgin built by King Milutin in 1306-1307, the Church of Holy Savior, the Monastery of Holy Archangels (the 14th century), the Church of St. George (the 15th century) and the Cathedral of Holy Martyr George were devastated and burnt down in Prizren in the last three days. The Devic Monastery (the 14th century) near Srbica was set on the fire.

Churches and church buildings were burnt down in many Kosovo settlements, for instance, the Church of St. George in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, the seminary of Sts. Cyril and Methodius and the Bishop Court in Prizren.