Living On A Prayer

The Monastery in winter

(photo by Sax0207)

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)