Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Irinej has called for peace, forgiveness and love in his Christmas message, and urged Serbs in Kosovo to remain there. "This Christmas as well, we stand with our brothers and sisters in Kosovo and Metohija, and we tell them to stay in Kosovo with their holy places," said the patriarch in a letter read at the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Patriarchate in Belgrade.
Vatican could be asked to help prevent Kosovo's UNESCO bid (Vecernje Novosti, TV Most, B92)
The Vatican has in the past shown "appropriate responsibility" when it comes to concerns over the fate of Christian heritage in Kosovo.
This is what Serbia's UNESCO ambassador Darko Tanaskovic told the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti, adding, "It would of course be very valuable if they shared that concern as actively as possible with Catholics around the world."
Tanaskovic was asked whether the Catholic Church "could stand in defense of the Serb (Orthodox) heritage in Kosovo and Metohija as Christian heritage."
All this comes after announcements that authorities in Pristina planned to appl