OCA Chancery
Syosset, New York
March 24, 2004
His Holiness PAVLE
Patriarch of Serbia
Krala Petra br. 5
11000 Belgrade
Serbia and Montenegro
Your Holiness, dear Brother and Concelebrant in Christ:
It is with profound sorrow and anxiety that I and my brother hierarchs of the Orthodox Church in America have learned of the escalating ethnic violence in the Kosovo region and in other cities and regions throughout Serbia. We grieve the tragic loss of over twenty lives in these latest acts of senseless bloodshed, as well as the destruction of numerous historic churches, the monastery of Saint Michael the Archangel in Prizren, and many domestic dwellings in Serbian settlements within Kosovo.
The Orthodox Church in America has monitored with concern the ongoing human rights abuses perpetrated against Kosovo’s small remaining Serbian Orthodox minority. We are well aware that this current violence has its roots in the long-term and still unresolved issues of the future governance of Kosovo. We are deeply disappointed at the lack of progress on the part of the international community in fostering the development of a peaceful multi-ethnic and multi-religious society in the region.
We wish to commend the Serbian Orthodox Church for maintaining a strong voice in support of peace, reconciliation and inter-religious tolerance in the midst of such violence and tension. The courageous and Christ-like actions of Metropolitan AMFILOHIJE on March 17 that saved the historic Bajrakli mosque from complete destruction were a powerful sign of the Serbian Church’s commitment to a peaceful and sustainable solution to the current instability. Against a background of anger and temptation his actions provided a potent witness to the words of our Lord: “In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Be assured that the Orthodox Church in America will continue to express to American and Canadian officials in the UN and NATO, as well as to the Albanian authorities in Kosovo, the pressing need for a fair and just resolution to the many problems in this troubled region.
I pray, dear brother in Christ, that God may continue to grant you courage, peace and strength in this difficult time. Be assured of the constant and fervent prayers and support of all the hierarchs, clergy, monastics and faithful of the Orthodox Church in America who remain in deep solidarity with the suffering and struggling peoples of Serbia.
Yours with brotherly love in Christ,
+HERMAN
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
cc: His Eminence, Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER, Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada
His Grace, Bishop ARTEMIJE of Kosovo and Metohija