Kosovo Serbs mark national and religious holiday

Описание: (28 Jun 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gracanica - 28 June 2023
1. People entering Gracanica monastery
2. Mid of Kosovo Serb holding poster with saints
3. Various of crowd during ceremony
4. Pan over people gathered for the ceremony
5. Close of wooden cross
6. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch:
“May the Lord, through the prayers of Saint Prince Lazar, and all the saints, honour his blessings and grace, bring peace to all the people living in Kosovo and Metohia (Serbian way of calling Kosovo). In order for peace to prevail. May you be blessed and have a happy holiday.”
7. Various of ceremony
8. Italian carabinieri watching ceremony
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gazimestan - 28 June 2023
9. Kosovo police officers outside Gazimestan monument
10. Various of people paying respect at the monument

STORYLINE:
Hundreds of Kosovo Serbs attended the ceremony in the courtyard of the Gracanica Monastery on Wednesday commemorating the 1389 Battle of Kosovo against the Ottoman Empire.

The liturgy in the courtyard of the Gracanica Monastery was conducted by Serbian Patriarch Porfirije.

Kosovo police forces were present to secure the event, backed up by members of the Italian Carabinieri and European Union civilian mission to Kosovo, EULEX.

The ceremony took place at a time of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia which had flared into recent violent clashes in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo, stirring fears of a renewal of the 1998-99 conflict in Kosovo that left more than 10,000 people dead, mostly Kosovar Albanians.

The dispute over Kosovo is centuries old. Serbia considers the region the heart of its statehood and religion, with numerous medieval Serb Orthodox Christian monasteries located there.

Serb nationalists view the 1389 battle against Ottoman Turks there as a symbol of its national struggle.

Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanians view Kosovo as their own country and accuse Serbia of occupation and repression. Ethnic Albanian rebels launched a fight to rid the country of Serbian rule in 1998.

AP video shot by Florent Bajrami

===========================================================

Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected].

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...