The visit of Parolin to Serbia – can the Vatican be a strong ally for Belgrade in protecting Serbian heritage in Kosovo?

In the protection of Serbian sanctuaries and cultural assets in Kosovo, which are frequently desecrated and simultaneously targeted by a broader effort to revise historical facts—resulting in a distorted interpretation where they become "Kosovan" or "Albanian"—the Vatican, according to sources for Kosovo Online, could contribute significantly. This is why the visit of the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolin, to Serbia this week is considered particularly important.

By: Dusica Radeka Djordjevic

Parolin visited Serbia on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Belgrade. During separate meetings, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, the President of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Italy and the Holy See, Jovan Palalic, and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije informed him about the current situation of Serbs in Kosovo and the importance for Serbia of the protection and restoration of Serbian religious and cultural heritage.

"For Serbia, it is of essential importance to protect, respect, and advance the rights of the Serbian and other non-Albanian populations in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as to safeguard and restore Serbian religious and cultural heritage, Orthodox cemeteries, and endangered cultural monuments, particularly Orthodox churches and monasteries under UNESCO protection," Vucic stated after his meeting with Parolin, emphasizing that Serbia greatly values the principled position of the Holy See on not recognizing the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije also expressed gratitude for the Holy See's stance on Kosovo and Metohija, and briefed Parolin on the extremely precarious and concerning situation of Serbs and the endangered Christian heritage in this historic Serbian region.

The Secretary of State of the Holy See expressed hope that dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina would lead to a compromise solution for Kosovo and Metohija, while preserving peace and stability.

"Only through dialogue can a solution acceptable to all be reached," said Parolin, according to a statement from the office of Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic.

Darko Tanaskovic, former ambassador to the Vatican, told Kosovo Online that the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Parolin, has long been well-acquainted with the real situation in Kosovo, including first-hand knowledge.

"After his visit to Serbia, he will certainly constructively and rationally integrate his conclusions into the direction of the overall international engagement of Vatican diplomacy, particularly in addressing the need for the suffering of Serbs in the Kosovan quasi-state prison, including their spiritual and cultural suffering, to finally be addressed in a manner fitting the gravity of the circumstances," Tanaskovic told Kosovo Online.

Given the specific dual nature of the Holy See, as both a church and a state, Tanaskovic points out that "the position of the Serbian community in Kosovo and the state of Orthodox spiritual and cultural heritage in this quasi-state is not only viewed and considered as a political, social, and legal issue, but also as the unenviable modern fate of a Christian people and their sanctities."

"The Vatican has always viewed and approached the Kosovo-Metohija issue within the configuration of a broader intercivilizational horizon, without neglecting, of course, other aspects. This is why the exchange of views between our officials and the highest church leadership with the Secretary of State of the Holy See on the situation and processes in 'Kosovo' was undoubtedly substantial and significant in a particular way," Tanaskovic observes.

Regarding whether the Vatican can be an ally of Belgrade in the protection of Serbian medieval cultural heritage in Kosovo, which some are attempting to rebrand as "Kosovan," our interlocutor states that the Vatican has previously expressed willingness to contribute concretely, through available means and mechanisms, to the protection and restoration of this heritage.

"This willingness, due to various factors, both objective and subjective, has so far produced relatively modest results. There have also been instances where representatives of the local Catholic clergy in 'Kosovo,' who are ethnically Albanian, have occasionally joined the campaign to de-Serbianize and attempt to Catholicize or 'nationalize' some of our sanctuaries and monuments. This, however, is not in the spirit of Christian ecumenism, which Pope Francis has strongly emphasized since the beginning of his pontificate, and which Cardinal Parolin reiterated during his addresses during his recent visit, particularly in Sremski Karlovci. There is no doubt that if the Holy See fully mobilizes its influence, it can effectively contribute to the protection of Serbian sanctuaries and universally valuable cultural assets in 'Kosovo,'" Tanaskovic emphasizes.

When asked whether the Vatican's stance, which does not recognize Kosovo, influences some countries around the world, Tanaskovic says that the influence of the Holy See in today's changed and significantly secularized world is objectively diminished compared to earlier times, but remains substantial.

"Especially in countries that are not only nominally and traditionally Catholic but truly Catholic today, such as many in Central and Latin America, and even some in Africa. In these regions, the foreign policy positions often consider the stance of the Holy See as a point of reference. Considering the long-term interests of the Catholic Church and the realities of international relations, the Vatican has adopted a principled and cautious policy toward the Kosovo issue. This excludes any rash moves motivated by short-term circumstances, let alone pressure from outside or persistent lobbying, such as the relentless visits from Kosovo’s 'friends' and officials from Pristina. During Parolin’s visit, this policy was reaffirmed through his insistence that all issues can and must be resolved exclusively through dialogue," says Tanaskovic.

However, he adds, the true problem, for which Cardinal Parolin is the least responsible, is that both NATO, regarding the opening of the bridge on the Ibar, and Peter Stano, calling for "both sides" to show restraint, as well as Christopher Hill and Miroslav Lajcak, all speak of “dialogue.”

The visit of the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolin, to Serbia, and the discussions about the situation of the Serbian people and the Serbian religious and cultural heritage in Kosovo, can be interpreted as an encouraging impulse, according to historian Aleksandar Rastovic.

"The Vatican understands the need to protect the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, which includes not only the land belonging to the church but also monasteries, church sites, churches, graves, and monuments that have unfortunately been significantly damaged or, in many cases, completely destroyed since 1999. Therefore, I believe they can provide substantial help in this regard," Rastovic told Kosovo Online.

He recalls that during the 1990s, the Holy See played an important mediating role when the then government of the Republic of Serbia held talks with Ibrahim Rugova on the normalization of education in Kosovo.

"In recent years, there was a major struggle over the property of the Visoki Decani monastery, where the Vatican also played a key role in correcting the injustice inflicted upon the Serbian Orthodox Church," Rastovic adds.

Kosovo, as highlighted, is filled with cultural and historical monuments, monasteries, and churches numbering in the thousands, many of which are in very poor condition across various parts of Kosovo.

"Especially when considering the fact that the so-called Kosovan authorities aim to transform everything related to Serbian spiritual and cultural heritage into so-called Kosovan heritage. This represents a clear historical falsification, a deliberate remodeling and change of national, social, and cultural consciousness in Kosovo and Metohija, with the intention of portraying an alleged continuity of Kosovo's history from the earliest periods to the present day. Therefore, I believe this is a critical moment and could serve as an encouraging signal of support from the Vatican and decision-makers there to prevent the destruction of our heritage and our existence in Kosovo and Metohija," Rastovic emphasizes.

Stefan Surlic, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, also asserts that Parolin's meetings with Serbian officials were highly significant, as the Holy See does not recognize Kosovo and is, as he notes, particularly sensitive to the issue of cultural heritage.

"Until now, it has been receiving voices, which it has supported, stating that the Decani Monastery is still endangered and that the status between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the authorities in Pristina must be permanently resolved, and that this cannot be subject to arbitrary decisions. In this regard, the Holy See has shown a certain level of solidarity. When you add to that a principled policy, especially on the issue of Kosovo's statehood, I believe this meeting with the Secretary of State of the Holy See was very important because they, in some sense, act as ambassadors for any future permanent normalization of relations and resolution of all open issues, primarily including and implying cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo," Surlic told Kosovo Online.

Regarding how much the Vatican is aware of and influenced by cases of the appropriation of Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo, Surlic says it certainly could have an impact, especially when the Kosovan authorities present Orthodox churches and shrines as Roman Catholic sanctuaries.

"It could exert influence, especially in cases where it is clearly about Orthodox churches and shrines, yet they are presented as Roman Catholic sanctuaries, which, according to some narrative, were at some point in history supposedly occupied by the Serbian Orthodox Church. This is the narrative promoted by Pristina. We've already had such a situation concerning the Novo Brdo site. A dialogue, primarily between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Holy See, could be key in defining what are important sites and sacred places for the Serbian Orthodox Church, and what is, without dispute, Roman Catholic property," Surlic states.

It is worth mentioning that the Vatican's Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, visited Kosovo in 2019, and as stated at the time, the visit was of a religious nature. Besides attending a service at the Mother Teresa Cathedral in Pristina, he visited Prizren, where he went to the Cathedral of St. Mary and met with then-Kosovan Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.