The Serbian Orthodox ChurchinKosovo is the third largest religious denomination in Kosovo, after Islam and Roman Catholicism. It has over 140,000 followers in Kosovo, predominantly made up of the Kosovo Serbs, who mostly live in the North Kosovo region and in some enclaves in the south (such as Štrpce).[1]
During 1999–2004, 140 Serbian Orthodox churches were destroyed. 30 of those were destroyed in the 2004 unrest in Kosovo, and many were destroyed in the 2008 unrest in Kosovo. In 2021, 46 SOC churches were on the Kosovo Culture Ministry’s temporary protection list.[2]
In 2021, Metropolitan Porfirije was elected as leader, after the death of Metropolitan Irinej.[3]
Four buildings – the Patriarchate of Pec, Visoki Decani, Gracanica and the Church of the Virgin of Ljeviska – are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.[4]
In 2022, the government's Security of Religious and Cultural Heritage Buildings department provided 24-hour security to 24 SOC churches;[1] however, disputes are ongoing regarding the Church of Christ the Saviour, Pristina building.
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