Roof on Holy Tsar Uros Church in Urosevac repaired

Members of U.S. KFOR volunteered in the campaign to repair the roof of the church organized by local priest Father Zivojin Kojic from Strpce and his parishioners. With the support of the U.S. Office in Pristina and especially through the efforts of chief of mission Tina Kaidanow, Urosevac municipality agreed to compensate damages, thus enabling the purchase of copper sheeting used to cover the altar section of the church at the end of October

KIM Info Service
November 10, 2006

Following the theft of a considerable part of the lead roof covering from the church of the Most Holy Theotokos of Ljevis (Holy Virgin of Ljevis) in Prizren last year, in September of this year a section of the copper covering above the altar (sanctuary) of the church was stolen from the roof of Holy Tsar Uros Church. Thanks to the fact that one of the residents living near the church reported the incident, police arrested the person who stole the copper. He is a Kosovo Albanian who is slated to appear before the municipal court by the end of this year. However, after the theft of the copper roof covering water began to seep through the damaged roof and dampen the ceiling above the altar of the church.

Members of U.S. KFOR volunteered in the campaign to repair the roof of the church organized by local priest Father Zivojin Kojic from Strpce and his parishioners. Especially helpful during the campaign were master sergeants Edward Vowel and Antony Pellicio, members of the U.S. military contingent based in Camp Bondsteel near Urosevac. With the support of the U.S. Office in Pristina and especially through the efforts of chief of mission Tina Kaidanow, Urosevac municipality agreed to compensate damages, thus enabling the purchase of copper sheeting used to cover the altar section of the church at the end of October. In addition to the Serb parishioners, several Albanians and the U.S. soldiers took part in repairing and cleaning the church. Members of Greek KFOR from Urosevac first removed the barricades placed around the church in order to more easily access the church and so that the new metal gate could be installed in the fence.

The repair of the roof of St. Uros Church was marked by a group visit by bus of faithful originally from Urosevac who have been temporarily displaced and who are not able to return to their homes. Holy Liturgy in Holy Tsar Uros Church was served by priests from the Kosovsko Pomoravlje region and Strpce. It was yet another opportunity for the expelled Serbs to show that they have not forgotten their holy shrine and to demonstrate through the restoration of their church and through prayer their desire to return to their ancestral homes and live alongside the holy shrines built by their ancestors.

The old church in Urosevac was built in 1901 but abandoned in 1929 when construction of the new church dedicated to the Holy Tsar Uros was completed. The new church contains an interesting collection of modern day icons. Holy Tsar Uros Church has suffered multiple attacks since June 1999. Immediately after the war Albanian extremists broke into the church and damaged the interior and a part of the iconostasis. During the March 2004 pogrom the church was saved from complete destruction by members of Greek and U.S. KFOR who protected the church by locking themselves in it, thus defending the church with their lives. At that time the church suffered minor damage in the area in front of the entrance door even though the attackers threw Molotov cocktails and other flammable substances from all sides with the intention of chasing away the soldiers and torching the church.

PHOTO GALLERY showing works on St. Uros Church can be viewed at  
(click on small photos to enlarge)

Antony Pellicio helps clean up the church

Liturgy in Holy Tsar Uros Church

Faithful in front of church with members of U.S. KFOR

View of Holy Tsar Uros Church

Father Zivojin with U.S. general Darren Owen &  Greek commander

Serb workers with members of U.S. KFOR

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