Vandalism in Orthodox Churches in Montenegro

December 22, 2015. Churches in Danilovgrad in the villages Kujava, Zagorak and Mijokusovici (Montenegro) were violated. The thieves took money from the donations of the believers, as the website of Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of Serbian Orthodox Church reports.

Father Slobodan Zekovic, priest in Danilovgrad, said that the thieves violated the door of the church of Saint John the Baptist in Zagorka and St. Athanasius the Great in Mijokusovici, and that in the church of Saint George in Kujawy they broke the window.

It’s not the first time that the temples of the region became a target by thieves and vandals. The church in Mijokusovici has been already vandalised ten times. He added that according to the information they took more money from Kuiavia church. In this Church they tried to violate both doors, but they failed and they broke a window in order to jump in the church. Police officers started an investigation and I hope they will manage to find the perpetrators, “commented the priest, as the website vijesti reports.

The temples under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Montenegro and Littoral, located in the Municipality of Danilovgrad, have been for years a target of thieves.

On the incidents that occurred in the churches in the villages Danilovgrad Kujava, Zagorak and Mijokusovici, the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights of Montenegro react by the following statement to the public:

The Ministry for Human and Minority Rights firmly condemns the vandalism and the desecration of churches in the villages Danilovgrad Kujava, Zagorak and Mijokusovici. It is not only criminal acts but also shameful and barbaric assault on Orthodox churches and the religious feelings of citizens in those areas. The Ministry urges the responsible state authorities to protect believers and the property of churches, to shed light on these crimes, arrest the responsible persons for these shameful acts and prosecuted in accordance with the law”, as the website of the Ministry reports.