SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Orthodox Christians living across the Balkans are making preparations to celebrate Christmas.
In the Serbian capital Belgrade, where most Orthodox people live, believers will visit the church, light candles, pray and donate money to the poor Wednesday.
An overnight mass was also planned at the country's largest Orthodox church of St. Sava that will be led by Patriarch Irinej.
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic wished love, peace and harmony in his Christmas message.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia and Serbia people filled the streets to purchase foodstuff for a traditional Christmas dinner. Also on the occasion, Orthodox Christians adorned their homes with traditional oak branches that symbolized for them the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej said “the church will continue to be with the Serbian people in Kosovo in the new year."
He also said that the "Serbian Orthodox Church will continue to support the Serbian people living in Kosovo," and urged them not to leave their land that they acquired centuries ago.
He gave his Christmas message at a press conference Monday, where he emphasized that human beings were created to love.
Kosovo's independence from Serbia was unanimously adopted by the Kosovo Assembly in 2008 while 11 representatives of Serb minority boycotted the proceedings. However, Serbian Orthodox Church is the second largest religious denomination after Islam in Kosovo which has between 100,000 and 120,000 followers, predominantly made up of the Kosovo Serbs.
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