Serbia 03. Peć: Patriarch's Enthronement

From the back of the bus I could see the line of cars behind, driving close to one another, all heading to Peć in the early hours of the morning. Just like the guy sleeping next to me, many of them had come directly from Belgrade.

It was impressive to see thousands of people who had travelled hundreds of kilometeres to be part of the enthronement ceremony, to respect their tradition. Ever since Joanikije II was elevated from Archbishop to Patriarch of Peć on Palm Sunday, April 6th, 1346, The Peć Patriarchy was to be the historical seat of Serbian Patriarchs.

Peć is now in Kosovo and NATO officials made sure the level of security for this event was high. The number of Italian KFOR peacekeepers was reinforced. Although people were calm and respectful, there was this constant feeling of tension and enmity throughout the courtyard, which carried through untill the end of the ceremony.

As I had no credentials, I couldn't enter the monastery and was therefore confined to the courtyard. Which I didn't mind at all, since it is the believers that I am mostly interested in for this project anyways. The high priests pictured below were guests in the ceremony.