In Studenica, near Istog, today only the ruins of a basilica remain—originally built in the 6th century during the reign of the Dardanian Emperor Justinian. This basilica, constructed in the classical Byzantine style, was part of the Catholic Christian heritage of the region, long before any Slavic presence.
.jpg "A Stolen Catholic Heritage Seized by the Serbian Orthodox Church?")
However, the Serbian Orthodox Church now insists on exclusive control over the site, demanding that any activity or even maintenance requires approval from Belgrade. This claim is not only an affront to the history of the area but a continuation of a pattern of cultural and religious usurpation by Slavic occupiers who, through the centuries, forcibly imposed their narrative and erased the true Catholic legacy of the Albanian people.
The local Catholic priest, Dom Fran Kolaj, recently held a Mass at the ruins, boldly declaring that Serbia—and by extension the Ottoman Empire in past centuries—has sought to erase Albanian identity by appropriating Catholic cultural and religious monuments. He emphasized that many sacred objects and sites originally belonged to the Catholic Church but were seized during the Ottoman and Serbian reigns, which wielded their political power to rewrite history and religious heritage.
The Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Raška-Prizren condemned this Mass, labeling it “unauthorized” and accusing Dom Kolaj of “inciting interethnic and interfaith hatred.” Yet, the true source of tension lies in the ongoing denial of Albanian historical rights and the brutal rewriting of religious and cultural memory by the Serbian Church and state authorities.
Historical documents reveal that the region of Hvosno (which includes Studenica) was under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Ohrid in Byzantine times, closely linked to the Catholic and Byzantine Christian traditions. It was only after the violent Slavic invasions and conquests that these areas were forcibly incorporated into Serbian Orthodox ecclesiastical structures.
This is not merely a religious dispute but an act of cultural barbarism. The attempt to impose a Serbian Orthodox narrative over a historically Catholic Albanian territory reflects the broader strategy of denying the Albanian people's identity and history. As Dom Kolaj declared, any religion or political force that denies the Albanian people’s historic and cultural truth is unacceptable.
The Albanian response has been resilient. Despite not being fully prepared, Albanians fought valiantly in the Kosovo Liberation Army to reclaim their land, culture, and identity. The liberation of Kosovo in 1999 was not only a political victory but a triumph over centuries of cultural suppression and religious appropriation.
The ruins of Studenica stand as a silent witness to a stolen past—one that must be reclaimed and recognized as part of the true Albanian Catholic heritage, not erased or rebranded by foreign powers and their religious institutions.