BURNS: GUARANTEE PATRIARCH PORFIRIJE FREE ACCESS TO KOSOVO

BANJA LUKA, JULY 18 (SRNA) – US presidential adviser on spiritual affairs, Pastor Mark Burns, has called on Priština to permanently guarantee His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and the Serbian Orthodox Church /SOC/ unrestricted access to monasteries, churches, clergy and believers in Kosovo and Metohija, urging that the Patriarch not be treated as a political threat.

Burns reminded that during his recent visit to Serbia and Republika Srpska, he had the great honor of accompanying Patriarch Porfirije to the Patriarchate of Peć and the Visoki Dečani Monastery. "The Patriarchate of Peć is not just another religious site. It is the ancient spiritual and historical seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His Holiness should be allowed to enter Kosovo freely to fulfil his pastoral duties, visit the faithful, and pray in the historic monasteries of his Church. He should not be treated as a political threat or forced to overcome unnecessary political obstacles simply to visit the sacred spiritual home of the Serbian Orthodox faithful," Burns wrote on X. In the post, which was also shared by the Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović, Burns said the requirement that the Serbian Patriarch announce visits to these monasteries 72 hours in advance should be reconsidered. "He should never again be prevented from entering Kosovo to pray, minister to his people, or visit the ancient holy sites entrusted to the Serbian Orthodox Church. Previous entry bans rightly raised serious international concerns over violations of religious freedom," Burns said. He stressed that his statement was not directed against the Albanian people, the Muslim community, or the people of Kosovo, but was instead a call for fairness, dignity, mutual respect and religious freedom for all. Burns thanked US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their concern for Christians and religious freedom, reminding that following his visit to Serbia and Republika Srpska, the US State Department opened diplomatic talks with Serbia on holding Kosovo accountable for its treatment of Christians, including Orthodox Serbs. "As a spiritual diplomat and spiritual adviser to US President Donald Trump, I am deeply grateful to them. I am especially thankful for the attention being given to the Serbian Christian community, the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the protection of its sacred heritage," Burns posted. He emphasized that both Christians and Muslims must be free to practice their faith. "Every religious leader must be able to care for their faithful without discrimination, intimidation or unnecessary obstacles. I respectfully call on the authorities in Priština to permanently guarantee the Serbian Patriarch and the Serbian Orthodox Church unrestricted access to their monasteries, churches, clergy and faithful," Burns said. He underlined that religious freedom must not depend on ethnicity, politics or disputed borders, and that holy sites must remain places of prayer, healing, reconciliation and peace. "As a spiritual diplomat, I will continue to advocate for Serbian Christians, Albanian Muslims, and every innocent person who wishes to worship God in peace. Only through faith, love, mutual respect and sincere dialogue can the wounds of the past truly begin to heal," Burns said.