Pristina authorities banned Patriarch Porfirije from entering the Patriarchate of Pec, Kosovo, ahead of the upcoming Christmas, according to the Serbian Orthodox Church's statement.

Assessing this as “extremely discriminatory decision,” Porfirije called on Pristina authorities to “stop with trampling the human rights and religious freedoms of Orthodox Serbs, who have lived in that province for at least 1,500 years continuously, on the land of their ancestors.”

“Patriarch Porfirije does not give up on his intention to serve divine service at the Patriarchate of Pec and expects that this extremely discriminatory decision will be overturned,” his cabinet said.

The Orthodox Church leader added that he “prays to God for peace and goodwill among all people” and that “he particularly prays that peace prevails between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, where they have lived together for centuries.”