Why Does the Vatican Not Recognize Kosovo, and Why Were the Orthodox Churches in Kosovo Given to Serbia?
By Flamur Bucpapaj
Albanian Catholics are alive. They are proud of their roots. And they deserve to be heard.
We ask that the Vatican recognize Kosovo not only politically, but also spiritually – as the sons of a Church we have loved and preserved with blood and devotion to Catholicism.
The Albanians are among the oldest peoples of the Balkans and embraced Christianity as early as the first centuries of our era.
Since the declaration of Kosovo’s independence on February 17, 2008, its international recognition has been a difficult and complex process. Although over 100 countries have recognized it, including most EU member states and the United States, several key states still refuse to do so. One of them is the Holy See – the Vatican, the global center of Catholicism. At the same time, one of the most debated and sensitive issues remains the status of Orthodox churches on the territory of Kosovo, which in international documents and domestic laws are often protected as “heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church,” thereby linking them to Serbia.
Why does the Vatican not recognize Kosovo?
The Holy See has chosen a neutral stance which, although it does not amount to formal recognition of independence, is also not a denial of its de facto existence. The reasons for this position are manifold:
Diplomatic neutrality and pursuit of peace: The Vatican sees itself as a mediator in international conflicts. Recognizing Kosovo would automatically place it in a one-sided position against Serbia, which has deep historical and religious ties with the Orthodox Church. The Holy See prefers to maintain its role as a neutral party in order to help in the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade.
Relations with the Orthodox Church: The Vatican is aware of the historical tensions between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. By not recognizing Kosovo, it seeks to avoid further straining relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church, one of the most powerful in the Orthodox world.
Respect for international law and dialogue: The Vatican views the issue of Kosovo as one that should be resolved through dialogue and international agreements, not through the imposition of unilateral decisions.
Religious composition of the population: The overwhelming majority of Kosovo Albanians are Muslim. While the Catholic community exists and has an important historical and social role in the country, the Vatican does not view Kosovo as a priority in religious terms.
The Holy See’s disregard for Albanian Catholics: a moral wound
By refusing to recognize the state of Kosovo, the Holy See has silently denied a historical reality: that Albanians, before converting to other faiths, were traditionally a people with deep Catholic roots – especially in northern Albania, in Kosovo, in Montenegro, and in the Albanian territories of Macedonia. Instead of embracing this small but loyal community to the Church, the Vatican has chosen to sacrifice Albanian Catholics in the name of relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church and in the name of a questionable diplomatic neutrality.
In doing so, it:
Denies the centuries-long contribution of Albanians to preserving Christianity in the Balkans under extremely difficult circumstances.
Ignores the pain of a persecuted community which, during communism in Albania, was massacred and punished for its faith.
Leaves unprotected the Catholics of Kosovo, who expect moral and symbolic support from the Vatican, not merely for religious reasons, but for national and historical ones.
The history of Catholicism among Albanians: a denied heritage?
Albanians are among the oldest peoples of the Balkans and embraced Christianity as early as the first centuries of our era. Catholicism spread in an organized way especially in the north, where it remains the main base of this faith in Albanian lands. Saint Mother Teresa, one of the most luminous figures of the modern Catholic Church, is Albanian – a symbol of dedication, humanitarianism, and the Albanian spirit.
And yet, the Vatican’s non-recognition of Kosovo represents not only a diplomatic decision, but a silent affront to this heritage. What hurts the most is that the Vatican does not even use this moral card to intervene in favor of justice and a forgotten history.
A call for justice from Albanian Catholics
It is time for the Holy See to review its stance toward Kosovo, not only for the sake of the new state, but for the sake of its faithful who feel forgotten. Recognizing Kosovo would be:
An act of moral justice for Albanian Catholics.
A belated but necessary step to affirm that the Church does not sacrifice truth in the name of politics.
A positive signal for interfaith dialogue, showing that religion should not be an obstacle, but a bridge for coexistence and mutual recognition.
The Vatican’s double neutrality
Officially, the Vatican maintains a neutral position on Kosovo’s status, refraining from recognizing independence while at the same time maintaining good relations with Kosovo’s institutions and engaging in discreet diplomatic contacts. The motivation for this neutrality rests on several main pillars:
Maintaining relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church, in order not to further aggravate the fragile inter-church relations.
The effort to preserve a mediating position, which could serve as a bridge of communication between Pristina and Belgrade.
Avoiding setting a precedent for other disputed regions, maintaining a conservative line in international law.
But this “diplomatic neutrality” is, in itself, a political stance—one that unfortunately does not represent historical justice nor the sensitivities of the Albanian Catholic communities in the Balkans.
Ignoring Albanian Catholics: a silent offense
If there were any nation in the Balkans that deserves the solidarity and moral support of the Holy See, it is the Albanian nation—particularly the Catholics of Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro. The Albanian people were among the earliest to embrace Christianity, and for centuries, Catholicism was an inseparable part of their identity.
But what happened? Instead of affirming this heritage, the Vatican has remained silent. It has remained silent in the face of attempts to uproot the Albanian identity from the history of the Balkans. It has remained silent in the face of the suffering of Albanians during the Kosovo war. And it has remained silent in the face of the reality that many sons and daughters of the Albanian nation are today among the most marginalized on the Church’s spiritual map.
Albanian Catholics—especially in Kosovo—feel abandoned by a Church that, in order to preserve its balance with the Serbian Orthodox, sacrifices those who have been devoted to it for centuries.
The Catholic belonging of Albanians: denied by official history
It is a historical fact that before the forced Islamization during the Ottoman occupation, Albanians were, for the most part, Catholics or Orthodox. In northern Albania, Kosovo, the Malësia region, and other Albanian territories, Catholicism was deeply rooted, with active dioceses and prominent figures such as Pjetër Bogdani, Pjetër Budi, Gjon Buzuku, and later national revivalists who served the national cause through faith and culture.
Later, during the communist dictatorship in Albania, the Catholic Church was brutally persecuted, with dozens of priests killed and tortured. Yet Albanian Catholics survived, preserved their faith, and after the fall of communism, revived church life with extraordinary dedication.
In Kosovo, although a minority, Catholics have always served as a bridge of unity among Albanians of different faiths, demonstrating that Albanian identity cannot be reduced to religious divisions but rests on a shared history and blood ties.
What should the Holy See do?
It is time for the Holy See to reconsider its stance and stop hiding behind diplomatic justifications. Recognition of Kosovo by the Vatican would be:
An act of historical justice toward Albanian Catholics;
A moral affirmation of an undeniable reality: the existence of a state born from sacrifice and the struggle for freedom;
A strong signal of support for the universal values of peace, human rights, and interfaith coexistence.
The Catholic heritage of Albanians: a denied identity?
Historically, Albanians were among the earliest peoples to embrace Christianity. Before the spread of Islam during the Ottoman Empire, the vast majority of Albanians belonged to either Western or Eastern Christianity, including the dioceses of Dardania and medieval Arbër.
Figures such as Gjon Buzuku, Pjetër Bogdani, Frang Bardhi, Gjergj Fishta, and Mother Teresa testify to the deep cultural and spiritual connection of Albanians with the Catholic Church.
After the brutal persecution during the communist dictatorship—especially in Albania—Albanian Catholics revived their faith in freedom, not with the strong help of the Vatican, but through their own inner dedication.
The Vatican’s non-recognition of Kosovo creates a sense of exclusion—both politically and spiritually—because it is perceived as silence that legitimizes injustice.
The consequences of silence: impact on the Albanian Catholic community
Albanian Catholics in Kosovo and Albania experience this non-recognition as a denial of their historical and spiritual belonging to the universal Church. They feel that, in the name of diplomacy and relations with the Orthodox Church, the Holy See has sacrificed one of its oldest and most devoted peoples in the region.
This neglect has multiple effects:
It fuels disappointment and spiritual alienation;
It reinforces the perception that religion is treated as a political interest, not a community of values;
It denies Albanians their role as guarantors of interfaith dialogue—a value for which they are recognized worldwide.
The Vatican’s double neutrality
Officially, the Vatican maintains a neutral stance regarding Kosovo’s status, refraining from recognizing its independence while simultaneously maintaining good relations with Kosovo’s institutions and engaging in discreet diplomatic contacts. The motivations for this neutrality rest on several key pillars:
Maintaining relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church, so as not to further strain fragile inter-church relations;
Preserving a mediating role that could serve as a communication bridge between Pristina and Belgrade;
Avoiding the precedent for other disputed regions, adhering to a conservative line in international law.
But this “diplomatic neutrality” is, in itself, a political stance—one that, unfortunately, does not represent historical justice nor the sensitivities of the Albanian Catholic communities in the Balkans.
Ignoring Albanian Catholics: a moral wound
By refusing to recognize the state of Kosovo, the Holy See has silently denied a historical reality: that before converting to other faiths, Albanians were traditionally a people with strong Catholic roots—especially in northern Albania, in Kosovo, in Montenegro, and in the Albanian territories of Macedonia. Instead of embracing this small but loyal community, the Vatican has chosen to sacrifice Albanian Catholics in the name of relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church and in the name of a questionable diplomatic neutrality.
In doing so, it:
Denies the centuries-long contribution of Albanians to the preservation of Christianity in the Balkans, under extremely difficult circumstances;
Ignores the pain of a persecuted community, which during the communist period in Albania was massacred and punished for its faith;
Leaves unprotected the Catholics of Kosovo, who expect moral and symbolic support from the Vatican—not merely for religious reasons, but for national and historical ones.
Why were Orthodox churches in Kosovo “given” to Serbia?
This issue is among the most complex in the context of Kosovo’s sovereignty and cultural identity.
Historical heritage and Serbian narrative: Serbia has built a powerful historical narrative portraying Kosovo as the “heart of Serbia,” because of the churches and monasteries of the medieval period—especially the Deçan Monastery, Gračanica, and the Patriarchate of Peja. These sites are part of the cultural heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and Serbia has used them as political weapons in internationalizing the rejection of Kosovo’s independence.
International protection through UNESCO and other documents: UNESCO and other international documents often refer to these monuments as part of the “Serbian Orthodox cultural heritage,” not necessarily in the state sense, but because of their ecclesiastical affiliation. This has created a paradox where these sites are located in Kosovo but are protected with Serbia’s assistance, under the claim that they are part of its identity.
Heritage law and the Brussels Agreements: Under international pressure and in order to reach agreements with Serbia, Kosovo has, in certain documents, accepted special protection for the Serbian Orthodox Church. In fact, the Law on the Protection of the Cultural Heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo was adopted. This law sparked strong opposition from the public and civil society, as it is seen as a way to legally recognize Serbia’s influence within Kosovo’s territory.
Practical reality and lack of alternatives: The reality is that these sites are administered by priests and structures of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which are not part of Kosovo’s ecclesiastical structures. In the absence of an independent Orthodox Church of Kosovo, separate from Belgrade, a real break is difficult to achieve in practice.
Orthodox churches in Kosovo: the country’s heritage, not Serbia’s
Another wound in the national conscience is the issue of Orthodox churches in Kosovo, which in international documents and special laws have been declared as heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
But this is a historically false narrative. Many of those medieval churches and monasteries were built by Albanian Orthodox of the time, when ethnic identity and religious affiliation did not necessarily align with Serbian statehood.
The Deçan Monastery, the Patriarchate of Peja, Gračanica—these are monuments located on the soil of Kosovo and are the heritage of its people, not merely the property of a church that is commanded from Belgrade. Moreover, the way they have been placed under special protection for the Serbian Orthodox Church, in a law adopted in Kosovo, has created an absurd situation where a sovereign state gives priority to a religious structure of another state.
What should the Holy See do?
It is time for the Holy See to reconsider its stance and stop hiding behind diplomatic justifications. Recognition of Kosovo by the Vatican would be:
An act of historical justice toward Albanian Catholics;
A moral affirmation of an undeniable reality: the existence of a state born from sacrifice and the struggle for freedom;
A powerful signal of support for the universal values of peace, human rights, and interfaith coexistence.
A call from the Albanian heart
We, Albanians, do not seek favors. We seek justice. We seek that our history not be ignored because of great religious interests. We seek that faith be a bridge, not a wall. We seek that the Vatican recognize us not only politically, but also spiritually—as children of a Church we have loved and preserved with blood and devotion.
If there is one message that should be heard in the Vatican, it is this:
Albanian Catholics are alive. They are proud of their roots. And they deserve to be heard.
The most painful consequence of the Vatican’s non-recognition of Kosovo
Yes—one of the most painful consequences of the Vatican’s refusal to recognize Kosovo is that thousands of Catholics in Kosovo, particularly in the northern part and in other areas with a strong Catholic presence, feel denied in their national and religious identity.
Denial of the belonging of thousands of Catholic Kosovars in the north and across the country
Thousands of Albanian Catholics in Kosovo—especially in the northern areas such as Zllakuqan, Stublla, Gjakova, Vitia, Klina, etc.—have felt abandoned by the Holy See.
These believers have preserved their faith and Albanian national identity for centuries, even under Ottoman, Yugoslav, and Serbian rule.
The Vatican’s non-recognition of Kosovo places them in an unjust position, as if neither their state, nor their nation, nor their faith is recognized equally with other Catholic communities in the world.
Negative impact on the spiritual unity of Albanian Catholics
While Albania is recognized and respected by the Vatican, the refusal to recognize Kosovo creates unfair divisions among Albanian Catholics who live in two different states, but share the same language, history, and faith.
This negatively affects the sense of ecclesiastical community, because Kosovar Catholics are not treated with the same international attention as those in Albania.
The risk of fading the Christian Albanian identity in Kosovo
The Vatican’s diplomatic denial of the state of Kosovo harms the representation of the Catholic Church in Kosovo, which is a historical heritage of Christian Albanians who endured centuries of pressure to remain as such.
The lack of recognition reduces the international weight of the Kosovar Catholic community and risks diminishing its role in the social and institutional life of the country.
“A nation is not measured only by the lands it possesses, but by the souls it recognizes; to deny them is to deny oneself.”
