Destroyed And Desecrated Serbian Orthodox Churches In Kosovo And Metohia (1999-2000)

14. THE HOLY VIRGIN CHURCH, in Belo Polje, Pec

The Church of the Presentation of the Holy Virgin, in Belo Polje near Pec, was built in the 16^th century and restored in 1868 under the patronage of the Empress of Russia, Maria Alexandrovna. A collection of ancient icons, books and liturgical vessels was kept in the monastery among which particularly stood out a 15^th-16^th century Italo-Cretan icon of The Holy Virgin with Christ.

Subsequent to the arrival of the Italian KFOR troops, the church was desecrated and vandalized, at the end of June 1999, by Albanian extremists. The entire Serbian population of the village was forced into exile. The last three remaining Serb peasants were murdered by UÇK militants.