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

64. ST NICHOLAS' CHURCH, in Prizren

The Church of St Nicholas ("Rajkova") in Prizren is the same church that Tsar Dusan bequeathed to the Monastery of the Holy Archangels in 1348. It was the endowment of a Prizren nobleman Rajko Kirizlic whose son's name, Bogdan, is mentioned in Prizren written sources, in 1361 and 1368. The church was in service until 1795 when Mahmud-pasha Busatlija looted it. It was restored in 1857. The church treasured Prizren's oldest icon of The Holy Virgin Hodegetria from the mid-14^th century as well as the 16^th century icon of St Elijah in the Cave.

Despite the presence of the German KFOR troops in Prizren, the church was mined with 20 explosive devices out of which 5 went off causing considerable damage to the edifice. The church was later completely destroyed.