New Serbian Patriarch in Backing Serbia's Claims: "Kosovo Is Our Holy Land, Our Jerusalem"

The new patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been enthroned at a ceremony in Belgrade, and has pledged to back Serbia's claims to Kosovo, the BBC website reports.

Patriarch Irinej said the Church's first duty is to help recover the breakaway province. The 80-year-old is a moderate, who is open to modernization.

The service in Belgrade was the first part of a two-stage induction process, with a second ceremony due at Pec in western Kosovo.

"Kosovo is our holy land, our Jerusalem," Patriarch Irinej said. "We must go to Pec to complete this ceremony, but can we visit our relics? Without them, Serbia is not Serbia, without Kosovo it is deprived of its heart and soul," he added.

Kosovo -- which broke away from Serbia and declared its independence in February, 2008 -- is not recognized as an independent nation by the United Nations and by most countries.