Montenegro Church Mural Depicting Ottoman and Partisan Violence Sparks Religious Tensions

A Serbian Orthodox Church mural in Rožaj, Montenegro, has drawn condemnation from Islamic leaders for potentially inciting religious hatred. The artwork inside the church includes scenes showing men in Ottoman Turkish clothing with swords attacking the building and two figures wearing fezzes standing over a baby with knives. Another section depicts Yugoslav Partisans in World War II uniforms burning the church. Priest Slobodan Radojevic defended the mural, stating it presents the history of the 17th-century church, which was destroyed twice—first during Ottoman rule and again by Yugoslav Communist authorities in 1948. He emphasized the mural condemns sins rather than individuals, noting that Bosniak donors who helped restore the church are shown on another wall. The controversy occurs amid ongoing tensions over the Serbian Orthodox Church's influence since Montenegro's 2006 independence, with the church supporting demonstrations that toppled the pro-Western government in 2021, leading to the election of pro-Serb leader Milo Đukanović. Radojevic argued the scenes of destruction and construction should be viewed as a whole, reflecting both violence and peace.