The Center of Contemporary Art requests that the Montenegrin Littoral Metropolis move out of the Church of St. Dimitrija, which is located in the Kruševac neighborhood of Podgorica, near the Castle of King Nikola.
The Center's legal representative, lawyer Risto Femić, said yesterday at the preparatory hearing in the Basic Court in Podgorica, that they "treat the church as part of their complex".
The church is registered as the property of the former "Josip Broz Tito" Gallery of non-aligned countries.
This church, as well as the church in Cetinje, were called court chapels at the time, for the simple reason that the king's family went to services in those churches. In his will, King Nikola nowhere mentions the church of St. Dimitrije as his property
The representative of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, lawyer Vojislav Đurišić, told "Vijesta" that the founder of the church was King Nikola and that he treated the church like any other sacred building.
"However, this church, as well as the church in Cetinje, were called court chapels at the time, for the simple reason that the royal family went to services in those churches. In his will, King Nikola nowhere mentions the church of St. Dimitrije as his property," said Đurišić.
He added that, after the war, that church, like many others, was confiscated and used as a warehouse.
"Later, when it was abandoned, it was taken over again by the Metropolis, which arranges it and since then it has been used for worship," said Đurišić.
The judge in that case, Danilo Jegdić, decided that written evidence will be presented at the main hearing, scheduled for June 11. Experts from geodesy Lazar Vukadinović and architect Sanja Radović will also be heard.
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