I woke up one morning, looked at myself, 54 years old. I still have to work 11 years until retirement and, like, then I should be happy: Aco is now the only Serb in this village under Šar-planina!
- I woke up one morning, looked at myself, 54 years old. I still have to work 11 years until retirement and, like, then I should be happy! At 65 years old! And I decided to retire myself, come here, keep goats and enjoy. But someone arranged it, and later they explained to me that it was God, that I should go to the monastery of St. Archangels - tells us Aleksandar Krstić Aco, as everyone calls him here, at the top of the village of Lokvica, and yet at the foot of the high Šar-planina.
TL;DR
- Aleksandar Krstić Aco retired at 54 and returned to his ancestral village of Lokvica, becoming its sole Serbian resident.
- The village has experienced a significant decline in its Serbian population since 1999, with many homes abandoned or sold to Albanians.
- The local cultural center and school are largely empty, reflecting the depopulation of the village.
- Aco is actively involved in renovating his family home and contributing to the restoration of local churches, including the 13th-century Church of St. Elijah.
- Despite difficulties and a lack of Serbian schools and healthcare nearby, Aco hopes for the revival of Serbian life in Lokvica.
- The article highlights the historical significance of Lokvica with mentions of multiple churches and a large past Serbian population.