News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 13 March (BelTA) - The main theme of today's meeting between Vatican Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl Pavel, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, was the preservation of spiritual values. "Of course, we are all concerned with the preservation of spiritual and moral values. We recalled the Orthodox-Catholic Forum which was held in Minsk in 2014," Metropolitan Pavel told reporters.

“We also remembered the words of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko which he said in the run-up of the Orthodox-Catholic Forum last year. Back then the President said that we should do everything possible to preserve the spiritual and moral values. This is the basis of the life of our society,” Metropolitan Pavel said.

Metropolitan Pavel added that the Orthodox and Catholic churches are doing everything possible to maintain peace between the religions. In this regard, Belarus is a shining example of the peaceful coexistence of different confessions. At the same time, the participants of the meeting drew attention to the events in Ukraine. "The peace is fragile, and we must do everything to maintain it," said the Patriarchal Exarch.

According to Metropolitan Pavel, today's meeting with the Vatican's Secretary of State was that of peace, even a ceremonial one. “But I must say that it was not purely formal, it was warm and open,” said the Metropolitan.

"Today we have a lot of topics to discuss. But we are not talking about ecumenical rapprochement of the Belarusian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church,” said Metropolitan Pavel.

During his visit to Belarus on 12-15 March, Cardinal Pietro Parolin is scheduled to meet with government officials, and to consecrate the first stone of the new building of the Apostolic Nunciature in Minsk. He is also set to meet with Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl Pavel, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, members of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, and Belarusian Catholics.

The visit is carried out at the invitation of the Belarusian side. “This visit symbolizes Pope Francis's benevolence towards the Belarusian Roman Catholic Church. “By this the Pontiff wants to expresses his deep respect for the people of Belarus and to meet, through his closest aide, with Belarusian Catholics in prayer and communion of hearts,” representatives of the church informed earlier. The Pontiff commended the country's role of becoming a meeting place for the parties to the dramatic conflict that has rocked the region, the Belarusian Roman Catholic Church emphasized.