Press releases

27 Mar 2018

Pope Francis does not rule out visiting Belarus in future

MINSK, 27 March (BelTA) – Pope France does not rule out visiting Belarus in the future, Archbishop Metropolitan of Minsk and Mogilev Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz told journalists on 27 March, BelTA informs.

In early 2018, Belarusian bishops traveled to the Vatican with an ad limina visit (a visit to the thresholds of the tombs of the Apostles) and met with Pope Francis. During the meeting, they discussed a possible visit of the Roman pontiff to Belarus. According to Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, the Pope said he could not come to Belarus in 2018. “He does not rule out, however, visiting the country in the future,” he added.

The Pope is scheduled to visit Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia from 22 to 25 September 2018. He will make a visit to Vilnius and Kaunas on 22-23 September. A pilgrimess is expected to come to Lithuania from Belarus to meet with the pontiff.

Bishops from a particular country traditionally make an ad limina visit to the Vatican every five years. This year, Belarusian bishops had the first meeting in such a format with Pope Francis.