HEAD OF
BELORUSSIAN
CHURCH COMMENTS ON TOPIC OF "AUTOCEPHALY"
RIA
Novosti, 12
September 2020
The
topic of the
"autocephalous" Belorussian church is to a certain extent being
imposed from the outside; within the church itself there is no
demand, the head
of the Belorussian Orthodox Church (BPTs), Metropolitan of Minsk
and Zaslavl
Veniamin, declared.
"This
topic is
somewhat being imposed on us from the outside; within the church
there is no
such need," Metropolitan Veniamin said in an interview with RT,
commenting
on reports to the effect that the opposition within Belorussia
has already
mentioned autocephaly. The first hierarch of the BPTs said that
the history of
the past 20th century shows that prerequisites for "Belorussian
autocephaly" are absent.
"When
this topic
has been brought up, as a rule autocephaly is supported by a
group of people
who, one way or another, do not present themselves quite well
here, in the
fatherland, and in general are the kind of church organization
that was not
supported and recognized in that time. Now this is mentioned
more by secular
people, who hope thereby, apparently, to advance some of their
own ideas,
desires, and the like. But now there is absolutely no need for
this," the
metropolitan declared.
He said
that "it
is necessary to be vigilant and, say, avoid any inclination to
raise this topic
in one form or another."
Belorussian
President
Alexander Lukashenko declared earlier that the idea of the
opposition about
restoring a Belorussian Autocephalous Church threatens an
inter-confessional
war.
In the
metropolitan's
opinion, the national factor is not determinative for the
Belorussian Orthodox
Church and believers, and the main thing is strict adherence to
the religious
teaching.
"Obviously
this
is not the main thing. . . . There is a desire in our society
that there be
more of the Belorussian language and that our national
consciousness develop
more, but it is not so great as to put it in the forefront. And
I would think
that it would not be at all good for the church's prospects if
only nationality
predominates," the patriarchal exarch of all Belarus said.
As an
example he
cited schoolchildren, for whom what is important is "what kind
of teacher
one is, whether he teaches well or badly, with love or without
love, and other
things about how well a person does his job professionally." "In
our
sphere, the church sphere, professionalism consists in following
the teaching
of the church, in every detail, precisely, with great care,"
Metropolitan
Veniamin noted.
He
called attention
to the fact that a previous first hierarch of the BPTs,
Metropolitan Filaret,
was a "hero of Belorussia, but was born in Moscow, and Belarus
was for him
as much a motherland as Russia." Metropolitan Filaret headed the
Belorussian church from 1990 to 2013.
Earlier
the Holy
Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church released Metropolitan of
Minsk and Zaslavl
Pavel from his office of patriarchal exarch of all Belarus,
appointing to this
position Bishop of Borisovo and Maringorsk Veniamin.
Metropolitan Pavel was
appointed head of the Kuban metropolia. (tr. by PDS, posted 12
September 2020)
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