RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Belarusian dictator dismisses threat of Orthodox schism

NO AUTOCEPHALY! LUKASHENKO WILL NOT PERMIT THE INDEPENDENCE FROM MOSCOW OF BELORUSSIAN CHURCH

Religiina Pravda, 25 June 2021

 

The Belorussian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has spoken out sharply about the desire of the Orthodox Church of Belarus to get a tomos concerning autocephaly. He declared that "an attempt to break up Orthodoxy" is under way in the country.

 

Alexander Lukashenko talked during a visit to the men's monastery of the Belorussian Orthodox Church in the village of Zhirovichi, ua.news reports.

 

"There are various moments that have fundamental significance for the existence of the Belorussian nation. One of these we have observed recently: the attempt to break up Orthodoxy in Belarus. They are following the proven path: the declaration of autocephaly. Letters have gone to Constantinople; letters have gone to our patriarch. We must do everything so that our chief distinctive—inter-confessional peace—is maintained in Belarus," he said.

 

At present, the Belorussian Orthodox Church exists in the form, not of a self-administering church but as a patriarchal exarchate. Its leader is subject to Russian Patriarch Kirill and may be replaced by his decision, which also happened in August 2020 against the backdrop of protests in Belarus.

 

At that time, the RPTs changed the primate of the Belorussian exarchate, Metropolitan Pavel, and named in his stead Veniamin. He became the first native of Belarus to head the church in the years of Belarus' independence.

 

In November 2020, the primate of the Belorussian Orthodox Autocephalous Church, Archbishop Sviatoslav Login, issued an anathema to Alexander Lukashenko. The anathema was announced during a service in the cathedral of St. Kirill of Turov in Toronto, Canada. (tr. by PDS, posted 26 June 2021)


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