The archbishop of the Belarusian Catholic Church is not allowed back in the country, he has been deprived of citizenship, but the Orthodox metropolitan has been deported to Russia. This may be the price of an open or less open stance on the part of the protesters after the violent repression. Alexander Lukashenko’s regime accuses religious organizations of meddling in politics.
Red Church events
On the evening of August 26, when police began another protest in the center of Minsk, on Independence Square, some demonstrators sought refuge in the nearby Catholic Church of St. Simeon and Helen, known to locals simply as the “Red Church”.
Police officers dressed in black blocked the exits. About 30 people – protesters, priests and worshipers – were found trapped. While dozens of people were detained outside, the church also had a tense atmosphere until the door opened.
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What happened resonated widely. The next day, dozens of women stood around the church in a chain of solidarity. “From what I saw when people were locked up in the church, even though I am an Orthodox myself, it was like the last straw for me. I became very scared when it came to the church,” said the campaigner.
The protesters at the nearby Red Church may not have been random. In the post-election crisis, the Belarusian Catholic Church sided with repressed victims. Its leader, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusevich of Minsk and Mogilev, has publicly called on the authorities to end the violence. He stated that “the bloodshed on the streets [..] it is a grave sin that lies on the conscience of the criminal commanders ”.
“For the first time in the history of modern Belarus, a brother has raised his hand against his brother. [..] Why is the biblical story of the infamous Cain, who killed his brother Abel, repeated in our holy land? ” said Kondrusevich.
Annuls passport and accuses of meddling in politics
A few days after the events of the Red Church, Belarusian border guards did not allow Kondrusevich back into the country after his trip to Poland. He was on the blacklist. Last week, the authorities announced that the archbishop’s passport of Belarus had been revoked.
Belarus’s authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko said Kondrusevich had gone to Warsaw to receive “certain assignments” and was therefore on the entry ban list.
Mr Lukashenko also defended police action at the Red Church: “We did not close the churches. Even if they formed anti-Lukashenko, anti-state propaganda. On the contrary, we are trying to protect. Made a false message that we did a couple, we don’t wait in church. On the contrary. We prevented this herd from collapsing in the church and ruining the worshipers. [Policisti] acted nobly. “
Lukashenko accused the archbishop of meddling in politics. It is rejected by the Catholic Church.
“What is politics? I opened the scriptures where Pontius Pilate asked Christ, “What is truth?” But I will say – what is politics? When we say we are against violence, torture, is it politics? ” expressed the Belarusian bishop Yuri Kosobuckis.
Clergy condemn violence
After the election, Kondrusevich proposed an interfaith prayer in the Red Church about Belarus. In addition to Christian denominations such as Baptists and evangelists, leaders of the Jewish and Muslim communities also took part. Also a representative of the Orthodox Church.
The Belarusian Orthodox Church, part of the Moscow Patriarchate, has been more cautious in its position. However, as the repression continued, Metropolitan Pavel of the Belarusian Orthodox Church also began calling on Lukashenko to end the violence. It was soon announced that Metropolitan Paul had voluntarily retired and been transferred to Russia.
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“There are rumors that he was found guilty of visiting injured protesters but not injured police officers. And it was already perceived as a political step, “said Yuri Chausov, a Belarusian political scientist.
Čausovs indicates for the LTV program “Pasaules Panorāma” that
In Belarus, there have been clergy of all denominations who have publicly condemned the violence of power structures.
But institutionally, the Catholic Church has done so much more openly.
What is the role of the Vatican?
In the case of the Vatican, the Holy See has historically played an informal behind-the-scenes role in conflict resolution as a channel of communication between the parties to the conflict. For example, the Cuban Missile Crisis and Venezuela. Recently, Belarus visited Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Chief Diplomat of the Vatican.
“The visit of the Vatican official to Belarus was primarily related to the situation of Archbishop Kondrusevich. But I am convinced that the opportunities to use these channels for mediation with the European Union again are being explored, ”said political scientist Chausov.
Interestingly, Lukashenko went on his first European visit to Italy and the Vatican on both occasions after the suspension of previous European Union sanctions in 2009 and 2016, meeting with two different popes with his youngest son, Nicholas.
“It started when the Prime Minister in Italy was still Silvio Berlusconi. He has greatly facilitated such actions by Lukashenko. First, they were attempts to launder Lukashenko’s personal image as a dictator. That’s what he meets with his son and the clergyman. And, as happened, this clergyman is also the Pope of Rome. Both the president is great and the cleric is standing high. And he as a man, the father of a son. An attempt to portray oneself as a family man, ”commented Chausov.
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