English
From Mum of Francišak to Holy Father Francesco
14 June 2021 Your Holiness, much-esteemed Pope Francis, I would not dare writing to you if not for the extreme circumstances my dear Belarus and my family have found themselves in. I am turning to you to tell the story of a little boy, Francišak, and his dad. We live in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. […]
Statement of the Christian Vision Group on the Forcible Dismissal of Archbishop Artemy from Governance of the Hrodna Diocese
9 June 2021 On 8 June 2021, the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church decided to intercede with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod “for the retirement of Right Reverend Archbishop of Hrodna and Vaŭkavysk Artemy for health reasons.” At an emergency online meeting on 9 June 2021, […]
Prayer for Belarus: video + text
Voices from all over the world unite in prayer for Belarus. Father of all people, Mighty God and Creator! You have not forsaken the world but, out of love, you sent your only Son to open the path to your Kingdom and to release us from the power of sin, evil, hell and death. You […]
Jonathan Luxmoore. Closed trial, death in prison: Belarus increases pressure on opposition
Human rights activists in Belarus have urged the Catholic Church to speak in defense of detained citizens, after a prominent Catholic protester was sentenced at a closed trial and died in jail. “The deaths of innocent people are being provoked by secret trials, which deprive political prisoners of their right to a fair hearing and […]
Church urged to do more to help in Belarus
The ecumenical Christian Vision organisation has urged Church leaders to do more to protect Christian political prisoners in Belarus, after a young Catholic died in jail after being sentenced at a closed trial for taking part in protests. News of the Catholic prisoner’s death, four months after his trial behind closed doors, came as the […]
Statement of the Christian Vision group of the Coordination Council regarding the death in the Škloŭ prison of a political prisoner Vitold Ashurak
22 May 2021 Vitold Ashurak, a believer and activist of the Lida Roman Catholic community, died on 21 May 2021 in the penal colony in Škloŭ, where he served a five-year term. The activist was sentenced on 18 January 2021 by the Lida District judge, Maksim Filatov, under two articles of the Criminal code of […]
Crux: Belarus church cites denial of pastoral help to political
A Catholic Church spokesman confirmed that clergy are unable to minister to political prisoners in Belarus, after a Christian charity accused the country’s rulers of using the coronavirus as an excuse for refusing pastoral access. “The coronavirus is providing very neat possibilities for all kinds of negative answers,” said Father Yuri Sanko, spokesman for the […]
Belarus Catholic officials silent, but some Catholics show support quietly
While church leaders in Belarus appear to be avoiding public issues, Catholics across the country continue to demand the freeing of political prisoners and an end to regime repression. “Bishops and priests are under pressure not to speak out about human rights, and many believe this follows Vatican recommendations,” Kaciaryna Laurynenka, a Catholic theologian and […]
Bosse-Huber: “In the solitude of detention, every letter inspires hope”. EKD backs letter-writing to political prisoners in Belarus.
Bosse-Huber: “In the solitude of detention, every letter inspires hope” EKD backs letter-writing to political prisoners in Belarus. 298 people are currently in political detention in Belarus. The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) would like to draw attention to these individuals and their fates, and appeals for volunteers to write letters to the political prisoners […]
