News & Events in Belarus

Lukashenko: Interfaith harmony is Belarus’ main achievement

MINSK, 14 March (BelTA) – Interfaith harmony is Belarus’ most important achievement, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church on 14 March, BelTA has learned.

The president noted with regret that the Orthodoxy around the world is now going through difficult times. “We have to admit this. It hurts to watch the religious confrontation unfolding in brotherly Ukraine: seizure of churches, criminal prosecution of the clergy, struggle for the main shrine of our Orthodoxy - the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.”

“A tragedy is also unfolding in the Holy Land that is sacred to all world religions. Unfortunately, we see attempts to drag as many countries and nations into this conflict as possible,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The head of state emphasized that in the case of Belarus, the centers governing traditional faiths are located outside the country. “As we see today, some of them found themselves in the epicenter of armed conflicts,” he noted.

“All the bloodiest wars in the world started from religious disagreements. The religious card is still played by ideologists of color revolutions and mutinies. In such conditions, it is important to safeguard equal rights and maintain a dialogue between representatives of all faiths. After all, like former Patriarchal Exarch Filaret said, interfaith harmony is the main achievement of Belarus,” the president said.

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