Press releases

MINSK, 22 April (BelTA) – An icon of St Sophia (Olelkovich-Radziwill), Princess of Slutsk and Kopyl, was given to the parish of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified in Cagliari (Sardinia), BelTA learned from Honorary Consul of Belarus in Cagliari Giuseppe Carboni.

Sardinia marks the 450th anniversary of the death of St Sophia (Olelkovich-Radziwill), Princess of Slutsk and Kopyl, patroness of Belarus, he said. During a business trip to the capital of Belarus in early April, aide on international cooperation to the President of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia Marco Secchi visited the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Minsk. During a meeting with Archpriest Nikolai Bolokhovsky, chairman of the of the parish council of the cathedral, Marco Secchi worshiped the miraculous icon of the Theotokos of Minsk, visited the tomb with the relics of Saint Sophia, and got familiar with the life of the Saint. During the visit Marco Secchi was given the reproduction of the icon of St Sophia. Receiving the icon he promised to give it to the Orthodox community of Cagliari.

A ceremony of donating the Icon of St Sophia of Slutsk to the head of the Orthodox the parish of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified in Cagliari Father Nikolai Volsky took place during the Easter liturgy. The event is part of the activities dedicated to the Year of Belarusian Culture in Sardinia.

According to Honorary Consul of Belarus in Cagliari Giuseppe Carboni, the Consulate has recently organized numerous cultural events with the participation of many Belarusian artists on the occasion of the main Orthodox holidays. The 405th anniversary of the death of St Sophia is an important event for all Belarusians, and it is a great honor to celebrate it in Sardinia, he said.