Press releases

MINSK, 11 March (BelTA) - Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin will lead a mass with the participation of children during his official visit to Belarus, BelTA learned from the Roman Catholic Church in Belarus.

The mass will begin at 10.00 in the Archcathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Minsk on 15 March.

A day earlier, on 14 March (at 20.00), the hierarch will attend the night vigil of the youth in Sts. Simon and Helen Cathedral in Minsk (the Red Church).

During his visit to Belarus, Cardinal Pietro Parolin is scheduled to meet with government officials, and to consecrate the first stone of the new building of the Apostolic Nunciature in Minsk. He is also set to meet with Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl Pavel, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, members of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, and Belarusian Catholics.

The visit will be carried out at the invitation of the Belarusian side. “This visit symbolizes Pope Francis's benevolence towards the Belarusian Roman Catholic Church. “By this the Pontiff wants to expresses his deep respect for the people of Belarus and to meet, through his closest aide, with Belarusian Catholics in prayer and communion of hearts,” representatives of the church said. The Pontiff commended the country's role of becoming a meeting place for the parties to the dramatic conflict that has rocked the region, the Belarusian Roman Catholic Church emphasized.