Opinions & Interviews

New Metropolitan calls to bring peace back to Belarusian land, to people’s hearts

MINSK, 26 August (BelTA) - Bishop Veniamin, who has been elected new Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, has made his first address, BelTA has learned.

“Dear compatriots, brothers and sisters. My first address to you as the head of the Belarusian Orthodox Church is not solemn and lofty. It comes from the heart that aches for my compatriots and our land, from love for all of you. Our sorrows and worries from the time of Great Lent to the present day have been rapidly taking turns. We are looking for a way out and not finding it yet. But what did our pious ancestors do in such cases, and what do the saints teach us? What is the spiritual understanding of what is happening?,” reads the address posted on the official website of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Veniamin stressed: "We need to bring peace back to our land and to our hearts." He called on all Christians to strictly observe the fast [Dormition Fast] and extend it for three days, to repent the sins. All of us, the faithful Orthodox people, knowing the power of common prayer, being aware that, in addition to external confrontation, there is a spiritual struggle for our Fatherland in the heart of each of us, need to strengthen our prayer with diligence and boldness, faith, hope and love for God and others,” he noted.

"The last sad events in our Fatherland have come from the fact that our hearts have steered in an unkind direction. I believe that if we enthusiastically, with diligence and unanimously, fulfill our intention to spend these three days fasting, praying and repenting, we will quickly see the response of Heaven and will understand what we, the people of Belarus, need to do to defeat evil with good and to prevent further evil,” Metropolitan Veniamin said.

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