Opinions & Interviews

"Religion is one of the pillars of integration and unity of the Belarusian people. Religious diversity, respect for the history and culture carry peace and spiritual well-being for our country," said Nikolai Shchekin. “According to the research carried out by the NASB Institute of Sociology, 78.3% of Belarusians identify with the Orthodox Church, and 9.5% consider themselves Catholic Christians".

The figures also confirm that the religion and the church play a significant role in the traditional life of Belarus. Thus, 80.4% of citizens visit temples of their faith (33.2% on religious holidays, big dates; 6.1% every week; 7.4% once or twice a month; 33.7% from time to time). So it is quite natural that 66.6% of Belarusians consider themselves believers. At the same time, the age index is also interesting: about a third of believers are people aged 30-49.

"These high figures show that our country relies on traditional values in its development, citizens trust the church as a social institution, and it does not stand aside from the urgent needs of the society," Nikolai Shchekin added.

“Today Orthodox Christians are celebrating the bright and holy Easter holiday. It is another opportunity to feel part of your people’s destiny. Participating in the celebration, we affirm the sanctity of family values, the importance of faith, social justice and equality," Nikolai Shchekin noted.