Bishop Aleh Butkewitsch from Belarus was recently interviewed by Aid to the Church in Need. He discussed the current challenges facing the Church in Belarus.

By ACN Staff

Belarus is currently going through a crisis. The much-discussed political crisis has been exacerbated by Covid-19, which has hit Belarus hard. Catholics are a minority in Belarus. The Archbishop of Minsk Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz was barred from re-entering Belarus following his criticism of the country’s government.

Aid to the Church in Need’s Maria Lozano recently spoke with Bishop Aleh Butkewitsch of the Diocese of Vitebsk in northern Belarus about the situation in the Eastern European country. Bishop Butkewitsch is also the Chairman of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Belarus. The bishop explained that the current situation has led more people to deepen their relationship with God:

“The current situation has provided further impetus to intensify prayer and in many cases to reassess one’s personal standpoint on the relationship with God and with other people. In general, situations such as these lead to a deepening of our faith.”

The bishop outlined the impact that Covid-19 and how the Church in Belarus responded:

“As everywhere else in the world, the COVID-19 epidemic negatively affected public life and the economic situation in Belarus. The Church was one of the first institutions to react to the emergence of the epidemic. We took precautions and set up disinfecting stations in the churches, implemented the mandatory use of masks during Mass and adhered to social distancing practices. Projects were initiated to help medical organisations buy the necessary protective and preventive equipment. More and more Masses are being transmitted online by the parishes. ACN immediately helped us implement these measures.”

Most of the Catholic priests in Belarus are from Belarus. However, there are a reasonable number of priests from neighbouring Poland ministering to the faithful in Belarus. Bishop Aleh Butkewitsch outlines some of the challenges facing priests from Poland:

“We are very grateful, particularly to the Polish priests, for their many years of selfless work in our country. Their service is made more difficult because they have to regularly – once a year or even every six months – apply for a permit to carry out pastoral work. However, this permit may be revoked at any time without their ever knowing the reason.”

Bishop Aleh Butkewitsch also spoke about the Church’s relationship with the Eastern Orthodox Church in Belarus, which the majority of Belarusian are members of:

 “Relations with the Orthodox Church, but also with the representatives of other denominations and religions, are peaceful. In most cases, I would describe them as friendly, particularly in the area of interpersonal relationships, for example within interfaith families. All interdenominational or interreligious distinctions practically disappear when it is a matter of saving people. Therefore, under these circumstances, to a certain extent the epidemic can be considered a factor that brings people closer together instead of dividing them.”

Bishop Aleh Butkewitsch is very grateful to all the support and prayers from around the world offered to the Church in Belarus. He is particularly conscience of the prayers offered by Pope Francis for Belarus. The bishop also wanted to thank ACN’s benefactors for their long-term support of the Church in Belarus. The Belarusian Church would not be in the position it is in today without this support.