TEOLAG, Palitolag, Yuryst, Dactta Rainkag UNIVERSITET FRIDRYHA VILGELAM (Bonn, Nhamecchyna), Hyrectar Tsentra Ekumena, Radacttar Partale “Tsarkva”. INSHYARYARYAKULY

Pursuit of the Catholic Church, Clear and laity in Belarus

TEOLAG, Palitolag, Yuryst, Dactta Rainkag UNIVERSITET FRIDRYHA VILGELAM (Bonn, Nhamecchyna), Hyrectar Tsentra Ekumena, Radacttar Partale “Tsarkva”.

During the political crisis in Belarus, the Catholic Church, its communities, the clergy and believers-both Roman Catholics and Greek Catholics-were faced with persecution for their religious and civic activities: Martiria – evidence of the truth of the teachings of Christ; deaconia – caring for the persecuted; Liturgy – Prayer and worship.

Administrative persecution, arrests, fines, searches

During the presidential election campaign in Belarus, Catholics advocated honest elections. Artyom Tkachuk, a Catholic activist, a member of the family movement, was one of the initiators of the Catholic campaign. She was designed to remind the Catholics that manipulation of the voices of people, even if it is carried out under pressure from the authorities, is a serious sin. This campaign, which was moral, and not political in nature, was supported by many parish priests in Belarus in order to inspire and encourage members of election commissions to refrain from participating in the falsification of elections.

During the protest in October 2020, Tkachuk and his friend, the gospel Christian Zmiter Dashkevich, raised a banner with the inscription: “Let my people!” The appeal contained a reference to the book an outcome in which the Prophet Moses demanded from the pharaoh to free the elected people from slavery. Tkachuk is the father of two small daughters; He asked for a fine, but the judge sent him to prison for twelve days.

There were other Catholic activists arrested during peaceful protests. Marina Bulatovskaya, Greek Catholic from Vitebsk, prayed in Rosaria with her friends in the immediate vicinity of a peaceful procession. She was fined. Andrey Lukhin and Elena Polochanskaya from Christian musical group Laudans were arrested for 15 days. They were punished for a concert in front of several dozen people in one of the areas of Minsk. Maxim Kovalev He was sentenced to 15 days of arrest for mourning – lighting a candle and a prayer in the area of ​​change – according to the murdered Roman Bondarenko. Alla Roshchinskaya, a Catholic from Vitebsk, was sentenced to ten days of arrest for a similar occasion. 74-year-old Greek Catholic Boris Hamaida From Vitebsk was fined for carrying out a banner with the embroidered text of the prayer “Our Father”. The banner was made by another Christian, Antonina Pyrenos. 65-year-old Catholic Maria Revutskaya was detained for a day after she left the Cathedral of the Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Minsk, where she sang in the choir during a solemn mass in honor of the 75th birthday of Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz. On the way, in the rain, Revutskaya held an open umbrella in the white and red colors of the Polish flag and with the word Polska (i.e. Poland). The next day, she was fined: an anonymous witness claimed that Revutskaya was waving an umbrella in her hands. The KGB hacked and searched the apartment Ruslana Tashtimirova, Roman Catholic activist, father of ten children and founder of the Viber prayer group The Holy Scriptures for the Motherland. Flags, a computer and a telephone were confiscated, and Tashtimirov was detained. He was interrogated, forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and released.

Two Catholic journalists faced harassment. Concerning the editor of the Greek Catholic newspaper “Tsarva” Igor Baranovsky from Brest, an administrative case was initiated for posting on social networks links to several publications of the Belsat TV channel, which was recognized by the Belarusian authorities as extremist. Journalist of the Catholic newspaper “Katalytski Vesnik” from Hlybokaye Dmitry Lupach was detained along with five other persons as suspects in a criminal case for allegedly posting an anonymous video calling for violence against law enforcement agencies in one of the Telegram chats.

Imprisonments, torture, violations of religious freedom

Several Catholic believers became political prisoners and/or were subjected to torture and inhuman treatment; their right to freedom of religion or belief was restricted and violated while in detention.

Catholic Vitaly Shatalov detained and beaten with particular cruelty for being a believer. After the beating, he was hospitalized. The police identified him as a believer by the multiple religious tattoos on his body, incl. crucifix on the back and the image of St. John Paul II on the inside of the elbow.

Another Catholic, activist of the Leeds Catholic community Vitold Ashurok, was tortured to death May 21, 2021. He died under unclear circumstances in correctional colony No. 17 in Shklov. Ashurka was tried behind closed doors and January 18, 2021 sentenced to five years in prison. His body was given to relatives, it had multiple injuries. Ashurok was arrested in 2020 with a rosary in his hand as he returned from prayer.

At the Greek Catholic Denis Ivashin, a journalist, had a heart attack in the “glass” cell in prison No. 1 in Grodno, where he was kept for the purpose of investigation.

Catholic sentenced to a strict regime colony Nikita Emelyanov faces ongoing restrictions on religious freedom in Correctional Colony No. 14 in Mogilev. He is not allowed to subscribe to the Katalitski Vesnik newspaper, and his requests for pastoral visits are denied.In October 2021, Yemelyanov was placed in a punishment cell for twenty days for allegedly violating the internal rules of the colony. He went on a hunger strike to protest the ban on priestly visits. Such a visit finally took place in early November. Yemelyanov received the sacraments of confession and communion from Bishop Alexander Yashevsky SBDHowever, the rosary donated by the bishop was immediately confiscated.

Detention, imprisonment, torture, and restrictions on the freedom of religion or belief of Catholic women are also common. With March 18, 2021 Olga Zolotar, a mother of five children and an active Catholic believer, is being held in SIZO No. 1 in Minsk. She was accused of creating an extremist group – a neighbor's Internet chat. 70 Catholic priests appealed to the Investigative Committee with a request to stop the criminal prosecution of Zolotar. Two priests, including father Alexander Famyanykh, whose parishioner was Olga, submitted guarantees to change the measure of her restraint. The trial of the believer lasted from November 15 to December 3, 2021 in the Minsk City Court. In her last speech, Zolotar stated that all her words and actions were not motivated by anything other than faith, the desire to follow the commandments of God and make the world like the Kingdom of Heaven: “All my actions and statements are determined by love for people and hatred for lies and violence” . December 3, 2021 Zolotar was sentenced to four years in a penal colony.

Olga Zolotar reported that she was subjected to torture and violence during her detention March 18, 2021 and during interrogations. Lawyer Zolotar Andrey Mochalov testified that he personally saw the signs of torture on the body of a woman: hematomas on her arms, neck and buttocks. After allegations of torture, the lawyer's license was revoked.

Zolotar asked several times for a pastoral visit, but all her requests were denied. Only on June 2, 2021, the Apostolic Nuncio in Belarus, Archbishop Ante Jozic was able to visit Zolotar in jail.

Together with other members of the Mothers in Prayer community Irena Bernatskaya, a Catholic from Lida, initiated a prayer for Belarus in the form of the Pompeian novena, a prayer on the rosary, which lasted 54 days. A prayer service was held in front of the Holy Cross Exaltation Church in Lida, Grodno region. In October, the Lida District Court found Bernatskaya guilty of violating the procedure for holding mass events and fined the believer. On March 25, 2021, Bernatskaya was accused of allegedly inciting hatred. She was detained and kept in remand prison No. 1 in Minsk. The believer asked for a pastoral visit at least twice, but all her requests were denied. On May 25, 2021, Bernatskaya was forcibly deported to Poland.

Persecution of priests and bishops

Several Catholic priests have been harassed in connection with the protests; they have been detained, tried, arrested or fined:

– Roman Catholics father Eduard Sinkevich SCJ (postavy), father Alexander Fedotov SCJ (Grodno), father Dmitry Pristupa SCJ (Lyakhovichi), Jerzy Wilk's father, father Viktor Zhuk SJ (Vitebsk);

– Greek Catholics father Igor Kondratiev (Brest), father Vitaly Bystrov (Brest), father Alexey Voronko (Vitebsk).

The most notable case of the persecution of priests is the case father Vyacheslav Bark, a parish priest from the small town of Rossony, Vitebsk region. Father Barok is a popular blogger who preaches Christian social doctrine and its relevance in everyday life, as well as discusses the socio-political crisis in Belarus in the light of the social teaching of the Catholic Church. His persecution began in November 2020, when the authorities checked the priest's YouTube channel. The investigator sent posts on Father Bark's vlog and Instagram for linguistic expertise to identify calls aimed at inciting extremism and damaging the national security of the Republic of Belarus. December 1, 2020 a process began on charges of Father Bark of violating Article 17.10 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus – propaganda and (or) public demonstration, production and (or) distribution of Nazi symbols or paraphernalia. The prosecution claimed that Father Barok committed a crime by posting on Instagram a repost of the poster “Stop Lukashism!” the work of the famous graphic artist Vladimir Tsesler. December 3 Father Barok was sentenced to 10 days of arrest. January 29, 2021 he was again summoned to the Investigative Committee and informed that nine new examinations of eight video recordings had begun.

In June 2021, Father Barok reposted on his Instagram a photo of the children with a banner “SOS! My Motherland is in big trouble!” These children are Belarusian refugees in Poland. Their parents, Antonina Konovalova and Sergei Yaroshevich, are political prisoners in Belarus. The children left the country with their grandmother to avoid being sent to an orphanage. Bark's father was called to the police. He was informed of the prosecutor's permission to search the church, the parish hall and the priest's house, and seize all equipment and media in order to disrupt the clergyman's sermon on the Internet. During interrogation, a smartphone was confiscated from Bark's father. He was also informed about an official warning issued by the prosecutor in connection with extremist materials allegedly posted on the priest's social networks. Barok's father left Belarus July 5, 2021 and now lives in Warsaw, taking care of Belarusian refugees and continuing his missionary work on the Internet.

Raising a Voice for Justice, the Rule of Law, and Human Rights: Persecution of Bishops

One of the first Catholic leaders to condemn violence and call for dialogue and justice was Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz. After his call to dialogue 11th August; appeals to the authorities to start a constructive dialogue with society, stop the violence and release all innocent citizens detained at peaceful rallies August 14; Meetings with the Minister of Internal Affairs Yuri Karaev regarding the non -restrained violence from law enforcement agencies regarding civilians, Archbishop Kondrusevich was banned from returning to Belarus from a trip to Poland. Such a ban was illegal: he violated international agreements, the Constitution and legislation of Belarus. He was aimed at intimidating the religious leader personally and the entire religious community.

4 September Lukashenko commented on the situation with Archbishop Kondrusevich. He accused him and the entire Catholic Church in Belarus of work against the state. Only after a number of diplomatic steps from the side of the Holy See, Archbishop Kondrusevich was able to return to Belarus on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2020. Almost immediately, on January 3, 2021, on the day of the 75th anniversary of Archbishop Kondrusevich, Pope Francis accepted his resignation in connection with the achievement of retirement age.

The auxiliary bishop of the Minsk-Mogilev Roman Catholic archbishop Yuri Kosobetsky was persecuted for his moral position. November 18, 2020 He, together with the press secretary of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, father Sergius Lepin, was called to the Prosecutor General. Bishop Kosobutsky and Father Lepin issued written warnings for their Facebook posts, in which both criticized the authorities for vandalism regarding the national memorial in memory of the murdered novel by Bondarenko. This was preceded by Lukashenko’s instructions to curb the activity of clergy. November 24 Lepin and Kosobetsky was again called to the Investigative Committee. They were informed that their posts on social networks are undergoing a linguistic examination. Based on the results of the examination, it will be determined whether a criminal case may be instituted.

Parishes, church organizations, liturgical life and the entire Catholic community under threat

At least three Catholic parishes experienced pressure.

Greek Catholic The arrival of the holy brothers-apostles Peter and Andrey in Brest He received a warning from the Brest Regional Executive Committee with the threat of closing the parish by court order in connection with the activities of the parish priest. August 16, 2020 Father Igor Kondratyev spoke to the thousands of protesters. He urged to free the detained and cruelly beaten demonastrists. Father Kondratyev also gave an interview in which he talked about the moral and ethical aspects of the situation in the country.

Greek Catholic The arrival of the Mother of God of the Mother of God in Ivatsevichi received an official warning in connection with the participation of a priest in unauthorized events. This followed the ten -day arrest of the convict November 30, 2020 In Brest, Father Vitaly Bystrova. Father Bystrov lives in Ivatsevichi, but does not belong to the local parish clergy.

Entrance to the Roman Catholic Church of the Saints Simon and Elena (Red Church) in Minsk was blocked August 26, 2020 during the dispersal of protesters on Independence Square. This created an obstacle to the activity of this parish community. August 31 the authorities changed the door locks of the church without the permission of the community. September 11, 2020 near the Red Church on Independence Square in Minsk, another brutal detention of women by OMON in masks took place.

With March 2021 Roman Catholic parishes across the country are subject to checks related to the start of criminal prosecution of a public organization Union of Poles. Local prosecutor's offices and departments for ideological work of local executive authorities, on behalf of the prosecutor's offices, demanded from the clergy reports, plans for catechetical training, and other information about parish activities. In an interview with the Pontifical Foundation Help the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Oleg Butkevich, head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, said that the authorities have tightened control over the activities of some priests and parishes due to the ongoing political crisis.

State bodies also took other hostile actions against the Roman Catholic community in Belarus. Back in August 2020, Catholics lost broadcast of Sunday Mass from the Roman Catholic archcathedral. This was extremely painful in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, as for many believers, radio broadcasts were the only opportunity to take part in Sunday Mass. The Belarusian national radio stopped broadcasting allegedly for technical reasons, but the malfunction was never identified. Bishop Yury Kosobutsky said that the abrupt cessation of broadcasting was aimed at intimidating the Roman Catholic Church. Broadcasts have not resumed yet.

August 7, 2021 newspaper of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee Minskaya Pravda published a cartoon of Catholic priests on its front page. On it, they were depicted with a swastika instead of pectoral crosses, one held a white-red-white Belarusian flag under his arm, singing the hymn “Mighty God”. This caricature of Catholic priests had signs of deliberately discrediting the Roman Catholic Church in Belarus, promoting a negative image of Catholic priests as “Nazis”, inciting religious hatred and discord against the Catholic clergy. Anti-Catholic propaganda is widespread in the Belarusian state media and among representatives of the Lukashenka regime. The Media IQ project, which studies state propaganda, published an analysis of anti-Catholic defamatory narratives from March to August 2021 and provided a number of such examples.

The charitable activities of the Catholic Church in Belarus are limited. In February 2021, the charitable society of the Roman Catholic Minsk-Mogilev Archdiocese Caritas was denied foreign funding to provide the poor with livestock, plant seedlings and food. To accept foreign donations, the permission of the Department for Humanitarian Affairs of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus is required. This refusal to allow foreign assistance to the Catholic organization shows signs of intimidation of the religious community by the Belarusian state authorities and obstruction of the community in the performance of its diaconal mission.

Even liturgical life is under threat. In particular, we are talking about the anthem “Mighty God”, a traditional liturgical song performed in Roman and Greek Catholic and many Orthodox parishes in Belarus and abroad. This is also the name of the church music festival in Mogilev, which attracts choirs of various Christian denominations. The text of the anthem was written by the Belarusian poetess Natalia Arsenieva in 1943. The music was written by church composer Mykola Ravensky, who was in exile after the Second World War. The anthem has become one of the most beloved songs of Belarusians scattered around the world. This is a form of prayer in which God is asked to bless people in their daily work and life and make the country and people free and happy. The anthem gained popularity during the 2020 peaceful protests. It was often performed at flash mobs in various public places.

In 2021, on Republic Day, celebrated on July 3, government authorities called on religious communities to hold a prayer service for national unity. Some congregations have been directed to do so by their bishops or local authorities. In response, the Curia of the Minsk-Mogilev Archdiocese offered to pray for unity and peace in the country, concluding the Holy Mass with the chant of “Mighty God”. The day before, Lukashenka threatened Catholics if they sang it. Because of this intimidation, for the first time since 1990, Mighty God was not performed at any of the four public Masses during the annual pilgrimage to the Mary shrine in Budslau.

Conclusion

All these cases indicate that the Catholic community of Belarus, its parishes, clergy, laity and church organizations are being subjected to attempts at control, persecution, threats, intimidation, torture, restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and other rights. Other Christian communities also experience hostility from the Belarusian regime. The Christian Vision Working Group monitors relevant cases of persecution of all Christian communities and individuals; a report on the persecution can be found in the regularly updated monitoring.