BOC Synod сalls to stop confrontation in Belarus

Synod of the BOC. Photo: church.by

On August 15, 2020, the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church published an address to the people of the Republic of Belarus to end the popular confrontation. The document was published on the BOC website.

“If we all together do not stop the confrontation today, we will drive the country to irreversible destructive consequences. Each of us is now obliged to give an honest and reasonable answer to the questions: ‘Why is this happening?’ and ‘What do we need to do to bring peace and harmony back to our home?’ Vehemently condemning violence, torture, humiliation, groundless detention, extremism in all its forms and manifestations, lies and treachery, we exhort everyone, for whom our homeland, children, relatives and friends are dear, to halt and end the confrontation,” the document says.

The hierarchy of the BOC emphasizes: “Here – in our native land – we will continue to live, raise children, and create the future. We are the people of God and citizens of our earthly Fatherland – the Republic of Belarus. We are one family. May God forbid that sinful passions enslave us and turn us into a cruel and blind crowd capable of destroying their Father's house."

“Belarus is a peaceful country. All of us, who live on this blessed earth, must show prudence, unity, nobility, mercy, rationality, genuine Christian love for each other and responsibility for our actions. Only with God's help and in striving for peace and harmony will we be able to cope with the test, which has befallen us, and overcome the current antagonism.

We call on everyone to forgive each other's grievances and unite in love for God and neighbor in order to preserve their native Belarus and pass it on to subsequent generations as a peaceful, independent and prosperous country. We have no other way to choose.

We urge provocateurs and instigators to come to their senses and stop provocations aimed at destabilizing our country and dividing our people,” the BOC stated.

“The Orthodox Church has always been and will be with the people. We are called to do our best so that everyone who suffers is comforted, and everyone who seeks the truth is heard.

At the same time, the Orthodox Church has always been and will be outside politics. We do not divide people according to party lines or political preferences, nor we get engaged in propaganda in favor of any political parties and leaders, doctrines and regimes. The Church is tasked to unite people, rather than divide them, and to become ‘all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some’ (1 Cor. 9:22), to which the Apostle Paul calls us.

We call on the clergy, monastics and all caring people to prayer for the people and homeland,” the address concludes.

As reported by the UOJ, earlier the Head of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslawye, exhorted the Belarusians to prudence, peace, possible dialogue and harmony.

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