MINSK, 14 March (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko expressed his support for church education as he met with members of the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, BelTA has learned.
A request was made for assistance with repossessing the building that adjoins the Vitebsk eparchy and had been previously owned by the church.
Metropolitan Veniamin explained: “We would like the Vitebsk seminary to use part of the building and use the other part as a spiritual and enlightenment center. So that people could attend the relevant events over there. It is our question and request.”
In response the head of state said: “It is not a new question. We are talking about a school or a gymnasium. I remember it. On the whole, I am in favor of education. Particularly church education. It is very potent. I have always supported it and will continue supporting it. Because it is very good education. There is also good nurture in addition to education. Our temporal schools sometimes lack it.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that using the building is the key. He noted that there are plenty of inactive temples in the country: “They don’t attract crowds of people like they did in the past. I think about ways of making people come to you and making you come to the people. About ways to bring people to the temple. It is the question. It is a problem. Let’s not hide it. It is necessary to work harder on it.”
