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"After the Fact: Lukashenko’s Decisions"
Belarus is a multi-ethnic and multi-faith country. Orthodoxy is the most widespread religion in our state. Cathedrals, churches, monasteries are not only important places for believers. They are unique specimens of architecture and artistic styles. The Holy Dormition Monastery in Zhirovichi and the Savior–St. Euphrosyne Convent in Polotsk have been in the center of attention in recent years. In this episode of BelTA’s YouTube project “After the Fact: Lukashenko’s Decisions” we will take you to the Orthodox pilgrimage center in Belarus. We will tell you what monastery Lukashenko described as “an amazing place”. What are the secrets of the 12th century frescoes?
What did Lukashenko instruct to do in the Zhirovichi monastery?
This year marks the 505th anniversary of the Holy Dormition Stavropegic Monastery in Zhirovichi and the 555th anniversary of the discovery of the miracle-working Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God. The president congratulated Belarusians on these significant dates. He noted that “millions of people get hope by touching the relic and are spiritually enriched by visiting the monastery.” This year, Belarus President's Fund for Support of Culture and Arts has earmarked Br6 million on arts and culture projects. Some of this sum will be used to finance the restoration of the iconostasis in the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the monastery. It was made in 1676. The monastery has acquired new looks in recent years. This is the fruit of labor of builders, the clergy and the state.
“The church is a spiritual pillar of society. Spirituality helps people to find the right approaches to dealing with difficulties. To live with hope and confidence and love their neighbor and the stranger. And to understand that everything in this world passes away. Faith, hope, love and the Gospel commandments are essential for a fulfilling life today,” Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, said.
There is a theological seminary on the grounds of the monastery. Visiting Zhirovichi in 2021, Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized the need to create comfortable conditions for seminarians.
“We need to see what more we can do for seminarians. Future clergymen are not only the pillar of the Orthodox Church but also an important rock in the foundation of the Belarusian statehood. We should provide them with good training and living conditions here,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said back then.
Why did Lukashenko propose to set up centers of attraction of believers?
Metropolitan Filaret was buried behind the Holy Cross Church. He headed the Belarusian Orthodox Church for more than twenty years. Due to his efforts, monasteries and convents reopened throughout the country.
“This is the resting place of Metropolitan Filaret who served Belarus faithfully and sincerely. A wise spiritual mentor. I think that he looks at us from above and approves of our plans. We need to join efforts with the Orthodox Church and other participants in the inter-faith dialogue in order to save our centuries-old traditions; we should not let them vanish. We know where this leads,” the president said during his visit to the monastery in Zhirovichi.
Independent Belarus has always been a place where everyone has the right to profess any religion they want. The president has always favored a dialogue between the state and the church. And this year he suggested setting up spiritual centers for believers of various religious denominations.
“I am not saying that the state will do all the work, but we are ready to play the leading role in this and help create such centers in the next five years,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the meeting with representatives of various religious denominations in February 2025.
He announced plans to go to Zhirovichi in the summer to see what was done there together with the Orthodox Church. “The Catholic Church, Muslims, Jews and others should follow suit, if they want. And we will mobilize people. Therefore, think about this proposal, it would be a good outcome of our conversation,” the president said.
Key spiritual centers in Belarus
In fact, the Zhirovichi Monastery has already become such a center. This is evidenced, among other things, by the number of pilgrims who came to celebrate the dates that are cherished by this place of worship.
“We have done a lot there. A year ago I was there, and the Metropolitan and I decided that we would set up an Orthodox pilgrimage center there. We have done a lot,” the head of state said during his recent meeting with Patriarch Kirill.
“It's a gem,” the Metropolitan confirmed.
Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that not only the Zhirovichi monastery, but also the entire community saw remarkable transformations: “The community, first and foremost. Not just the monastery, the church, but all the lands around it. We gave them to the Metropolitan to cultivate with the people of the monastery.”
Another significant spiritual center is the St. Euphrosyne Convent in Polotsk. In 2007, Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in the celebrations to mark the consecration of the recreated reliquary for the holy relics of Euphrosyne of Polotsk. Some 120 kg of silver was allocated for this from the State Fund of Precious Metals and Precious Stones.
“Euphrosyne of Polotsk is a true beacon of spirituality. She devoted her life to serving God and her homeland. She taught people to value and respect literature and books, and ordered to build the Transfiguration Church, an amazing architectural specimen whose walls still echo with the sound of her footsteps,” the president said in 2007 during the celebrations to mark the consecration of the recreated reliquary for the holy relics of Euphrosyne of Polotsk. “All her activities were closely associated with Polotsk, the cradle of the Belarusian nation. Its core. Here, on Polotsk soil, we become particularly aware of the importance of preserving the heritage of our ancestors and multiplying their good traditions.
According to Metropolitan Veniamin, the president drew attention to the condition of the Polotsk convent when he visited it for the first time. The head of state gave the appropriate instructions. “The frescoes were restored, the architectural structures were updated so that the temple would be preserved for many years and would delight visitors, would be a testimony to antiquity, Orthodoxy and how Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk cared for the preservation of faith and piety in our Belarusian lands,” the patriarchal exarch emphasized.
What was special about the restoration of the ancient shrine in Polotsk?
In 2020, the Transfiguration Church was still undergoing restoration. First, Belarusian specialists spent more than a decade restoring the ancient frescoes that cover almost 90% of the church. Then they asked their Russian colleagues for help.
This year, the convent celebrated its 900th anniversary. A few months earlier, the Transfiguration Church reopened its doors to pilgrims and tourists after restoration.
“For every believer, this is a true feeling of reverence. This is a touch with the history of previous generations because the venerable Euphrosyne supervised the construction and decoration of the church. There is a strong belief that many of the inscriptions on the scrolls depicted on the icons are words written by Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk. She did not leave us her written instructions or commandments, as is often the case with holy ascetics, but she immortalized her words and thoughts in images on the walls of the church,” Metropolitan Veniamin said.
A special technology made it possible to preserve both the 12th-century frescoes and the later paintings. The restorers carried out hard and complex work. According to Sergei Lalazarov, Head of the restoration project, architect, restorer (Saint Petersburg), such a large project involving the dismantling of old paintings, wall cleaning, and uncovering frescoes has never been done on this scale before.
“There is no precedent for this in global restoration practice. Moscow specialists proposed this method, and it was successfully implemented. But they needed additional help due to the massive scope of work. A Belarusian team joined them, and the Moscow specialists taught them how to use the technique, then they worked together. The Belarusian restorers have mastered this technology that was originally developed by the Moscow specialists,” Sergei Lalazarov noted.
The ancient temple surprised the restorers, presenting them with unexpected discoveries. The specialists made many significant findings.
“Each year brought something new and truly incredible. In the altar, we found remnants of the high place and the synthronon, extremely rare items. A glass floor has already been installed there. At the moment, it is covered with carpets, but when they are removed, it will be visible from the choir. Men will sometimes be able to visit and see it, and during services, priests will also be able to open the floor. This is important because conducting services surrounded by historical interior elements connects them to past generations of priests who served in this temple. And our services remain unchanged: they are the same as they have always been. This continuity is deeply significant,” Sergei Lalazarov added.
How many sisters live and work in the Polotsk convent?
Euphrosyne of Polotsk is a spiritual symbol of the nation and the patron saint of Belarus. Thousands of pilgrims come to venerate her relics. She is revered as a miracle worker.
“Once Father Ephraim from the Vatopedi Monastery [an Eastern Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos, Greece] visited us. He later told us that when he entered the church and approached the relics [of Euphrosyne of Polotsk], he saw a mist: a real mist of divine grace. He then prayed to God, asking why He has bestowed such grace upon Saint Euphrosyne. And God revealed to him that she loved God with a fiery passion and was deeply courageous. She bravely fought against sin, always acting as was right and proper, knowing God’s law and understanding how to act in a way that pleases Him,” said Abbess Yevdokiya, Head of the Savior–St. Euphrosyne Convent in Polotsk.
About a hundred sisters live, pray, and work in the Polotsk convent. Each has her own obedience.
“A nun is a person with a big heart, and their wealth is on the inside. Their most important purpose in life is to achieve union with God through prayer and obedience,” believes Nun Justina, resident of the Savior–St. Euphrosyne Convent in Polotsk.
Not everyone, even a strong believer, is capable of leaving the world behind and moving to a monastery or a convent. Only those who do pray for our lives and for the country. They also honor the saints who once made significant contributions to Belarus.
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