The performance has been cancelled in reaction to indignant believers’ request. The Orthodox diocese of Mahiliou named the world-famous musical «blasphemous». Now a special commission appointed by the Ministry of Culture is due to give its opinion on the relevancy of the cancellation. The commission shall ascertain if the musical does abuse religious feelings of Orthodox Christians.
«That is no news. Let us recall picketing against «Da Vinci Code» exhibition and pretermitting broadcast of NTV channel to prevent Belarusian viewers from watching Martin Scorcese’s film “The last seduction of Christ”», cultural specialist Maxim Zhbankou told Belsat TV.
According to the expert, relationship between church and state in our country is still mantained on a classical Soviet model. The Belarusian Orthodox Church has turned into a bureaucratic structure cooperating with the authorities and ensure the defence of their interests. «Church reflects the regime’s position. It also endorses no alternative view and hardly tolerates manifestations of dissent, » Mr. Zhbankou sums up.
Belsat
