It seems that the religious conflict that erupted in the agrocity of Belavezhski in Brest region is over. The local authorities decided not to demolish the Catholic cross and leave it in the same place where it is now.
Local Catholics appealed to the authorities to put up a cross in the village, but for a long time did not receive a response. As a result, they put up a cross themselves without permission from the authorities at the entrance to the Belavezha, near the Orthodox cross. The local Orthodox priest and some church goers did not like this at all. The future if the Catholic cross was decided on a special meeting of the Belavezhski inhabitants. Some even demanded to demolish the Catholic cross. After much debate, representatives of the Catholic church left the hall. They intentionally did not respond to the harsh statements of some representatives of the Orthodox side. Thus the decision about the future of the Catholic cross was assumed by the secular authorities.
On June 17, the priest Andrei Barodzich received a reply from the Kamenets rayon Executive Committee signed by the head of the Executive Committee Andrei Pisaryk.
“As a result of voting on the installation of roadside Catholic cross in the agrocity of Belavezhski during a meeting of the citizens of the village, the majority of citizens (actually about 40 people from 2.5 thousand residents of Belavezhski voted- Ed.) voted against the installation. However, taking into account the wishes of the inhabitants of the Roman Catholic worship, it was decided not to dismantle the cross,” said the letter.
“Parishioners are very happy that the issue was decided in such a positive way, and so am I. I believe that a great outcry, which was seen in the independent media, was very helpful, and it will allow people who were hiding their Catholic faith, to be more confident. This persecution will give them strength to defend their religion,” said the priest Andrei Barodzich thanking Belsat.
Alyaksandr Liauchuk, belsat.eu/en/
