Orthodox Metropolitan Pavel: No need to be at feud with die-hard communists


Metropolitan Pavel, Patriarchal Exarch of all Belarus, has no intention to conflict with convinced followers of Vladimir Lenin and the persons who regard Bolsheviks as saints, he told journalists on February 16.

‘From my perspective, we should respect our history because the history of the Soviet state became ideology for many people. Brought up in these traditions, they hold it as something sacred. May they live by this code. We should preach the Word and teach people to love each other. I believe that the time will come when people realize that the communist slogans are going down in flames, when people realize there is no point in going the wrong road. And they will be back on the right track to have all they need for their mortal lives and their souls,’ he said.The Metropolitan arrived in Mogilev to consecrate the newly-built church of Holy Royal Martyrs and new Martyrs and Confessors. It was erected in the vicinity of Soviet Square, where a monument to fighters for communist ideals is located. It is the committed Leninists who are to blame for the shooting of the Romanov Royal family and massacre of thousands of believers.’This Soviet Square hasn’t bitten me. Why should I be wary of it?’ he said.

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On December, 25 Holy Synod dismissed Metropolitan Philaret (Vakhromeev) of Minsk as Metropolitan of Minsk and Patriarchal Exarch of Belarus. Metropolitan Pavel (Ponomarev) of Ryazan was appointed to this position. He had no previous connection to our country. He once shocked Belarusian media-space by saying that Russia has weapons of mass destruction and atomic bombs, and can ‘open Chernobyl tap’ in their struggle against Western enemies.

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