State appreciates role of church in preserving religious tolerance in society
27.03.2009 15:00
MINSK, March 27 (BelTA) – The state appreciates the role of the Belarusian Orthodox Church in maintaining religious tolerance, peace and accord between people of various faiths, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with members of the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.
According to Alexander Lukashenko, the high authority and many-sided constructive activity of the Belarusian Orthodox Church have always served as an important factor in preserving the stability on the Belarusian land.
The President of Belarus called last year’s meeting in Minsk with Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexi II a momentous event in the development of state-church relations. “We will always remember him as a good and most decent friend and mentor, whose wisdom and authority were a reliable spiritual support for us,” the head of state said.
Alexander Lukashenko expressed the confidence that good relations with the Russian Orthodox Church will become even stronger during the service of the recently elected Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill. There are all prerequisites for that, the President believes.
The head of state drew attention to the great contribution of the Belarusian Orthodox Church to strengthening the moral values, reviving the spirituality, preserving historical traditions of the people. The Church does not fence itself off today’s problems. It always raises important social issues.
Last year a range of important problems was solved jointly with the Belarusian Orthodox Church. For example a set of measures was taken to prevent pseudo-religious and occult ideas and teachings. On the initiative of the church and with effective assistance of the state Orthodox sacred places are brought back to life, new temples are constructed. The new temple-monument in honour of All Saints will become the national landmark and memorial, the President believes. In this connection, the head of state warned against incomplete constructions in the country.
Speaking about today’s difficult economic conditions, Alexander Lukashenko said that the state and church have the same positions on the crisis. Alexander Lukashenko believes that the crisis is rooted in the consciousness, moral standards of the whole world rather than in economy and finance. “This is a psychological, moral crisis rather than economic and financial one,” the Belarusian leader said.
State appreciates role of church in preserving religious tolerance in society