By Kostas Onisenko
The Church of Belarus, of the Moscow Patriarchate, has issued a statement urging the people to be prudent and not to participate in the political developments in the country of the last two weeks, after the presidential election.
Although the announcement is written in a moderate style, and tries to keep equal distances, it seems that it is trying to prevent the citizens from mobilizing, taking the side of the controversial President Alexander Lukashenko.
After all, the Church of Belarus, like the Moscow Patriarchate, hurried to congratulate Lukashenko from the first hours after the elections, essentially recognizing the result of the elections.
“We, once more, remind the priests of the promise they have made before God, not to participate in the political life of society, so as not to become a temptation and an object of division among the people,” the statement said.
Elsewhere it is emphasized that “in regard to participation in social life and in matters of personal expression, we ask every person to show prudence and contemplation, so that our faith, our trust in God and the ecclesiastical symbols are not used by anyone for the attainment of political or other earthly purposes, far removed from the high spiritual and moral values which the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Church teach us.”
The statement concluded: “Protect yourself and the people who are important to you, do not succumb to provocations, wicked appeals and promises, but in any case act in accordance with the moral law of the Gospel and the law of Belarus.”