28th September, 2015
The Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church’s parish in the capital Minsk has abandoned attempts to gain state registration after US-based Archbishop Sviatoslav (Lohin) was denied entry to Belarus in late July, according to Forum 18 News Service.
Fr Leonid Akalovich told the news service that the ban was the first to be placed on a pastoral visit by the archbishop to the parish in Belarus. He said while the church would like to have legal status and had been planning to apply again for state registration this year, the incident with Archbishop Sviatoslav now meant "it makes no sense".
Without registration, the church has to keep a low profile, as under the country’s Religion Law any exercise of the right to freedom of religion or belief without state approval is illegal.
The Minsk parish of the Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church – which is independent of the Russian Orthodox Church – was most recently denied state registration in 2011. Forum 18 said officials had refused to explain why they denied the church registration and gave "spurious reasons" – including that the church is allegedly new although its current statute was drafted in 1927.
Archbishop Sviatoslav, a Ukrainian citizen who serves in the United States, was denied entry to Belarus on 31st July. The archbishop – who had been visiting his mother in Ukraine – was responding to a request for a pastoral visit by church members in Belarus.
"We don’t know the reasons for the denial, as the archbishop usually comes to see us every year without any problems," Fr Akalovich told Forum 18. "They put a stamp in his passport which makes his denial official. We are outraged, as were members of his New York parish." Fr Akalovich believes that as the church has not been allowed to have legal status, officials will ignore any complaints they may make.
– DAVID ADAMS (with Forum 18 News Service)
