BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

04/01/2010

Priests forced from Belarus

Two Polish priests have been forced to leave Belarus after authorities refused to extend their work permits.

Every year the Belorussian authorities expel several Polish priests from the country citing their inability to say mass in the Belorussian language as the reason behind the expulsion.

There are currently four hundred priests working in the country, but only half of them being Polish. In the majority of local churches mass is said in both Polish and Belorussian.

"It is a big problem for us because we are not able to educate such a vast number of Belorussian clergymen" said Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, the Minsk metropolita.

In a similar case in 2008, two Polish priests were expelled from Belarus after their work permits had been denied despite interventions of both their congregations and local bishops.

Belorussian officials advise the expelled priests to reapply for the permits, but this time on the territory of Poland. (di)

Source:

http://www.thenews.pl/international/artykul123055_priests-forced-from-belarus.html


Partners:
Face.by Social Network
Face.by