Cardinal Bertone to Visit Belarus

Human rights groups have called the "Law on Religions" the most repressive law in Europe concerning religious freedom.

VATICAN CITY (Zenit) - The Pope's secretary of state will visit Belarus this month, with plans to visit the dioceses of Minsk, Pinsk and Grodno.

A Vatican communiqué release today reported that Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone will make an official visit to Belarus from June 18 to June 22.

"During his stay," added the statement, "Cardinal Bertone will encounter members of the government, preside at liturgical celebrations and other moments of prayer in the Archdiocese of Minsk-Mohilev, and in the dioceses of Pinsk and Grodno, and meet with members of the Belarusian Catholic episcopal conference."

Last week Benedict XVI received in audience Sergei Aleinik the new ambassador of Belarus to the Holy See. In his address delivered in written form, the Pope said he was "appreciative of the many encouraging signs and challenges that are present in the country today."

Regarding the role of the Catholic Church in the country, the Pope said it "looks forward to continuing to exercise its role in society through its various structures and institutions," which "seek only to serve men and women and all of society through the transmission of universal values inspired by the Gospel."

He said the Church "does not ask for special privileges," but rather the "freedom to be able to fulfill serenely the mandate received from the divine founder in service of his creation."

Religious freedom

The Church in Belarus has been affected in recent years by the law on religions, approved in 2002 by President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Human rights groups have called it the most repressive law in Europe on religious freedom.

The law prohibits activities of religious associations that are not registered with government authorities, and provides for the censure of religious literature.

In September 2007, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Kosinets told Belarus' religious leaders that the Catholic Church should end the use of foreign clergy over the next few years.

"We are in favor of religious personnel in our republic being natives of Belarus," he said at a roundtable discussion. "People may not conduct religious activity if they do not know either Belarusian or Russian, or the mindset and customs of Belarus."

While no official action has been taken to expel priests, the vice premier suggested that "there should be a substitution of foreign religious personnel by natives of Belarus in the course of the next seven years."

Of the roughly 350 Catholic priests in the country, the majority are foreign, and almost all of those are Polish.