Believers of Belarus demand exemption from pilgrimage fees

In our country, pilgrimages were equated to mass events.

More than 70 Greek Catholics signed an appeal to Lukashenka administration and to the Commissioner for Religions and Nationalities Leanid Huliaka to modify the Council of Ministers' resolution № 49. According to this resolution, pilgrimages are equated to mass events, and believers have to pay for police protection, housing and communal services and medical services. The sums are so large that this year the Vitsebsk Greek Catholics had to cancel the pilgrimage from Vitsebsk to Polatsk and the believers had to go there in a private manner, as Radio Racyja reports.

In Polatsk, a joint appeal to the state structures was drawn up, it has already been sent to the addressees. The first answer should come to the Vitsebsk parish in the name of priest Dmitri Grishano.

- We will learn to exist in these new conditions in order to fulfill our legitimate religious rights. Although, maybe somebody does not like it. It is according to our religious tradition to go on pilgrimage. It is an ancient tradition, we do not demand anything like that. We do not go with any slogans. It is just our faith that demands it - making pilgrimages.

According to Mikalai Sharakha, a believer from the Polatsk parish, other regions have decided to support the initiative as well, where signatures are still being collected for appeals, and therefore there will be several appeals. The problem affected all Greek Catholic parishes practicing local pilgrimages. The responsible structures should answer whether it is legal to take money from parishioners for religious needs and whether pilgrimages must be included in the programs of state activities in order to remain free of charge.