On November 28, 2024 in Minsk solemnly opened the X Belarusian Christmas readings «80th anniversary of the Great Victory: memory and spiritual experience of generations. On the 25th anniversary of the Union State».
The work of the readings was preceded by Divine Liturgy in the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God «Joy of All Who Sorrow» Minsk. After the service the awarding of the winners of the republican contests «Library — the center of spiritual enlightenment and education» and «Light of Mercy» named after Archpriest Kirill Sholkov took place.
In the afternoon in the atrium of the National Library of Belarus a prayer service was held before the beginning of any good deed, after which the awarding ceremony of the winners of the Republican Literary Contest «Book to me —Book in me». An exhibition of postal miniatures «Belarus Orthodox», an exposition «Social and educational activities of the Center for Support of Family, Motherhood and Childhood "Pokrova"», books of Orthodox publishing houses were demonstrated.
The plenary session was attended by bishops and clergymen, representatives of state authorities, cultural figures, scientists, heads and teachers of educational institutions.
The plenary session was attended by bishops and clergymen, representatives of state authorities, cultural figures, scientists, heads and teachers of educational institutions, Sunday school teachers, students and others and invited guests.
After the common prayer, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl Veniamin made a welcoming speech, in which he noted that there is a deep meaning in the connection of the dates, to which the forum is dedicated. «For our peoples, the events of the Great Patriotic War are associated not only with terrible trials and hardships, they became a time of great rise of the national spirit and great feats. And today, when the world is again on the threshold of great upheavals, it is more relevant than ever to remember, and in some places to assess the lessons of the Great Victory in a new way. Without diminishing the military, political, economic and personal components, it is important to look into the depth of historical processes, to comprehend the spiritual side of those events. The Primate of the Belarusian Orthodox Church said.
In his speech, His Eminence drew attention to the fact that the people, despite the years of persecution against the Church, have not become strangers to God and have wholeheartedly responded to the call «Brothers and sisters!» and the proclamation of Patriarchal Primate Metropolitan Sergius to unite before the merciless enemy who came to our land. This is evidenced by the mass heroism and sacrifice of the soldiers, the deeds of those who worked in the rear without sparing themselves.Metropolitan Veniamin noted that Christians should not be lonely, atomized and disunited, which, unfortunately, the modern world calls us to do.
In his speech, the archpastor emphasized that it is important not only to deeply comprehend the lessons of the Great Victory. They should become the heritage of our society, especially the younger generation. This should be done, among other things, through educational forums, educational activities, filling the information space with new good and useful content, expanding the existing positive content. experience», — said Vladyka Exarch.
As a good example of educational work, His Eminence cited the documentary film «For the flock and the Fatherland» which became a continuation of the joint project of the Belarusian Orthodox Church and the Belarusian Telegraph Agency called «Warriors of the Spirit» dedicated to the feat of clergy and parishioners of the Orthodox Church during the Great Patriotic War. A joint program with the Belarusian Peace Foundation and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus on preserving the memory of the prisoners of Nazi concentration camps during the Great Patriotic War was also initiated. The museum and the crypt of the Minsk church-monument in honor of All Saints and in memory of the victims who served to save our Fatherland became one of the important places where the evidence of the feat of our people, as well as the earth from the battlefields, in which the natives of the Belarusian lands took part, were collected.
«I would like to emphasize once again the special importance of our joint practical activity today, when for the whole world there is a difficult time of crisis, time of trial and testing. In such times it is determined what is true and lasting, and what is false and empty. And God help us, with humble attention to evaluate the past and the present, looking into the future, Let us remember the Great Victory, which was brought to the world by previous generations, and always remain worthy successors of their great works and feats, their spiritual precepts, — the Patriarchal Exarch exhorted.Let us keep the memory of the soldiers who fell during the Great Patriotic War, their holy predecessors, so that by the prayers of the Most Holy Mother of God and all the saints the Lord may protect our land, so that we may live on it in peace, harmony and in all piety and purity.
Afterwards, the greetings of the Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, Natalia Kochanova, were read out by the Deputy Chairman, Sergei Khomenko. Greetings by Chairman of the National Assembly of the House of Representatives Igor Sergienko were read out by Valery Malashko, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Health Care, Physical Culture, Family and Youth Policy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus. The greeting of Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko was read by Information Minister Marat Markov. Further welcoming speeches were delivered by Alexander Rumak, Commissioner for Religious and Ethnic Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Natalia Pavlyuchenko, Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Vadim Gigin, Director General of the National Library of the Republic of Belarus, Deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, and other guests of honor.
The meeting was also addressed by: Maria Zakharova, Director of the Department of Information and Press of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, with a report «Common memory of generations as a spiritual foundation of the Union State»; Igor Buzovsky, Rector of the Academy of Management under the President of the Republic of Belarus, with a report «Spiritual experience of Belarusians in the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war years» Chairman of the Synodal Department of the Belarusian Orthodox Church for Cooperation with Secular Educational Institutions Archpriest Feodor Povny with a report «God's Will and Human Will in the Dialectics of War and Life: Spiritual lessons of the Great Victory».
In the days of the readings, which will last until December 21, breakout sessions, conferences, round tables and other events will be held at various venues of the capital. С программой можно ознакомиться по ссылке.
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