Lukashenko to Patriarch Kirill: not everything is calm around Belarus, but we try not to violate the Lord's commandment
The Belarusian peace-loving policy makes it possible for the republic to live more or less peacefully – as noted by President Aleksandr Lukashenko during his today’s meeting with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
The Head of State warmly thanked Patriarch Kirill for his visit to Belarus, “I am sure that you appreciate the calmness and quietness in which our country is developing. Actually, you can see how it used to be: not everything is calm around Belarus, someone is always trying to instigate something, but we try not to violate the Lord's commandment in Belarus – and therefore we manage to live more or less calmly.”
Addressing the guest, Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed, “You do not have to worry about Belarus.”
The President also spoke about his initiative to create religious centres of different faiths in the country, emphasising that the overwhelming majority of Belarusian believers are Orthodox. “We agreed to run such a centre [of Orthodoxy] in Zhirovichi, and we have done a lot there already. A year ago, we decided that we would create an Orthodox pilgrimage centre there, and a lot has been done. This land has become much more beautiful,” he said.
As noted by the Belarusian leader, other faiths will have similar centres as well. “We are implementing these initiatives, and I do not see any resentment on the part of our ‘younger brothers’: Muslims, Catholics, and Jews. They have appreciated the idea,” the Head of State added.
“That's how it should be. These are traditional religions, and in fact, no negative actions aimed at dividing the people have ever resulted from them, unlike from various kinds of sects. In their philosophy, sects are guided by the idea of division. This is dangerous for the religious life of people and the state. Traditional religions do not pursue such goals," Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia shared his vision.
