Relations between the state and the Catholic church are good, said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko as he met with Papal Legate, Cardinal Jozef Tomko on 8 October. According to Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus tries to build good relations with the Catholic church.
“I don’t remember that we have ever had any contradictions between confessions or between the state and confessions. We try to keep peace because this is what the stability of the state relies on. Well-being and prosperity are impossible without stability. It is the meaning of our entire policy and relations of our leadership, the government, including relations with the Catholic church,” he stressed.
The Belarus President assured the Papal Legate that the Catholic church should not worry about its standing in Belarus.
“My policy towards the Catholic church is absolutely sincere,” he said.
Alexander Lukashenko was thankful to Pope Benedict XVI for sending its closest ally to Belarus.
“I hope you will leave with good impressions about our country and our people. I would like to wish prosperity to your church and no problems that we don’t have now in relations with the Catholic church because hundreds of thousands of our compatriots are Catholic,” said Alexander Lukashenko.
The head of state remarked that in the former USSR Belarus is second to Lithuania only in the number of Catholic believers.
“Our Catholics are very principled, honest and very religious people. The government and I have to take it into account”.
Alexander Lukashenko told Jozef Tomko: “I would like to tell my good, I hope, friend, Pope Benedict XVI that I vividly remember our meeting and our talk. All the gifts from Pope Benedict XVI are in the most vivid spot and whoever enters my home sees these gifts”.
In turn, the Papal Legate extended the best wishes of the Pope to the Belarus president and the entire Belarusian nation.
“I feel that I have arrived in a beautiful family,” he said.
The Cardinal remarked that he had a very good reason to visit Belarus – the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the consecration of the Minsk Cathedral of Virgin Mary.
The event is scheduled for 9 October.
“I am very pleased to be here as a special representative of the Pope,” he said.
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