Vitsebsk: Police Make Video Record of Liturgy

In the evening of 5 June a liturgy in support of the historical heritage of the city took place in Svabody Square in Vitsebsk. The mass was served by father Leanid Akalovich, priest of Belarusian autocephalous Orthodox Church. Priests of other confessions didn’t participate in the mass. However, among about 40 of the people who came to the action there were Orthodoxs, Catholic and Protestant believers.

According to the correspondent of the European Radio Yadzviha Stasheuskaya the police attentively watched the mass from the very beginning. A policeman in mufti made demonstrative videoshots and a special police car (by which detainees are usually transported) was parked at the far side of the square.

After the mass representatives of the public association Veras collected signatures under the appeal which will be directed to Vitsebsk authorities and the regional prosecutor’s office. In this appeal the people protest against any construction works on the territory where St. Michael’s Cathedral was situated. They also propose to hold there excavations under scientific supervision with the aim of future reconstruction of the temple.