Metropolitan Pavel, Patriarchal Exarch of all Belarus, has no intention to conflict with convinced followers of Vladimir Lenin and the persons who regard Bolsheviks as saints, he told journalists on February 16.
'From my perspective, we should respect our history because the history of the Soviet state turned out to become ideology for many people. Brought up in these traditions, they hold it as something sacred. May they live by this code. We should preach the Word and teach people to love each other. I believe that the time will come when people realize that the communist slogans are going down in flames, when people realize there is no point in going the wrong road. And they will be back on the right track to have all they need for their mortal life and their souls,' he said.
The Metropolitan arrivied in Mahiliow to consecrate the newly-built church of Holy Royal Martyrs and new Martyrs and Confessors. It was erected in the vicinity of Soviet Square, where a monument to fighters for communist ideas is located. It is the committed Leninists who are to blame for shooting of the Romanov Royal family and massacre of thousands of believers.
'This Soviet Square hasn't bitten me. Why should I be wary of it?' he said.
* * *
On December, 25 Holy Synod took decision to dismiss Metropolitan Philaret (Vakhromeev) of Minsk as Metropolitan of Minsk and Patriarchal Exarch of Belarus. Metropolitan Pavel (Ponomarev) of Ryazan was appointed on this position. He has had no connection to our country before. His saying that Russian people have weapons of mass destruction and atomic bomb, and can 'open Chernobyl tap' in their struggle against Western enemies shocked Belarusian media-space.
