Belarusian Government Issues a Directive on Procedures for Inviting Foreign Priests

The Belarusian government has issued a directive on procedures for inviting foreigners to take part in religious activities in Belarus, RFE/RL’s Belarus Service reported on February 7.

The directive requires foreign priests or lecturers at theological schools to be approved by the commissioner for religious affairs, and requires a number of documents confirming the education and job seniority of the candidate.

Foreign priests and lecturers must also confirm their command of Belarusian or Russian, meaning that they will be allowed to conduct church services and lectures only in those languages.

The religious affairs commissioner has the right to reject the application without providing reasons. Foreign priests make up about half of Belarus’s clergy.

Source Radio Free Europe

Copyright (c) 2008. RFE/RL, Inc.

Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty,

1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Net News Publisher