Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s diplomatic adviser Dzianis Kuchynski delivered a letter from the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during his visit to Vilnius. He told Belsat TV about the meeting.
According to Kuchynski, in the letter Tsikhanouskaya expressed gratitude for the Belarusian parish of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Vilnius and stressed its special importance for Belarusians forced to live in exile. Kuchynski also presented the patriarch with a special gift — a Slutsk sash embroidered by a craftsperson from Warsaw specifically for the occasion.
“This is the second time I have spoken personally with His All-Holiness. The first was during the funeral of Pope Francis. We also know that Belarusian Christian activists maintain contact with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and, I believe, directly with the patriarch,” he said.
He noted that such visits by the patriarch are rare and can therefore be regarded as a historic event. According to him, the visit will help Belarusian believers feel more confident because they have their own parish and community.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Vilnius on June 6 for a two-day visit. The central event of the trip was the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Trinity on June 7, which the patriarch led together with the recently appointed Exarch of Lithuania. Following the service, Bartholomew met with worshippers and took part in a communal meal.
