The authorities of Belarus have refused to grant permission for the continued ministry of five Catholic priests and one monk of the Minsk-Mahilyow Archdiocese who hold Polish citizenship.

This was reported by the publication Christian Vision.

According to the outlet, the following clergy members were forced to leave their congregations: the parish priest of Saint Alexius Parish in Ivyanets, Lech Bahanek, the dean of the Stowbtsy Deanery and parish priest of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Nalibaki, Marian Shershen, the dean of the Myadel Deanery and parish priest of Saint Nicholas Parish, Bohuslav Madzeyeuski, the parish priest of Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish in Narach, Pavel Lyalita, the parish priest of Saint Francis Parish in Salihorsk, Sobeslav Tamala, and Capuchin brother Wojciech Wrublewski, who served during the past year at Saint Casimir Parish in Maladzyechna.

All of them have worked in Belarus for many years. One of them, Father Lech Bahanek, has served there for more than 25 years. He arrived in Ivyanets in 2000 and since then has implemented numerous youth projects, including the creation of the “Music Workshop.”

Father Lech’s ministry permit was not renewed 10 years ago, in 2016. However, following public attention, the authorities reversed the decision and issued a new permit.

As LF previously reported, three Catholic priests who are Polish citizens and had served in Belarus for many years were forced to leave the country. The authorities refused to extend their permits for further ministry. All of them served in the Vitebsk Diocese.

LF also reported that Catholic priest Anatoliy Parakhnevich, parish priest in Alkovichy of the Vileyka District, was detained.

Earlier, state propaganda media mentioned the priest in a negative context after his participation in a reception marking Poland’s Constitution Day held at the Embassy of Ukraine in Minsk, attempting to portray it as something suspicious.

It later became known that Anatoliy Parakhnevich had suffered a heart attack. The 65-year-old cleric remains in a detention center in serious condition. According to what is known among Belarusian believers, Parakhnevich is accused of “treason against the state.” No specific information about the charges has been disclosed. It is believed that the priest is being held in a KGB pre-trial detention facility.

Earlier in Belarus, a Catholic priest and two evangelical presbyters were detained.

As LF reported, two Polish Catholic priests who had served for many years in the Brest Region were forced to leave Belarus.

LF also reported that in Belarus, by decision of the KGB, the property of Catholic priest Henrikh Akalatovich is being seized and sold. The clergyman was convicted of “treason against the state” and released two years later following a petition by the Holy See.

As is known, in the Brest Region the authorities liquidated all parishes of the Greek Catholic Church. The court ruling referred to an alleged “threat to national interests.”

Earlier we reported that in Belarus, after re-registration under new legislation, the number of religious communities declined. In the Mahilyow Region, half of the Catholic parishes ceased operations after re-registration. In the Vitebsk Region, 85 Roman Catholic communities remained instead of the previous 94, and in the Brest Region, 60 instead of 66.

As LF reported, the authorities did not permit former rector of the Catholic parish of the Red Church in Minsk, Father Uladzislau Zavalski, to conduct a service at the sarcophagus of the church founder Edward Vaynilovich.