Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya expressed her gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch for the Belarusian parish of the Constantinople Patriarchate in Vilnius. She emphasised that the church holds special significance for Belarusians, particularly for those who, due to difficult circumstances, are forced to live in exile.

Tsikhanouskaya conveyed this message in a letter delivered to Patriarch Bartholomew by her diplomatic adviser, Denis Kuchynski, during his visit to Vilnius, according to Belsat.

Denis Kuchynski also presented the Patriarch with a special gift, a Slutsk sash, one of the symbols of Belarus, its history, and the heritage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The sash was embroidered specifically for this meeting.

Kuchynski described the meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew as a great honour and joy. According to him, the visit became an important symbol of support for Belarusian Orthodox believers of the Constantinople Patriarchate and for the Belarusian community in Vilnius. He stressed that for believers it carries particular significance and is perceived as a symbol of freedom.

The Belarusian Orthodox parish in Vilnius was established in 2023. This became possible after the Constantinople Patriarchate began forming its own ecclesiastical structure in Lithuania, separate from the Russian Orthodox Church. The process unfolded against the backdrop of a conflict between the Moscow Patriarchate and a group of Lithuanian clergy who opposed the war in Ukraine.

As a result, space emerged in Lithuania for Orthodox communities outside the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, including the Belarusian parish established by clergy and believers who found themselves in exile. In total, the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Lithuania unites ten parishes, four of which are located in Vilnius.

As LF previously reported, on Sunday, 7 June, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I introduced his new Exarch in Lithuania, Bishop Panaretos, to the faithful during a service in Vilnius. In his sermon, the Ecumenical Patriarch noted that Bishop Panaretos is assuming a difficult and significant ministry, tirelessly caring for the needs of Orthodox Christians and providing them with spiritual nourishment.