Icons handed over to Khatyn church on behalf of Belarus’ President

The church on the territory of the Khatyn Memorial Complex was opened in May 2022, and it was consecrated in honour of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The icons featuring the images of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk and St. Alexander Nevsky have been handed over to the church today on behalf of President Aleksandr Lukashenko, BelTA reports.

The Khatyn temple was built just a few dozen metres away from the original church erected in a rural cemetery several centuries ago. Before laying the first stone for the foundation of the new shrine, archival documents were carefully studied.

“The Head of State resolutely instructed to restore the church according to the documents. It took us ten months to complete the work. The description of the church reads that the icons of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Nicholas were kept here. In honour of the latter, the second altar and the altar cross were consecrated. There were also many other icons, among which the most revered were the images of Alexander Nevsky and the intercessor of the Belarusian land – St. Euphrosyne,” archpriest Pavel Yatsukovich said.

Visiting the church in Khatyn this March, the Head of State promised to hand it over several icons.

“The icons will find a worthy place in our church, because these saints are especially revered by parishioners. Our church attracts many visitors, since each of the guests [to the memorial complex] comes here to pray for the dead residents of Khatyn after learning of a horrible history of the village. After praying, they leave us with peace, and a load is being taken off their souls,” Pavel Yatsukovich stressed.

photos: www.belta.by