Lukashenko on church education: secular schools sometimes lack its good level of upbringing
On meeting the members of the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, President Aleksandr Lukashenko expressed support for church education, BelTA reports
The Head of State was asked to assist in repossessing the building adjoining the Vitebsk eparchy that had earlier been owned by the church – as Metropoitan Veniamin explains, ‘so that one part of the building could be used by the Vitebsk seminary, and the second one as a spiritual and educational centre, so that people come here, and appropriate events are held’. He stressed that was the main question and request, and Aleksandr Lukashenko responded, “This issue is not new. The talk is about a school or a gymnasium, and I remember that. I am generally a supporter of education, especially church education. It is very strong. I have always supported and will continue to support this, since this education is very good. Moreover, in addition to education, there is also good upbringing there – something our secular schools sometimes lack.”
The Head of State stressed that using the building is the key point. He noted that there are many inactive churches in the country, “There are no crowds of people there, as it was before. I think of how to make people go there, how to inspire us to go to them. This is the point. We have a problem, and we should not hide it. We need to more actively work over this issue.”
