Protestants Pray “for Sins of Communism”

30.10.2007. Tags: religious persecution.
Source: Charter`97.

Penitence prayers “for sins of communism” were served in many protestant churches in Belarus 28-29 October, timed to the Day of commemoration of the ancestors.

Believers of the church “John the Forerunner” could watch video materials about people who had passed through Stalin’s repressions before the prayer, BelaPAN reports.

In Minsk “God's Grace” church the believers listened to the stories of people who lived through religious persecution during the years of soviet power. Pastor Vasil Malets spoke about millions of innocently killed people who were the victims of communism. He also remarked that “our land is full with the monuments to the people, who had elevated unlawfulness to the law”. In their prayer the believers were asking God that “black communist past would never appear again on Belarusian land”.

In Minsk “Jesus Christ’s Church” pastor Barys Charnahlaz pointed out during the prayer that future of the people depends on the attitude towards the past. “The church should see the people’s adversity and pay its attention not only to the problem symptoms, but also to the spiritual roots of the surrounding reality. Only the penance for the committed sins of atheism and manslaughter will help the Belarusian people to revive”, - the pastor says.