Hrodna: 1st National TV Channel vs. Uniate Christians

02.07.2008. Tags: religious persecution.
Source: Radio Racyja.

Believers of Hrodna Greek-Catholic parish of Our Lady of Fatima have addressed the administration of the 1st National Channel of the State TV and Radion Company of Belarus with an open letter. The reason is the broadcast of the film about Brest Union in the ‘Chronicle of Times’ cycle.

‘In this film the spectators were proposed myths and ideological clichés of the Soviet times about the history of the Uniate Church and its activities. Our Greek-Catholic Church, Jesuits and the Apostolic Capital were shown as exclusively hostile to the Belarusian people. At the same time, such ambiguous movement as Cossacks and its leaders were shown in exclusively positive context, as defenders of the Belarusian people, though historians know well enough about the facts of destruction and robbery of many Belarusian cities including Zhyrovichy by Cossack troops in different periods of the Belarusian history…’ runs the letter.

The believers are of the opinion that the authors of this film undermine the religious peace in the country by setting Orthodox brothers against Greek-Catholic Christians. They especially emphasize the absurdity of broadcasting such a film during the official visit of the State secretary of Vatican, cardinal Torchisio Bertone to Belarus and expect explanations from the administration of the 1st National TV Channel.

The open letter was supported by believers of Greek-Catholic parishes of Brest, Lida and Ivatsevihy. The text of the document was also submitted to the Viacherni Hrodna and Hrodzenskaya Prauda newspapers.