Belarusian Orthodox Church

Short description: Church in Belarus under jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church

Belarusian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate

Беларускі Экзархат Маскоўскага Патрыярхата
Белорусский Экзархат Московского Патриархата

The Holy Spirit Cathedral in Minsk

Type| Exarchate
Classification| Christian
Orientation| Eastern Orthodox
Scripture| Septuagint, New Testament
Theology| Eastern Orthodox theology
Polity| Episcopal
Metropolitan| Benjamin Tupieka
Bishops| 17 (2024)
Parishes| 1,737 (2024)
Priests| 1,676 (2019)
Dioceses| 15 (2024)
Monasteries| 36 (2024)
Language|

* Church Slavonic
* Russian
* Belarusian

Headquarters| Holy Spirit Cathedral, Minsk
Territory|  Belarus
Origin| 16 October 1989[1] (autonomy granted by the Moscow Patriarchate)
Recognition| Recognised as part of the Russian Orthodox Church
Members| 81% of the Belarusian Christian population, according to own claims[2]
Official website| church.by

The Belarusian Orthodox Church[lower-alpha 1] (BOC; Belarusian: Беларуская праваслаўная царква, romanized: Biełaruskaja pravasłaŭnaja carkva, Russian: Белорусская православная церковь, romanized: Belorusskaya pravoslavnaya tserkov',) is the official name of the exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belarus.[3] It represents the union of Russian Orthodox eparchies in the territory of Belarus and is the largest religious organization in the country, uniting the predominant majority of its Eastern Orthodox Christians.

Bishop Vienijamin (Vital Tupieka) became the Patriarchal Exarch of the Belarusian Orthodox Church in 2020.[4]

The church enjoys a much lower degree of autonomy than the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which received a tomos of independence and self-governance from the Patriarch of Moscow in 1990, and declared its own full autonomy and independence from the Russian Orthodox Church in 2022.

The Belarusian Orthodox Church strongly opposes the minor and largely emigration-based Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Structure
* 3 Exarchs
* 4 Polling
* 5 Criticism and controversies
* 6 See also
* 7 Notes
* 8 References
* 8.1 Bibliography
* 9 External links

## History

The Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC) was established on October 16, 1989, on the foundation of the Minsk Eparchy. This occurred following decisions made at the 1989 Bishop's Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, which appointed Metropolitan Philaret as the Exarch of Belarus.[5]

In 1990, Philaret and three other clergymen were elected to the Supreme Soviet, serving until 1995. Following the conclusion of their terms and a request from the Synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church for clergy to refrain from seeking election, no priests or hierarchs ran for public office.[6]

Upon Belarus's declaration of independence on August 25, 1991, and its subsequent recognition by more than 50 states by late December, Metropolitan Philaret commented:[7]

“  | The independent Republic of Belarus has been revived! Its national symbols are restored, its spiritual values and cultural achievements are seen. It means that people did not lose their faith in God and their love for their Motherland.  | ”

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|

Between 1988 and 2003, the BOC obtained 709 buildings through the transfer of former Soviet property to the Church.[8]

The Orthodox Church's prominent role in Belarus was formally recognized in the 2002 Law on Religion, which acknowledged the "determining role of the Orthodox Church in... development of... state traditions of the Belarusian people." This recognition was further solidified when the Church and the Belarusian state signed a cooperation agreement in 2003.[9]

The BOC's lobbying efforts during the 2000s, targeting issues like abortions, religious teachings in schools, and the recognition of theological degrees by the Ministry of Education, met with mixed results. While they did not fully succeed, parents were granted the option of choosing elective courses on religious education. In 2011, the Ministry of Education prohibited the display of religious symbols in educational institutions.[10]

The BOC reiterated its ban on political activity by its clergy in 2011.[11] A new Exarch, Paul, was appointed in 2013. Less than a year later, in 2014, he oversaw the creation of four new eparchies.[12] Paul served until 2020, when Benjamin was appointed as the new Exarch.[13]

## Structure

The Belarusian Exarchate serves as the national territorial organization of the Russian Orthodox Church. Its head, the Exarch, is elected by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Exarch proposes the appointment of bishops, which requires approval of the Holy Synod, and the establishment of new eparchies, which requires approval of the Bishops' Council.[14]

As of 2024, the Belarusian Orthodox Church includes 1,737 Orthodox parishes, organized into 15 eparchies. It also oversees 6 theological educational institutions, 36 monasteries, 15 brotherhoods, 9 sisterhoods, and 1 mission. In terms of places of worship, 1,878 Orthodox churches are active, with another 147 currently under construction.[15] The BOC's episcopate includes 17 bishops, of whom one is retired and two are Vicar Bishops. Metropolitan Benjamin oversees two eparchies.[16]

As of 2020, the Belarusian Orthodox Church was organized into 15 eparchies:

Structure of the BOC in 2020  Eparchy | Parishes | Monasteries | Priests | Deacons | Region | Year established

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Turov[17] | 77 | 2 | 76 | 5 | Gomel | 1992
Slutsk[18] | 105 | 1 | 75 | 6 | Minsk | 2014
Polotsk[19] | 111 | 2 | 56 | 5 | Vitebsk | 1992
Pinsk[20] | 183 | 1 | 184 | 7 | Brest | 1989
Novogrudok[21] | 59 | 3 | 70 | 6 | Grodno | 1992
Molodechno[22] | 117 | 0 | 76 | 4 | Minsk | 2014
Mogilev[23] | 80 | 2 | 77 | 8 | Mogilev | 1989
Minsk[24] | 96 | 5 | 237 | 52 | City of Minsk | 1793
Lida[25] | 46 | 0 | 39 | 1 | Minsk | 2014
Grodno[26] | 103 | 0 | 120 | 9 | Grodno | 1992
Gomel[27] | 159 | 4 | 175 | 16 | Gomel | 1990
Vitebsk[28] | 185 | 6 | 150 | 47 | Vitebsk | 1992
Brest[29] | 203 | 4 | 210 | 20 | Brest | 1990
Borisov[30] | 120 | 3 | 101 | 9 | Minsk | 2014
Bobruisk[31] | 58 | 2 | 55 | 5 | Mogilev | 2004
Total | 1702 | 35 | 1701 | 200 |  |

Belarusian law establishes three tiers for registered religious groups. A religious community needs at least 20 adults from the same or adjacent areas. Religious associations require at least 10 communities, one of which must have been active for 20 years. National religious associations are recognized if they encompass active communities in at least four of Belarus's six oblasts.[32]

Number of the BOC religious communities over time[33][34][32] 1991 | 1996 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2024

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603 | 938 | 1,315 | 1,509 | 1,643 | 1,709 | 1,737

## Exarchs

No.  | Portrait  | Primate  | Term  | Notes

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|
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Took office  | Left office  | Duration
1  | 100px  | Philaret
Kirill Varfolomeyevich Vakhromeyev
(1935-2021)[5] | 16 October 1989  | 25 December 2013  | 24 years, 2 months and 9 days  | Hero of Belarus (2006)
2  | 100px  | Paul
Georgiy Vasilevich Ponomaryov
(born 1951)[12] | 25 December 2013  | 25 August 2020  | 6 years and 8 months  |
3  | 100px  | Benjamin
Vital Ivanavič Tupieka
(born 1968)[13] | 25 August 2020  | Incumbent  | 5 years, 8 months and 13 days  | First ethnically Belarusian exarch

## Polling

The percentage of the population identifying as Orthodox in Belarus rose from 22%[35] in 1989 to 43.5% in 1993, then continued to increase to 67.4% in 2002 and 78.8% in 2010.[36]

In 2010 8.2% of Orthodox attended Church weekly compared to 34.9% of Catholics in Belarus and 63.6% of Protestants.[37]

According to a 2017 Pew Research, 73% of Belarus's population identifies as Orthodox, and 71% express pride in their religious identity.[38] Among Orthodox adherents, 17% consider religion very important in their lives, 12% attend church weekly, 22% pray daily, and 88% believe in God.[39]

On the role of religion in public life, 44% support public funding for churches. While 42% believe the government should promote religious values, 50% disagree with this stance.[40] Only 45% of Belarusians deem religion important for their national identity, the lowest among surveyed countries, compared to 57% in Russia and 64% in Poland.[41]

According to a 2021 poll supported by Chatham House, the Orthodox Church ranked among the most trusted institutions in Belarus.[42]

Public trust in the Orthodox Church  2003[43] | 2005[43] | 2007[44] | 2009[45] | 2011[46] | 2013[47] | 2015[47] | 2021[42]

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64.7 | 63.4 | 68.1 | 60.6 | 63.3 | 63.0 | 65.2 | 45.4

## Criticism and controversies

This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (August 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

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In a statement from 2023, the exiled Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic accused the Belarusian Orthodox Church of failing to condemn violence in Belarus following the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests and of interfering in the affairs of other Christian churches and thereby being "the main source of inter-religious tension in Belarus".[48] The Rada characterised the church as "a Russian colonial institution" and "one of the ideological pillars of A. Lukashenka's regime".[48][non-primary source needed]

In 2022 and 2023, the Orthodox St Elisabeth Convent in Minsk has been holding public events supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine[49] and raised funds to support Russian troops.[50][51] The convent has also been involved in promoting homophobia,[52][53] and other controversies.

## See also

* Religion in Belarus
* Catholic Church in Belarus
* Belarusian Evangelical Reformed Church
* Freedom of religion in Belarus

## Notes

1. ↑ Officially known as Byelorussian Orthodox Church.[1]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Устав Республиканского религиозного объединения "Белорусская Православная Церковь" "Белорусский Экзархат Московского Патриархата"" (in ru). http://exarchate.by/resource/Dir0009/Dir0048/Page0055.html.
2. ↑ "Белорусский экзархат - 30 лет истории / Интервью / Патриархия.ru". http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5579955.html.
3. ↑ Zaprudnik, Jan (27 August 2003). "Belarus: in search of national identity between 1986 and 2000". in Korosteleva, Elena; Lawson, Colin; Marsh, Rosalind. Contemporary Belarus: Between Democracy and Dictatorship. London: Routledge. 2003. p. 119. ISBN 9781135789480. https://books.google.com/books?id=S1SRAgAAQBAJ. Retrieved 2 June 2021. "Orthodox Christian believers are organised in the Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC), since 1989 an exarchate [...]."
4. ↑ ВЕНИАМИН, МИТРОПОЛИТ МИНСКИЙ И ЗАСЛАВСКИЙ, ПАТРИАРШИЙ ЭКЗАРХ ВСЕЯ БЕЛАРУСИ \- "Решением Священного Синода от 25 августа 2020 г. (журнал № 46) назначен Патриаршим Экзархом всея Беларуси, митрополитом Минским и Заславским, с сохранением временного управления Борисовской епархией.
Возведен в сан митрополита Святейшим Патриархом Московским и всея Руси Кириллом 6 сентября 2020 г. за Божественной литургией в кафедральном соборном Храме Христа Спасителя в городе Москве."
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Путь служения. Биография митрополита Филарета (Вахромеева)" (in ru). http://church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/put-sluzhenija.
6. ↑ Mudrov 2014, pp. 344–345.
7. ↑ Mudrov 2014, p. 339.
8. ↑ "Annual Report on International Religious Freedom 2005". April 2006. p. 278. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CPRT-109JPRT23762/pdf/CPRT-109JPRT23762.pdf.
9. ↑ Mudrov 2014, p. 340.
10. ↑ Mudrov 2014, pp. 342–343, 346.
11. ↑ "Практика заявлений и действий иерархов, духовенства, монашествующих и мирян во время предвыборных кампаний. Проблема выдвижения духовенством своих кандидатур на выборах" (in ru). http://church.by/docs/praktika-zajavlenij-i-dejstvij-ierarhov-duhovenstva-monashestvujushih-i-mirjan-vo-vremja-predvybornyh-kampanij-problema-vydvizhenija-duhovenstvom-svoih-kandidatur-na-vyborah.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Митрополит Минский и Заславский Павел, Патриарший Экзарх всея Беларуси" (in ru). http://church.by/mitropolit-pavel/mitropolit-minskij-i-sluckij-pavel-patriarshij-ekzarh-vseja-belarusi.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Вениамин, Митрополит Минский и Заславский, Патриарший Экзарх всея Беларуси" (in ru). http://www.church.by/sinod/veniamin-episkop-borisovskij-vikarij-minskoj-eparhii.
14. ↑ "Устав Русской Православной Церкви" (in ru). http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/133136.html.
15. ↑ "Информация о конфессиональной ситуации в Республике Беларусь" (in ru). https://belarus21.by/Articles/1439296790.
16. ↑ "Члены Синода" (in ru). http://church.by/ru/sinod.
17. ↑ "Туровское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/turovskaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
18. ↑ "Слуцкое епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/sluckoe-eparhialnoe-upravlenie.
19. ↑ "Полоцкое епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/polockaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
20. ↑ "Пинское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/pinskaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
21. ↑ "Новогрудское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/novogrudskaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
22. ↑ "Молодечненское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/molodechnenskaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
23. ↑ "Могилевское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/mogilevskaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
24. ↑ "Епархия сегодня" (in ru). http://www.pravminsk.by/eparchiya/eparhiya.
25. ↑ "Лидское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/lidskoe-eparhialnoe-upravlenie.
26. ↑ "Гродненская епархия" (in ru). http://church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/grodnenskaja-eparhija.
27. ↑ "Гомельская епархия" (in ru). http://church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/gomelskaja-eparhija.
28. ↑ "Витебское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/vitebskaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
29. ↑ "Брестское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/brestskaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
30. ↑ "Борисовское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://www.church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/borisovskoe-eparhialnoe-upravlenie.
31. ↑ "Бобруйское епархиальное управление" (in ru). http://church.by/belorusskiy-ekzarhat/bobrujskaja-eparhija-upravlenie.
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Belarus". https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/belarus/.
33. ↑ "Сведения о количественном росте религиозных общин в Республике Беларусь (1988-01.01.2012 гг.)". Archived from the original on 2012-12-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20121206195101/http://www.belarus21.by/dfiles/000379_43038_Prilozhenie_5_rost_obschin_na_1012012.doc.
34. ↑ "Belarus 2015 International Religious Freedom Report". https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/256379.pdf.
35. ↑ Bekus, Nelly (24 August 2021). "Restorative Justice and Orthodox Church in Belarus". Churches, Memory and Justice in Post-Communism. Springer International Publishing. p. 250. ISBN 9783030560638. https://www.google.com.ua/books/edition/Churches_Memory_and_Justice_in_Post_Comm/JE8_EAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=defined+themselves+as+athe-++ists,+while+22+percent+claimed+to+be+believers&pg=PA250&printsec=frontcover. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
36. ↑ "Чей ветер сильнее?" (in ru). 2012. https://www.old.iiseps.org/09-12-07.html.
37. ↑ "Религиозность и мораль белорусов" (in ru). 2010. https://www.old.iiseps.org/09-10-10.html.
38. ↑ "Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe 1. Religious affiliation". 10 May 2017. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/05/10/religious-affiliation/.
39. ↑ "Orthodox Christianity in the 21st Century 2. Orthodox Christians are highly religious in Ethiopia, much less so in former Soviet Union". 8 November 2017. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/11/08/orthodox-christians-are-highly-religious-in-ethiopia-much-less-so-in-former-soviet-union/.
40. ↑ "Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe 4. Views on religion and politics". 10 May 2017. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/05/10/views-on-religion-and-politics/.
41. ↑ "Many Central and Eastern Europeans see link between religion and national identity". 3 November 2017. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/11/03/many-central-and-eastern-europeans-see-link-between-religion-and-national-identity/.
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 "Belarusians’ views on the political crisis" (in ru). 24 March 2022. https://belaruspolls.org/wave1-5. "Results of the third wave of the study"
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 "Доверие гражданскому обществу снижается" (in ru). http://www.old.iiseps.org/6-06-7.html.
44. ↑ "Между церковью и партией" (in ru). 2008. https://www.old.iiseps.org/6-08-12.html.
45. ↑ "Доверяем, но не надеемся" (in ru). 2009. https://www.old.iiseps.org/06-09-01.html.
46. ↑ "Президент "меньшинства"" (in ru). 2011. http://old.iiseps.org/06-11-05.html.
47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 "Он выдвигет лозунги без конкретных действий" (in ru). 2015. https://www.old.iiseps.org/12-15-07.html.
48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IS THE MAIN SOURCE OF INTERRELIGIOUS TENSION IN BELARUS - STATEMENT OF BNR RADA \- BNR Rada official website, 7 July 2023
49. ↑ У Свята-Елізавецінскім манастыры правялі Z-канцэрт. На сцэне былі партрэты «Матаролы», Захарчанкі, Пушыліна [A Z-concert held in the St Elisabeth Convent. Portraits of Motorola, Zakharchenko and Pushilin were on the stage] - Nasha Niva, 18 June 2023
50. ↑ У Польшчы працягваецца збор галасоў супраць гандлю менскага Свята-Елізавецінскага манастыра [Signatures are being collected in Poland against St Elisabeth Convent participation in trade fairs] - Radio Racyja
51. ↑ «Хрысьціянская візія»: З красавіка Сьвята-Лізавецінскі манастыр мог паўдзельнічаць у набыцьці 7 аўтамабіляў для расейскіх вайскоўцаў [St Elisabeth Convent may possibly participated in acquiring seven vehicles for Russian troops] - Radio Svaboda, 16 August 2023
52. ↑ Galkovskaya, Anna (10 March 2020). ""Гэта крык сэрца і душы бацькоў". Подведены итоги сбора подписей против ЛГБТ-пропаганды" (in ru). Пролайф Беларусь. https://www.pro-life.by/antisemejnye-tehnologii/gjeta-kryk-sjerca-i-dushy-backo-podvedeny-itogi-sbora-podpisej-protiv-lgbt-propagandy/.
53. ↑ Vaitovich, Maryia (27 March 2020). "Over 52K signatures under controversial appeal for 'LGBT propaganda ban'" (in en). https://euroradio.fm/en/over-52k-signatures-under-controversial-appeal-banning-lgbt-propaganda.

### Bibliography

Mudrov, Sergei A. (30 May 2014). "The Belarusian Orthodox Church". Eastern Christianity and Politics in the Twenty-First Century. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781317818663. https://www.google.com.ua/books/edition/Eastern_Christianity_and_Politics_in_the/zt2vAwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0.

## External links

* Official website
* The Growing Power Of The Belarusian Orthodox Church - Belarus Photo Digest

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