In the midst of the Belarusian crisis, Archbishop of Minsk exhorts the faithful to imitate Mary

"The country will not change until people’s hearts change." With these words, Archbishop Kondrusiewicz of Minsk, the capital of Belarus, called the people to prayer.

In the face of the social and political crisis that shook Belarus after the disputed re-election of outgoing President Alexander Lukashenko in August 2020, Archbishop Kondrusiewicz, Catholic Archbishop of Minsk and Mogilev, called for prayer and the "transformation of hearts" following the example of the Virgin Mary, during the Mass at the Marian shrine in Braslaw on August 22, 2020. Despite the absence of organized pilgrimages this year due to the pandemic, many faithful came that day to this popular Marian shrine, from all corners of Belarus, to respond to his invitation.

According to the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Belarus, this shows that people come to shrines "not to break records and boast of their achievements, but to strengthen themselves spiritually and ask God, through the intercession of His saints, especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, for things that seems impossible without His help. What is impossible for men is possible for God," he said, calling for prayer and dialogue. "All we have to do is trust God completely, as Mary did," he concluded

Adapted from: Aleteia