Protestants start fasting to defend their rights

Today Belarusian Protestants start a three-day fasting. After it, on June 17, a nation-wide prayer is to start. The aim of the action is to attract attention to violations of rights of religious minorities by the government.

Recently relations between the regime and Protestant churches have become more difficult: more than two dozens of priests, foreign citizens, have been deported from Belarus. 3 Protestant churches have been liquidated. Three times priests were imprisoned for holding services in their own houses. An administrator of the church “New Life” Vasil Yurevich was fined for about 5,000 Euro. On June 3 Minsk Penticostal Church in Gurski Street, several thousands believers signed an address to the President and decided to embark on a fasting and nation-wide prayer.

“We have written many times, applied to the authorities, as there are discrepancies in the law. The law bans any religious events in dwelling houses, without a special permission, and we have 197 houses where services are taking place. At any moment these pastors can be arrested. We shall pray to God to protect us, as we had no reply to our written appeals to authorities,” a deputy bishop of the United Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith Syarhei Tsvor told Radio Svaboda.

Believers rely only on God. They will pray in their parishes. However, a 3-day fast would precede the prayer. Syarhei Tsvor says:

“We will not eat; we shall fast for three days. It’s a Biblical principle. When no our steps have results, a man stands before God. It’s inner humbleness, when a man turns to God, surrendering everybody. We shall not eat and drink. We shall plea to God, we shall pray to Lord to protect us. We believe in the power of prayer”.

Vyachaslau Hancharenka (Vyacheslav Goncharenko), bishop of the Full Gospel Union and pastor of the Minsk-based New Life Church, has informed that his church is sure to support initiators of the fasting and nation-wide prayer, the Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith:

“Their union of churches is the largest, and they have announced a 3-day fast and a prayer for changes in the religious situation in Belarus. And we are joining them as their brothers and sisters”.