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| Belarusian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate | |
|---|---|
| Беларускі Экзархат Маскоўскага Патрыярхата Белорусский Экзархат Московского Патриархата | |
 | |
| Type | Exarchate |
| Classification | Eastern Orthodox |
| Orientation | Slavic 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 | |
| Headquarters | Holy Spirit Cathedral,Minsk |
| Territory |  Belarus |
| Origin | 16 October 1989[1](autonomy granted by theMoscow Patriarchate) |
| Recognition | Recognised as part of theRussian Orthodox Church |
| Members | 81% of the Belarusian Christian population, according to own claims[2] |
| Official website | church |
TheBelarusian Orthodox Church[a] (BOC;Belarusian:Беларуская праваслаўная царква,romanized: Bielaruskaja pravaslaŭnaja carkva,Russian:Белорусская православная церковь,romanized: Belorusskaya pravoslavnaya tserkov',) is the official name of theexarchate of theRussian Orthodox Church inBelarus.[3] It represents the union ofRussian Orthodox eparchies in the territory of Belarus and is the largest religious organization in the country, uniting the predominant majority of itsEastern Orthodox Christians.
BishopVienijamin (Vital Tupieka) became thePatriarchal Exarch of the Belarusian Orthodox Church in 2020.[4]
The church enjoys a much lower degree of autonomy than theUkrainian 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 theRussian Orthodox Church in 2022.
The Belarusian Orthodox Church strongly opposes the minor and largely emigration-basedBelarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
The Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC) was established on October 16, 1989 on the foundation of theMinsk Eparchy. This occurred following decisions made at the 1989 Bishop'sCouncil of theRussian Orthodox Church, which appointed MetropolitanPhilaret as the Exarch of Belarus.[5]
In 1990, Philaret and three other clergymen wereelected 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.
Between 1988 and 2003, the BOC obtained 709 buildings through thetransfer 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, whenBenjamin was appointed as the new Exarch.[13]
The Belarusian Exarchate serves as the national territorial organization of theRussian Orthodox Church. Its head, the Exarch, is elected by theHoly 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 theBishops' 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 15eparchies:
| Eparchy | Parishes | Monasteries | Priests | Deacons | Region | Year established |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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]
| 1991 | 1996 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 603 | 938 | 1,315 | 1,509 | 1,643 | 1,709 | 1,737 |
| No. | Portrait | Primate | Term | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
| 1 |  | 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 |  | Paul Georgiy Vasilevich Ponomaryov (born 1951)[12] | 25 December 2013 | 25 August 2020 | 6 years and 8 months | |
| 3 |  | Benjamin Vital Ivanavič Tupieka (born 1968)[13] | 25 August 2020 | Incumbent | 5 years, 3 months and 1 day | First ethnically Belarusian exarch |
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 2017Pew 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 byChatham House, the Orthodox Church ranked among the most trusted institutions in Belarus.[42]
| 2003[43] | 2005[43] | 2007[44] | 2009[45] | 2011[46] | 2013[47] | 2015[47] | 2021[42] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64.7 | 63.4 | 68.1 | 60.6 | 63.3 | 63.0 | 65.2 | 45.4 |
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In a statement from 2023, the exiledRada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic accused the Belarusian Orthodox Church of failing to condemn violence in Belarus following the2020–2021 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 OrthodoxSt Elisabeth Convent in Minsk has been holding public events supporting theRussian invasion of Ukraine[49] and raised funds to support Russian troops.[50][51] The convent has also been involved in promotinghomophobia,[52][53] andother controversies.
Orthodox Christian believers are organised in the Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC), since 1989 an exarchate [...].
Results of the third wave of the study
Mudrov, Sergei A. (30 May 2014). "The Belarusian Orthodox Church".Eastern Christianity and Politics in the Twenty-First Century. Taylor & Francis.ISBN 9781317818663.