A memory for Europe

These days recurs the 70th anniversary of Stalin’s tragic retaliations in Belarus which culminated in the year 1937. It was a real and true genocide which was ordained by the Soviet totalitarian regime against the elite of Belarus: men of culture and science, prelates from all confessions and patriots, but also ordinary citizens. Within 15 months, between August 1937 and December 1938, in Soviet Belarus over 10 000 people were killed. In one night only – 29-30 October 1937 – in the city of Minsk, the Nkvd officers (the secret services of the Ministry of Interiors) shot 100 people dead. In memory of this tragic anniversary the Town Committee established that October 29 2007 be the Day of Memory of Stalin’s Genocide. However, already during the entire course of the year the Christian Churches in Belarus organized a series of pastoral initiatives. The Greek Catholics commemorated the victims of Stalin’s genocide during the Annual Pilgrimage on July 15. On that occasion the Apostolic Visitor of the Belarusian Greek-Catholic Church, the Archimandrite Sergius Gajek said, “jointly with the Christians from other confessions we commemorate the victims of Stalin’s retaliations before the Lord and ask for their souls the gift of eternal sleep and for us the grace of being courageous testimonies of Resurrected Christ in Belarus”. Bishop Anton Dziemianka, apostolic administrator of the archdiocese Minsk-Maghileu, on past August 26 celebrated a Mass for the dead. On October 28 several Protestant Churches memorialized the Day of Atonement for Communist Crimes. Many Catholics from both rites (Latin and Byzantine rites) and groups of Orthodox Christians joined this initiative. The same spirit of atonement for Communist crimes and prayer for the victims marked the commemoration office celebrated in the Kurapaty woods – a place of mass burial of the victims of executions (an estimated number of 50 000-300 000 between the years 1937-1938) . Commemorations and prayers will continue in the next few days especially on November 2 which in Belarus is called Dziady , a traditional ancestor commemoration day. Also Orthodox Christians celebrate “Saint Demeter’s Saturday” – a day of prayer for the dead. A memory that crosses the borders of Belarus. A memory for Europe.