17th Century Monastery and Church to be Destroyed in Minsk (Photo) :: Charter'97 :: News

For more than 15 years Catholics of Minsk are trying to get back St. Joseph church and a monastery which had been taken from the believers in 1863. These buildings are monuments of architecture of the 17th century. An archive of literature and arts of Belarus was placed there in Soviet time. Military commandant’s office was placed in the buildings of the monastery. The plan of reconstruction of the complex includes a full reconstruction of the monument of the 17th century as a hotel complex which is to consist from restaurants, underground parking, a pool and other entertainment spots. The repossession of the buildings by its legal owner, the Catholic church, or cultural and historical meaning of the buildings are not mentioned.

Every day at 6.20 p.m. prayer services are held on the steps of the former St. Joseph’s church (Cyril and Methodius Street, 4). They pray for the complex to be given to the Roman Catholic community.

We offer to your attention pictures from the web page http://help.ratz.ru created to defend the church from reconstruction. Modern state of the monastery’s interior is depicted there.