After Being Exiled, The Archbishop Of Belarus Resigns To Pope Francis

Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the Head of the Catholic Church in Belarus, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz. Kondrusiewicz spent time in exile last year after angering Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Citing Reuters on Monday January 4, 2021, Kondrusiewicz turns 75 on Sunday January 3, 2021, the age at which bishops are required to submit a letter of resignation to the pope, which he then decides whether to accept. It is very unusual for the pope to accept a bishop's resignation on his 75th birthday and even more so to announce it on Sunday.

The swift resignation accepted the possibility of saving face for both sides found in negotiations between the Vatican and the Belarusian government so that Kondrusiewicz can return from exile. The news came from a diplomat in Rome.

Bishops usually remain in their duties for months and sometimes years after they have officially submitted their statement of resignation. Especially in conflict areas or in difficult positions, they often remain in charge until successors are appointed.

But the Vatican was quick to announce the resignation. The Vatican said Kazimierz Wielikosielec, an auxiliary bishop of Pinsk diocese in western Belarus, will act as Apostolic Administrator until a new archbishop is appointed in Minsk.

Clashed with the president

Previously, Kondrusiewicz had angered Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko by defending the rights of anti-government protesters. Protesters began calling for the president's resignation following a disputed election on August 9, 2020.

The archbishop was then denied entry to Belarus the same month he returned from a ceremony in neighboring Poland. This caused tension between the Church and the government. The Vatican sent a special envoy to negotiate on Kondrusiewicz's behalf, with diplomats working for nearly five months to secure the archbishop's return.

Lukashenko, who has served as president of Belarus since the position was created in 1994, stated that Kondrusiewicz may have the nationality of more than one country. Kondrusiewicz immediately denied this claim.

The archbishop returned to Belarus on December 24, when Christians were celebrating Christmas Eve. Belarusian authorities allowed her to return to the country to celebrate Christmas at Pope Francis' request.

"The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the socio-political crisis call us to return to true religiosity, which shows that we are created for something more than just taking care of worldly affairs and pleasures," Archbishop Kondrusiewicz said on December 24.

“The doors of the former Soviet Union, where militant atheism has existed for three generations, have been open to Christ. We got freedom, including religion. Unfortunately, we quickly forget that freedom is not just a gift, but also a responsibility, ”he said, according to the website of the Catholic Church in Belarus.

Belarusians are deeply committed to Orthodox Christianity. But the country has a Catholic minority who observe the Roman rites which are common in Poland or the Eastern rites found in Ukraine.