Prayer for the innocent victims of the mass executions of the 30-ies of XX century. He was held on November 8 in the woods near Palai village of Viciebsk region. In the evening the youth of Viciebsk Catholic Parish of the Holy Spirit together with the ordinary of the diocese of Viciebsk Oleg Boutkevitch and several priests came to the memorial for Palai to honor the memory of those who are far from this place last found peace.

This was preceded by a mass prayer in the Church of the Holy Spirit, which was headed for. Sergey Matyushonok. The priest recalled the importance of the knowledge of its history and the memory of the innocent victims of honoring the victims of the Stalinist regime, stressing the importance of prayers for the dead. After the service, those present listened to a brief report on the impact of the October revolution for the fate of the Catholic Church in Belarus.

Father Sergei Matyushonok is one of those who are now taking care of the memorial with crosses under Palai. The priest told me that when he came to serve in Viciebsk two and a half years ago, immediately began to look for a place like this, knowing that the mass executions in 1930 took place near the big cities. "There's probably a lot of the faithful of the Catholic Church" – was sure the priest.

Also during the service in Maładečna father Sergei together with young people often come to pray for the dead, at the monument to the patriots of Belarus, and the tradition he would like to continue and in Viciebsk. "Honoring the memory of the innocent victims and pray for them – this is our Christian duty," – said the priest.

Catherine Lavrinenko, catholic.by
Photo: vitebskspring.org