Belarusian bishops ask Lukashenka to make November 1 a day off
Photo: Tadeush Kandrusevich, catholic.by
Catholic bishops of Belarus have supported the idea of making the day of commemoration of the dead a day off. The issue was discussed at a plenary session of the episcopate on November 21, the official website of the Belarusian Catholic Church reports.
Archbishop Tadeush Kandrusevich has sent the corresponding letter to Alyaksandr Lukashenka on behalf of the Episcopal conference.
November 1 is a day off in many countries, the archbishop noted. Catholics mark the All Saints Day and visit cemeteries to commemorate the dead on this day.
November 1 is a day off in Catholic countries and in the states where both Protestants and Catholics live.
"We mark the All Saints Day on November 1. If it becomes a day off, it will be a good chance to pray both in church and in cemeteries. Furthermore, it will balance the number of Orthodox and Catholic holidays since Orthodox Christians have a day off on Radunitsa,” metropolitan Tadeush Kandruseich thinks.
Autumn Dzyady and spring orthodox Radunitsa used to be a day off in Belarus at the beginning of the 1990s. However, the authorities cancelled the Catholic holiday and left only the Orthodox one later.
