Festival of Christmas songs and Catholic Olympiad. Bishop Oleg Butkevich spoke about the celebration of Catholic Christmas in the Vitebsk region
This year, the head of the Vitebsk Catholic Diocese will lead the Holy Mass in the Church of St. Barbara, from where the regional television will broadcast live. The service begins on December 24 at 9:30 PM. Festive services will be held in all churches of the region.
From Catholic to Orthodox Christmas, Days of Christian Culture will be held in the Vitebsk region, within the framework of which exhibitions of children's creativity will be opened, and competitions of batleykas and Christmas carols will be organized.
Among the main events of the past year, Oleg Butkevich mentioned visits to parishes, conversations with believers that left indelible impressions, the conference of bishops of Belarus held for the first time in Vitebsk, and meetings with Pope Francis.
In the coming year, Catholics of the region will celebrate three important dates: the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Vitebsk Diocese, blessed by Pope John Paul II, the 10th anniversary of the consecration of the Cathedral of Jesus the Merciful in the regional center, and the 10th anniversary of the crowning of the icon of the Mother of God "Our Lady of the Lakes" in Braslav.
In 2019, it is planned to open a new church in Beshenkovichi, the foundation of a church is being laid in Postavy, and design work is underway for the construction of a Catholic church in the Bilevo microdistrict.
The bishop shared the progress on the restoration of the Church of St. Anthony in the historical part of Vitebsk. This year, archaeological research was carried out at the site of the church, during which the foundation was partially uncovered. The issue of land allocation has not yet been finally resolved, which is why pre-project work and the start of fundraising are being delayed.
Oleg Butkevich spoke about some events that will take place in the new year and will be aimed at the spiritual development of believers. In particular, they are dedicated to Catholic martyrs from Rositsa, Verkhnedvinsk district, and Berezvechye, Glubokoye district. The practice of pilgrimage to holy places will continue.
In 2019, a competition for knowledge of the Holy Scripture will be organized for the first time in the Vitebsk region – something like a Catholic Olympiad.
In 2019, a competition for knowledge of the Holy Scripture will be organized for the first time in the Vitebsk region – something like a Catholic Olympiad, in which children from all parishes will take part. The results of the intellectual tournament will be announced on the eve of Easter.
In the last days of December, emphasized the head of the Catholic diocese, lonely people, disabled people, and, of course, children will be surrounded by special attention. The feast of the Nativity of Christ comes into every home and fills people's hearts with joy and love.