A round table dedicated to the memory of the Vitebsk Uprising of 1623 was held at VSU
This November marks the 400th anniversary of the uprising. It was triggered by the actions of the Uniate (Greek Catholic) Archbishop Josaphat Kuntsevich, who imposed Uniatism through harsh methods. He attempted to force Orthodox priests and their parishioners to convert to the new faith, closed churches, and transferred their property to his denomination. However, the residents of Vitebsk were unwilling to tolerate coercion. They stood up to defend their familiar values and the right to determine their own lives on their native land. The people brutally dealt with Kuntsevich: his body was thrown from the Prechistenskaya (Uspenskaya) Hill, then taken by boat out of the city and drowned.
A heavy price had to be paid for this. A commissarial court, appointed by royal charter, found all citizens of Vitebsk guilty. The city lost its Magdeburg rights, its town hall, and its exemption from duties. Many were sentenced to death. Furthermore, the court ordered a large bell to be cast in memory of the incident, with an inscription explaining the punishment, and to be given to the church near which the archbishop was killed. Other churches were not allowed to have bells without special permission from the metropolitan. It was decreed that the Assumption Cathedral should be rebuilt at the expense of the townspeople, and the servants of the murdered archbishop were to be compensated for their lost property.
Vadim Gigin, Director General of the National Library of Belarus, Chairman of the Board of the Belarusian Society "Knowledge" Public Association, shared his views on past events, their significance for the Vitebsk region and Belarus as a whole. Recalling what happened and why in Vitebsk 400 years ago, he emphasized:
- The struggle for Orthodoxy became a symbol of the struggle for Belarusian nationality.
- It is necessary not only to study the history of our native land in detail, but also to use this knowledge in work and life. We have a legitimate right to be proud of our ancestors, - Alexander Subbotin summed up.