"For the fourth month, believers, and there are more than 10,000 of them in the parish, have been deprived of their church, and the children have been deprived of the opportunity to attend Sunday school," the letter to the minister says.

- As you know from the media, the fire occurred in the annex (office) and affected only an area of ​​20 square meters.

There is conflicting information about the cause of the fire incident."

In 2002–2009,

was a permanent representative at the UN branch and other international organizations in Geneva, ambassador to the Apostolic See and the Order of Malta.

Later, holding other positions, he retained the functions of the head of the diplomatic mission in the Vatican.

"You have represented Belarus in the Vatican for many years, and like no one else you know the spiritual and peace-making direction of the Apostolic See's activities, which is carried out in all the churches of the world, as well as in the church of Saint Simon and Saint Helena, which you yourself visited," - emphasized in the address committee.

• The Red Church is closed for repairs after a fire that happened on the night of September 26, 2022.

  Property on an area of ​​about 20 square meters was damaged.

  m, people were not hurt.

  The authorities closed the building until the fire-damaged communications are restored and "results of instrumental research of building structures are obtained."

• On October 6, the authorities canceled the contract of free use of the church building.

  On October 14, it became known that the authorities forbade parishes to hold services in the rectory, and on November 9 - in separate premises and the church yard.

• On December 1, the Curia of the Minsk-Mohilyu Archdiocese appointed Reverend

  Yury Sanko

  as the administrator of the parish in matters of repair and restoration, Reverend Vladislaus Zavalnyuk remained the parish priest.

  The community of the parish of St.

  Simon and Elena were temporarily assigned to the arch-cathedral church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

• The Red Church has the status of historical and cultural value of Belarus and officially belongs to the state.

  In 2013, it was transferred to the ownership of Minsk.

  Parish of St.

  Simona and Elena occupied the church building and the priest's house on the basis of a contract for free use concluded with the Minsk Heritage enterprise.

• A few years ago, the city authorities announced that the parish had accumulated significant debt for land tax, real estate tax and depreciation.

  According to the information of the "Christian Vision" initiative, after the incident the parish was forced to repay the debt - as one of the conditions for resuming the operation of the church.