MOSCOW — Protestant leaders in the Belarus capital of Minsk are hoping that an unprecedented mass prayer rally will put a stop to what they see as a campaign of harassment across the former Soviet country, a leading Pentecostal activist said July 17. The rally was attended in rainy weather by 5,000 mostly charismatic Christians.
The two-hour prayer service included readings from a public appeal to Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus’ hard-line president sometimes described as Europe’s last dictator. Demonstrators complained of how the government impedes home prayer meetings, outdoor baptisms and the acquiring of property to build new churches.
Of particular concern to Protestants and members of other religious minorities is a new school textbook used throughout the country of 10 million for a mandatory course called “Man, Society, Government.” The book’s authors warn that many Christian faiths — except the Orthodox and Catholics — produce fanatics who can destabilize society.
While Protestant groups have earlier taken their complaints to court, this prayer service was the first large-scale show of strength and solidarity.
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