Pray for Belarus

Belarus is one of the few European nations with no coastline and no mountains. Instead, it is filled with forests and thousands of lakes, where protected wildlife areas are inhabited by bison, beavers, and other animals. The nation is landlocked between Russia and Poland, and has been dominated by these two nations for much of its history. Both Russian and Belarusian are the official languages, and Polish architecture is found in castles, churches, and manor houses. After the 1917 Russian Revolution, Belarus became a Soviet republic in 1919 and gained independence from the USSR in 1991. Although the 1986 Chernobyl disaster occurred in Ukraine, radioactive fallout heavily affected southern Belarus.

Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated or resettled because of Chernobyl contamination, which caused major long-term health and environmental consequences. Today, parts of southern Belarus still contain radioactive contamination, and people living there have an increased risk of thyroid cancer. After the Soviet era, Belarus began allowing private business, but progress has been slow. Belarus maintains significant state ownership, particularly in major industries and much of the banking sector. Alexander Lukashenko was elected president in 1994 and has maintained power since then. The nation operates as a presidential republic, yet many report limits on freedom of speech and expression.

During the Soviet era, religion was heavily restricted and sometimes persecuted, but a 2002 law replaced Soviet legislation. The law now requires that non-traditional churches obtain registration, which is difficult for some evangelical churches. Protestant churches, specifically, are subject to close government oversight. Most Belarusians identify with the Orthodox Church, which plays a central role in the nation’s heritage. For many, however, faith is expressed primarily through traditional rituals and cultural identity rather than active practice.