Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches in the Vatican in Minsk on 27 October, BelTA has learned. 

“I am familiar with the details of your visit. I am very glad that you remember Belarus and that you like our country, our people. All of them. Not only Catholics, Orthodox, but others as well. Even Muslims very warmly welcomed your visit. This shows that you have left a meaningful mark on Belarus during your tenure here,” the head of state said. “That's why I am genuinely happy to meet with you. I remember all our meetings, conversations, negotiations, and the commitments we are fulfilling or have already fulfilled. We will discuss those we have not yet fulfilled openly and in a friendly manner today. I am very pleased to meet and discuss all the issues that may have accumulated in our relationship.”

Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti is visiting Belarus as special envoy of Pope Leo XIV for the 100th anniversary of the Pinsk Diocese. It was founded on 25 October 1925, and is now one of the four Catholic dioceses in Belarus, encompassing the territories of Brest Oblast and Gomel Oblast.  Claudio Gugerotti served as the Apostolic Nuncio to Belarus from 2011 to 2015.

Aleksandr Lukashenko congratulated Claudio Gugerotti on his highly successful service: “I have been following your career. I am very happy for you. I think that there is a small piece of the Belarusian soul in your success,. Therefore, we welcome you here. Come visit us at any time. I don't know what kind of visa you need. You are practically one of us, a Belarusian.”

Claudio Gugerotti nevertheless confirmed that a visa is required, and the wait for it is approximately 15 days.

“We will resolve the issue so that you can come to Belarus at any time without any 15-day wait. You are not a stranger to us,” the Belarusian leader assured.

Claudio Gugerotti noted that he was very pleased that the Pope had chosen him specifically for the trip to Belarus for the festive events. “Perhaps because he knows that I like Belarus,” he said.

“We have big festivities in Pinsk, Brest, and Gomel. The meetings with people were magnificent. Because you can see that they are smiling. I feel that there is hope. There are young people. There are boys, there are children. This means they understand that the future is bright if we all work together,” Claudio Gugerotti emphasized.

Speaking about the problems in Europe and the world, the Vatican representative pointed out that certain differences should not hinder dialogue. “Dialogue is important. To look into each other's eyes, to understand that we have the same thing - a soul. Then everything is possible when you feel that you respect and love the person. The future is in our hands and the hands of God,” he stated.

“I completely agree,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

belta.by