His Holiness Patriarch Kirill lays a wreath to the Victory Monument in Minsk

On 20 June 2015, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited the Victory Square in the centre of the Byelorussian capital and took part in the laying a wreath-laying ceremony at the Victory Monument.

‘Memory Eternal’ was proclaimed to the soldiers who laid down their lives for the faith, the Fatherland and people and to all the innocent who had been tortured and killed. The veterans of the Great Patriotic War were present at the ceremony.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed those gathered at the square, saying in particular: ‘Dear brothers and sisters, as we celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the Great Victory, I would like to remember in prayers together with you all those who died defending the frontiers of our Fatherland, who laid down their lives for the Motherland.

‘No other part of our Fatherland had suffered catastrophic losses in those years. Byelorussia was the first to withstand the enemy’s attack and when our powerful advance to the west began, it was Byelorussia through which the main axis of attack went.

‘Today we remember all people who died – leaders, soldiers, partisans and workers of the home front who secured victory.

‘I greet the veterans most cordially. I am always happy to see you, my dear brothers and sisters. You live, and the memory is alive, the memory of people, rather than that in books and films, the memory of our resistance. Modern rather believe words, and your words spoken from the depth of your hearts are very important as they link people of today with the heroic days of the past. You can pass to the young people the feelings you experienced as you defended the Motherland.

‘As we remember all who died in the war, we beseech the Lord to grant peace to Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and all fraternal countries which had got the great victory while living in one state. May God’s blessing be with the city of Minsk and the land of Byelorussia.’

His Holiness had a warm talk with the veterans who wished him good health and strength for his primatial ministry.