Brest, Belarus, September 20, 2024
YouTube
The Belarusian Orthodox Church celebrated the great martyr and defender of Orthodoxy St. Athanasius of Brest this week.
On Wednesday, September 18, celebrations were held in honor of the 345th anniversary of the uncovering of his relics, the Belarusian Church reports.
In the morning, His Eminence Archbishop John of Brest led the traditional procession from the St. Simeon the Stylite Cathedral in Brest to the site of St. Athanasius’ martyrdom. Then, the Divine Liturgy at St. Athanasius Monastery was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Benjamin of Minsk together with a host of hierarchs and clerics from Belarus and Russia.
Following the service, greetings and gifts were exchanged, and Church awards were presented. Several hierarchs were presented with the Monk-Martyr Athanasius of Brest Medal, I Degree, while several priests received the II Degree.
Following a festive meal, flowers were laid at the monument to St. Athanasius at the Cathedral of St. Simeon the Stylite.
church.by
Read more about St. Athanasius of Brest, who defended Orthodoxy and resisted the Union of Brest in the 16th century, in the article, “
Holy Hieromartyr Athanasius of Brest-Litovsk, Confessor and Defender of Orthodoxy in Poland and LithuaniaAthanasius was charged with profaning the Latin Church and the Unia. When he again denounced the Unia before his interrogators, he was thrown into prison, where the Jesuits alternately threatened him with torture and cajoled him with freedom, if he would join the Uniates. The holy monk refused to renounce his faith, crying aloud, ”Anathema to the Union!”
“>Holy Hieromartyr Athanasius of Brest-Litovsk, Confessor and Defender of Orthodoxy in Poland and Lithuania.”
Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!