Light of Bethlehem to reach Minsk Orthodox churches on Christmas Eve
MINSK, 5 January (BelTA) – The Light of Bethlehem will be delivered to the Orthodox churches of Minsk and Minsk District on Christmas Eve. The event will make part of the International Peace Light from Bethlehem campaign, BelTA learnt from Igor Kostevich, chairman of the coordination council of the children civil organization “Belarusian Scouting Association”.
A transfer ceremony of the Light of Bethlehem to Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus will take place at the Minsk Holy Spirit Cathedral on 6 December.
The Association of the Belarusian Scouts has been traditionally invited to partake at the Peace Light from Bethlehem project. Scouts from other Belarusian towns will take the light to the local churches.
The Light of Bethlehem is a symbol of peace and good which scouts and guides are eager to bring to the believers. The geography of the campaign has been constantly expanding. In the recent years the light has reached the western regions of Russia making it way far behind Ural, going from Europe to Asia. The Peace Light from Bethlehem was originally organized in Linz, Austria, in 1986. Since then, on an annul basis, Austrian scouts have kindled a flame from the “Eternal Flame” from the Nativity Grotto in Bethlehem to distribute it among their like-minded in other countries.
