Religious Tourism in Belarus

Brest Region

Brest is home to one of the largest Orthodox temples in Belarus – the Brest Holy Resurrection Cathedral. The cathedral was built in the 1990s. Visitors come here to venerate the relics of the great martyr Panteleimon the Healer and the righteous John of Korma, as well as the holy images of the Virgin and Seraphim of Sarov.

Other notable religious sites in the Brest Region include:

• The St. Barbara Women's Monastery in Pinsk.
• The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Pruzhany, where the original icon of the Pruzhany Mother of God is kept, as well as part of the relics of Alexander Nevsky.
• The St. Simeon Cathedral in Brest, which houses important Orthodox relics: a copy of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, and icons with the relics of great saints and martyrs.

Vitebsk Region

Polotsk in the Vitebsk region has a concentration of religious shrines. The famous enlightener Euphrosyne of Polotsk, the granddaughter of Prince Vseslav the Sorcerer, lived here, leaving a rich historical and cultural heritage. In Polotsk, you will find:

• Sophia Cathedral, built in the XI century. It has been preserved in a renovated and restored form. Now, festivals and concerts of organ music take place here, tourists visit the cathedral to see the preserved frescoes, paintings, stucco decorations, and other elements of religious art. Every year in early June, festive services are held in the cathedral in memory of E. Polotsk.

  

• Savior-Euphrosyne Monastery - founded by E. Polotsk in the early XII century. The relics of Euphrosyne of Polotsk are kept in the monastery, drawing pilgrims who want to venerate the Christian saint.
• Holy Epiphany Cathedral - a monument to Baroque architecture of the XVIII century. Here services are held, prayers are said, and religious holidays are celebrated.

What other religious attractions might interest a tourist:

• The Assumption Cathedral in Vitebsk - an architectural monument of Vilnius Baroque, which was destroyed in Soviet times, then rebuilt anew.
• The active Holy Assumption Women's Monastery in Orsha, founded in the early XVII century.
• The Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Virgin, located in Glubokoe.
• The neo-Gothic Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Miory.

Grodno Region

One of the oldest religious buildings in Belarus, the Boris and Gleb Church, also known as Kalozha, is located in Grodno. It was built in the XII century and to this day serves as an active religious object. Here, not only are liturgies and religious rituals conducted, but also tours for visitors.

Other active cult buildings in the Grodno region:

• The Trinity Church - an Orthodox church located near the Mir Castle.
• St. Michael's Church in Lida, which throughout history belonged to both Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
• The Catholic Church of John the Baptist in Golshany - a former Franciscan abbey.
• The male monastery in Zhirovichi - services, Orthodox festivals, cultural events, and celebrations dedicated to the icon of the Zhirovichi Mother of God are held on the monastery's premises.

Gomel Region

The Gomel region is rich in Orthodox monuments, with Catholic shrines also present. Among the significant objects, we note:

• The Cathedral of Peter and Paul in the very center of Gomel, which is part of the palace-park ensemble.

  

• The Holy Spring of Paraskeva-Friday, located in the Vetka district. According to legend, an image of the venerated martyr was once found in this place.
• The Mozyr Cathedral - an Orthodox cathedral, originally built as a church.
• The women's John-Korma monastery in Korma, which keeps the relics of the righteous man after whom the monastery is named. The inhabitants of the monastery fulfill their duties, patronize the local hospital and welcome pilgrims. There is a spring with healing water on the territory of the monastery.
• The Holy Trinity Church in Rechitsa - a neo-Gothic structure of the early XX century, which ceased to carry out religious functions. with the advent of Soviet power, but in the late XX century returned to the parishioners again.

Mogilev Region

Notable religious sites in the Mogilev region include:

• The Orthodox Cathedral of the Three Hierarchs, located in the regional center. Its walls keep significant icons for believers - the Mother of God, St. Nicholas, St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk.

  

• The "Blue Well" Holy Spring - a sacred spring with reputed healing water, where Orthodox pilgrims flock to pray and ask for help from higher powers.
• The Khotimsk Holy Trinity Cathedral - a shrine founded in the second half of the XIX century, which is included in the list of republican historical and cultural monuments. The cathedral conducts services, bell ringing holidays, and other religious and educational events.

Minsk Region

Religious sites to include on your visit to the Minsk region are:

• The agricultural town of Budslav - home to a church that houses a miraculous icon of the Mother of God. In her honor, an annual festival is held, uniting hundreds of Catholic pilgrims from Belarus and other countries.

  

• The parish church in Nesvizh - the church holds religious rites, services, as well as tourist excursions.
• The St. Elisabeth Convent - an active monastery, which carries out charitable and religious educational activities.
• The Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Borisov - a picturesque architectural decoration of the city.
• The temples of the capital deserve special attention: the church of Sts. Simeon and Helena, the Holy Spirit Cathedral, the Trinity Church, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It is impossible to list all the religious shrines of Belarus in one article that deserve attention. If you want to get to know them closer - start with the most famous and popular routes. Travel independently, join excursion tours, join pilgrimage trips. You will participate in services, enrich spiritually, and gain new knowledge about the culture of our country.