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Leanid Akalovich: Emigrants keep Belarusian traditions

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Priest Leanid Akalovich says how Belarusians living abroad mark the day of commemoration of the dead.

He spoke about Dziady in the Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and reminded about the events in the country's history that have a direct relation to that day. Charter97.org received a video record of Leanid Akalovich's speech.

“This is a traditional holy day popular among people. It has been marked for a long time to keep the memory of those, thanks to whom we appear in the world and come to God's land, our land. These traditions are kept here, among emigrated Belarusians. Belarusians visit the graves of their relatives and come to church on this day. St Cyril's of Turau Cathedral in New York commemorates the death and celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Belarusian Popular Front. The BPF party was founded on Dziady in 1988,” the priest recalls. “We should remember both our late relatives and those who died in Kurapary and other similar places across Belarus.”

The priest of the Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church took active part in 24/7 duty in Kurapaty organised by Zubr and Young Front activists in 2001. The activists made the authorities partially review the plans to widen the Minsk ring road in the territory of graves of repression victims.

Dziady was celebrated yesterday in many Belarusian towns. About 1,500 people took part in a march to Kurapaty memorial area outside Minsk – the site of mass executions of victims of Stalin's repression.

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