Memorial service for Smolensk plane crash victims held in Minsk
A memorial service for the Smolensk plane crash dead today was held at the St Maria Cathedral in Minsk. The service was attended by Polish ambassador in Minsk Chenryk Litvin, other diplomats as well as Belarus' deputy foreign minister Valery Voronetsky and Alexei Skrypko who heads the Europe department at the Belarusian foreign ministry.
Archbishop of Minsk and Mahilyow Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz reminded in his sermon that several thousands Polish officers, including Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians, were massacred in Katyn near Smolensk in 1940. "The elite died back then, and yesterday the tragedy repeated again when the Polish elite perished again", said Kondrusiewicz.
Talking about the Polish president, Archbishop noted that Lech Kaczynski "stood firm on the principles of his Catholic belief". "He was for the truth and devoted all his life for this cause", Belapan quoted Kondrusiewicz as saying.
Archbishop of Minsk and Mahilyow Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz reminded in his sermon that several thousands Polish officers, including Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians, were massacred in Katyn near Smolensk in 1940. "The elite died back then, and yesterday the tragedy repeated again when the Polish elite perished again", said Kondrusiewicz.
Talking about the Polish president, Archbishop noted that Lech Kaczynski "stood firm on the principles of his Catholic belief". "He was for the truth and devoted all his life for this cause", Belapan quoted Kondrusiewicz as saying.
