Churches

No matter how well you behave in an Orthodox church don’t be too offended if you’re told off by a babushka for doing something you’re not supposed to. Women are expected to cover their heads when inside while in the past I’ve been told off for holding my hands behind my back as it imitates Christ carrying his cross. Just smile apologetically.

Cathedral of the Holy Spirit
Kirilla I Mefodya 3, (Кирилла и Мефодия 3)
Minsk’s most important Orthodox place of worship looks down across the vast expanse of the river Svisloch, and dominates the area. Originally built in 1642 it is one of the city’s oldest buildings, although it has had to be patched up or restored on a number of occasions. The church was closed after the revolution but services resumed in 1943. It is recorded in one local guide that a book burning of church literature was arranged outside the entrance soon after the revolution, when a local ideologist swore that he would clean peoples minds of religion or else fall from trying. As he stepped down from his podium he slipped and broke both his legs.

Saint Alexander Nevsky’s Church
Kozlova 11 (Козлова 11)
This tiny red-brick church is a little hidden away but well-worth seeking out as the grounds house an interesting military cemetery. The church itself was built in 1898 in honour of Russia’s victory over the Turk is the 1877-1878 war. It’s about five minutes east of the tram stop near Victory Square.

Cathedral of the Virgin Mary
Pl Svobodi 9 (Пл Свободы 9)
Originally built in 1700 this Catholic church suffered immensely during the Soviet period even though services continued here until 1948. In the 1950s it was turned into a sports hall and the towers were replaced by an annex. It has now been restored,

Church of St Simeon and St Elena
Sovetsaka 17 (Советская 17)
Known to all for obvious reasons as the Red Church this striking Catholic church in Independence Square was opened in 1910. It is named after the son and daughter of a local landowner, both of whom died young. They are represented by the two towers at the rear. In the grounds of the church you will find a bell, which was presented to the church by the Catholic diocese of Nagasaki. The people of Belarus and Nagasaki have each suffered their own nuclear tragedies and the bell is a symbol of friendship.

The Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul
Rakovskaya 2a (Раковская 2a)
This early 17th century church, the oldest in the city, offers a fabulous contrast to the brutal architecture of the Nemiga apartments and shopping centre next door. The building has suffered multiple tragedies, including a fire in the 18th century and a period as storage facility for herring when the authorities closed it in 1933.

Church of St Mary Magdalene
Kiseleva 42 (Киселева 42)
Inside this small gated complex near the Hotel Belarus there is also a Baptist church and a chapel. The church was built in 1847 with the additional buildings completed since independence. On a sunny day it has a rather Mediterranean feel to it.
By the way, if you leave the complex from the rear exit and turn right you’ll find a shop selling fresh bread straight from the ovens of the local bakery.

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