Pope receives invitation to visit Belarus

On 16 October 2025, Pope Leo XIV received Archbishop Iosif Stanevsky in a private audience. The meeting between the chairman of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus and the Pope lasted about half an hour and was held in a friendly atmosphere.

The Belarusian delegation presented a gift to the Holy Father - an icon of the Budslau Mother of God.

The key moment of the meeting was the presentation of an official written invitation for Leo XIV to visit Belarus. The document was presented on behalf of the country's bishops, clergy, and all believers. Addressing the Holy Father in Italian, Archbishop Iosif Stanevsky noted that through him, the entire Catholic community of Belarus was meeting with the Pontiff.

He drew attention to the fact that 2026 will mark the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Catholic Church's structures in Belarus, which is an important date for the local community.

Pope Leo XIV accepted the invitation with a smile and understanding. He noted that his calendar for the current jubilee year is very full and that events for the following year are already scheduled. However, the Holy Father gave hope that the invitation would be carefully considered, with a response to be conveyed through the Apostolic Nunciature in Minsk.

When asked about the readiness of Belarusian society, particularly its Orthodox majority, for a papal visit, the Metropolitan of Minsk and Mogilev Archdiocese expressed confidence that “the time has come for the Pope to visit the believers of the Catholic Church and all the inhabitants of our homeland”.

The Catholic hierarch noted the good relations and dialogue with Orthodox Metropolitan Veniamin, as well as the repeated invitations to the Pope from the country's leadership, which indicates a readiness at various levels to welcome the Holy Father to Belarus.