Belarusian Christian Democracy
Encyclopedia
The Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD, BChD) is a political movement in Belarus
that was created at the beginning of the 20th century and is now being revived by several politicians.
students and seminarians. The Christian democratic circle in Vilna
was publishing the weekly newspaper Bielarus.
In 1917 Belarusian political activists in St. Petersburg created the first Belarusian Christian democratic political organization - the Belarusian Christian Democratic Union . Among the founders of the BCDU were the priests Adam Stankievič
and Vincent Hadleŭski
.
Christian democrats participated in the First All-Belarusian Congress in December 1917 and took active part in preparation for establishment of the independent Belarusian National Republic
in 1918.
On November 6, 1927 on the basis of the BCDU a new political party was created in Wilno under the name The Belarusian Christian Democracy. Since then the party was active in West Belarus
. While most of other West Belarusian political parties were leftist or even pro-Soviet, the BCD was centre-right.
After reunification of West Belarus with the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, many leaders and members of the BCD became victims to Soviet repressions or were killed by Nazis during the later Occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany
. In 1940 the party ceased to exist. During the Soviet occupation of Belarus, no information about the BCD was public.
In 2004 a group of former Young Front activists led by Paval Sieviaryniets
and Alaksiej Shein created an initiative group to revive the Christian democratic party and are since then active under the brand Belarusian Christian Democracy.
The movement realises projects aimed to promote Christian values and Belarusian patriotism in the country. The yet unregistered party is in opposition to president Alexander Lukashenka.
BCD has active contacts with religious groups. Unlike its predominantly Catholic predecessor in early 20th century, the current BCD positions itself as a party uniting also Orthodox and Protestant Christians.
As of 2007, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice has declined to register the political party..
The BCD has nominated its candidate Vital Rymasheuski
at the Belarusian presidential election, 2010.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
that was created at the beginning of the 20th century and is now being revived by several politicians.
Before World War II
The Belarusian Christian democratic movement was created in early 20th century mostly by Belarusian theologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
students and seminarians. The Christian democratic circle in Vilna
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
was publishing the weekly newspaper Bielarus.
In 1917 Belarusian political activists in St. Petersburg created the first Belarusian Christian democratic political organization - the Belarusian Christian Democratic Union . Among the founders of the BCDU were the priests Adam Stankievič
Adam Stankievič
Adam Stankievič was a Belarusian Roman Catholic priest, politician and writer. Stankievič was one of ideologists of the Belarusian Christian democratic movement in the early 20th century....
and Vincent Hadleŭski
Vincent Hadleuski
Vincent Hadleŭski was a Belarusian Roman Catholic priest, publicist and politician.Born in the village Shchury near Vaukavysk, he graduated from a Catholic seminary in Vilna and the Catholic academy in St.Petersburg...
.
Christian democrats participated in the First All-Belarusian Congress in December 1917 and took active part in preparation for establishment of the independent Belarusian National Republic
Belarusian National Republic
The Belarusian People's Republic was a self-declared independent Belarusian state, which declared independence in 1918. It is also called the Belarusian Democratic Republic or the Belarusian National Republic, in order to distinguish it from Communist People's Republics...
in 1918.
On November 6, 1927 on the basis of the BCDU a new political party was created in Wilno under the name The Belarusian Christian Democracy. Since then the party was active in West Belarus
West Belarus
West Belarus is the name used in reference to the territory of modern Belarus which belonged to the Second Polish Republic between 1919 and 1939. The area of West Belarus was annexed into the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic following staged elections soon after the Nazi-Soviet Invasion of...
. While most of other West Belarusian political parties were leftist or even pro-Soviet, the BCD was centre-right.
After reunification of West Belarus with the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, many leaders and members of the BCD became victims to Soviet repressions or were killed by Nazis during the later Occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany occurred as part of the German invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 and ended in August 1944 with the Soviet Operation Bagration.- Background :...
. In 1940 the party ceased to exist. During the Soviet occupation of Belarus, no information about the BCD was public.
Renaissance
The first attempt to re-establish the BCD took place in 1991. All relevant documents for re-establishment were prepared, but the movement was never registered then.In 2004 a group of former Young Front activists led by Paval Sieviaryniets
Paval Sieviaryniets
Pavel Sieviaryniets is a Belarusian Journalist and Christian democratic politician and youth leader and one of the founders of the Malady Front.Paval Sieviaryniets was born in Orsha, Vitsebsk Voblast into a family of local intellectuals...
and Alaksiej Shein created an initiative group to revive the Christian democratic party and are since then active under the brand Belarusian Christian Democracy.
The movement realises projects aimed to promote Christian values and Belarusian patriotism in the country. The yet unregistered party is in opposition to president Alexander Lukashenka.
BCD has active contacts with religious groups. Unlike its predominantly Catholic predecessor in early 20th century, the current BCD positions itself as a party uniting also Orthodox and Protestant Christians.
As of 2007, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice has declined to register the political party..
The BCD has nominated its candidate Vital Rymasheuski
Vital Rymasheuski
Vital Rymasheuski is a Belarusian politician and one of the presidential candidates at the 2010 presidential elections in Belarus.Rymasheuski graduated from the Belarusian National Technical University...
at the Belarusian presidential election, 2010.