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Pope Francis appoints three new bishops in Belarus

Pope Francis has appointed three new bishops in Belarus, the apostolic nunciature in Minsk reported on Friday.

In particular, Aleh Butkevich, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Vitsyebsk, has been appointed bishop of the Vitsyebsk Diocese.

Yury Kasabutski, chancellor of the Minsk-Mahilyow Archdiocese's curia and administrator of Holy Trinity Parish in Minsk, has been appointed auxiliary bishop of the Minsk-Mahilyow Archdiocese and titular bishop of Scilium.

Iosif Stanewski, rector of the Higher Theological Seminary in Hrodna and vice official of the Inter-Diocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal in Hrodna, has been appointed auxiliary bishop of the Hrodna Diocese and titular bishop of Tabaicara.

"The apostolic nunciature thanks God and the Holy Father for this gift, which is a sign of particular attention to and care about the Roman Catholic Church in Belarus," the nunciature said. "The nunciature extends its best wishes and heartiest congratulations to the newly appointed bishops as well as to all bishops in the country, all believers and the entire Belarusian nation and asks them to pray for the newly appointed bishops and cooperate with them in order to establish the Church of Christ while communicating with other Christistians and all people of goodwill: the sons and daughters of the beloved Belarusian land." //BelaPAN