Vatican City, Sep 11, 2020 / 11:19 am
A senior Vatican official arrived in Belarus for talks Friday after the leader of the country's Catholic Church was barred from returning to his homeland.
Belarusian state media reported Sept. 11 that Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher was in Belarus for four days of diplomatic talks a month after the country's disputed presidential election triggered widespread protests.
The visit of the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States would include a meeting with Vladimir Makei, the Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and end Sept. 14, the foreign ministry said.
The Holy See press office confirmed Friday that Gallagher had traveled to Belarus. It said that he intended "to express the attention and closeness of the Holy Father to the Catholic Church and to the whole country," adding that Gallagher's program would include "meetings with the civil authorities and those in charge of the Catholic Church."