{"id":189663,"date":"2026-05-28T17:33:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T17:33:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:33:44","slug":"archbishop-stanieuski-raises-alarm-over-catholic-clergy-shortage-in-belarus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/","title":{"rendered":"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"block-image block-image-normal\">\n\n  <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1129\" height=\"752\" src=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg 1129w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-354x236.jpg 354w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-734x490.jpg 734w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-178x118.jpg 178w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1129px) 100vw, 1129px\" \/>\n  <figcaption>\n  \n       <div class=\"block-image__author\">\n                <span>(Catholic.by)<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n     <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>May 28, <em>Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Belarusian Archbishop Iosif Stanie\u016dski, who heads the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, mentioned the shortage of Catholic priests in the country in his interview with <em>Vatican News<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The hierarch is currently in the Vatican, where he is participating in the General Assembly of the Italian Catholic Bishops\u2019 Conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stanie\u016dski made this remark while discussing plans to establish a dedicated spiritual centre in Rome for Belarusians. However, to carry out this initiative, it is necessary to send Belarusian clergy to Rome, he said, noting that the staffing issue \u201cremains acute\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The number of Catholic clergy within Belarus is gradually decreasing, especially in the eastern regions, he stressed. In the Mahilo\u016d region, a priest is often forced to serve three parishes, \u201ctraveling hundreds of kilometers,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Authorities keep refusing to extend permits for Polish priests who had served in Belarus for decades, further worsening the staffing shortage, Stanie\u016dski said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The archbishop from Belarus is expected to meet Pope Leo XIV during a gathering of the Italian episcopate. He reportedly plans to thank the pontiff for his spiritual support and renew his invitation for the pope to visit Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many believers and clergy in Belarus have faced politically-motivated persecution after speaking out during the 2020 political crisis that followed the disputed presidential election and the subsequent crackdown on postelection protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"insert-block\">\n\n    <div class=\"insert-block__img\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"354\" height=\"236\" src=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-354x236.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-354x236.jpg 354w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-734x490.jpg 734w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-178x118.jpg 178w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg 1129w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 354px) 100vw, 354px\" \/>                        <label class=\"insert-block__tag--mobile\"> Politics<\/label>\n\n                            <label class=\"insert-block__tag--mobile\"> Society<\/label>\n\n                <\/div>\n    <div class=\"insert-block__text\">\n                    <label class=\"insert-block__tag\">Politics, Society<\/label>\n                <h3 class=\"insert-block__title\">Belarus to expel five Catholic priests, one monk \u2013 report<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"insert-block__descr\">May 20, Pozirk. Belarusian authorities refused to extend permits for five Catholic priests and one monk of the Minsk\u2013Mahilo\u016d Archdiocese, all Polish citizens, to continue their ministry in Belarus, Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija reports. All of them had served in the Minsk &#8230;<\/div>\n        <a class=\"insert-block__btn-block\" href=\"\/en\/news\/188288\">\n            <button class=\"btn\">\n                <div class='btn__text'>Read the article<\/div>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"insert-block\">\n\n    <div class=\"insert-block__img\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"354\" height=\"236\" src=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/beliatskiy_papa_vizia-354x236.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/beliatskiy_papa_vizia-354x236.jpg 354w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/beliatskiy_papa_vizia-734x490.jpg 734w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/beliatskiy_papa_vizia-178x118.jpg 178w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/beliatskiy_papa_vizia-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/beliatskiy_papa_vizia.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 354px) 100vw, 354px\" \/>                        <label class=\"insert-block__tag--mobile\"> Politics<\/label>\n\n                            <label class=\"insert-block__tag--mobile\"> Society<\/label>\n\n                <\/div>\n    <div class=\"insert-block__text\">\n                    <label class=\"insert-block__tag\">Politics, Society<\/label>\n                <h3 class=\"insert-block__title\">Nobel laureate Bialacki meets Pope Leo in Vatican<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"insert-block__descr\">May 27, Pozirk. Ale\u015b Bialacki, Nobel Prize laureate and head of the Viasna Human Rights Center, has met with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, urging attention to the humanitarian catastrophe in Belarus, Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija\u00a0reports. Bialacki told the pontiff about &#8230;<\/div>\n        <a class=\"insert-block__btn-block\" href=\"\/en\/news\/189435\">\n            <button class=\"btn\">\n                <div class='btn__text'>Read the article<\/div>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>May 28, Pozirk. Belarusian Archbishop Iosif Stanie\u016dski, who heads the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, mentioned the shortage of Catholic priests in the country in his interview with Vatican News. The hierarch is currently in the Vatican, where he is participating in the General Assembly of the Italian Catholic Bishops\u2019 Conference. Stanie\u016dski made this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":76295,"template":"","rubric":[16,15],"class_list":["post-189663","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-politics","rubric-society"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"May 28, Pozirk. Belarusian Archbishop Iosif Stanie\u016dski, who heads the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, mentioned the shortage of Catholic\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus | Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"May 28, Pozirk. Belarusian Archbishop Iosif Stanie\u016dski, who heads the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, mentioned the shortage of Catholic\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-28T14:33:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1129\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"752\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Pozirk_online\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/\"},\"headline\":\"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-28T14:33:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-28T14:33:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/\"},\"wordCount\":234,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/\",\"name\":\"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus | Pozirk\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-28T14:33:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-28T14:33:44+00:00\",\"description\":\"May 28, Pozirk. Belarusian Archbishop Iosif Stanie\u016dski, who heads the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, mentioned the shortage of Catholic\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg\",\"width\":1129,\"height\":752},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Pozirk\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Pozirk\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Pozirk\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Pozirk_online\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus | Pozirk","description":"May 28, Pozirk. Belarusian Archbishop Iosif Stanie\u016dski, who heads the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, mentioned the shortage of Catholic","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus | Pozirk","og_description":"May 28, Pozirk. Belarusian Archbishop Iosif Stanie\u016dski, who heads the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, mentioned the shortage of Catholic","og_url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/","og_site_name":"Pozirk","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/","article_modified_time":"2026-05-28T14:33:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1129,"height":752,"url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@Pozirk_online","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/"},"headline":"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus","datePublished":"2026-05-28T14:33:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-28T14:33:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/"},"wordCount":234,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/","name":"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus | Pozirk","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg","datePublished":"2026-05-28T14:33:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-28T14:33:44+00:00","description":"May 28, Pozirk. Belarusian Archbishop Iosif Stanie\u016dski, who heads the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus, mentioned the shortage of Catholic","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/krest-minsk-28-03-catholic.by-viktar-vedzien-1128.jpg","width":1129,"height":752},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/189663\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Archbishop Stanie\u016dski raises alarm over Catholic clergy shortage in Belarus"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/","name":"Pozirk","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#organization","name":"Pozirk","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/cropped-Logo_color_512.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Pozirk"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pozirkonline\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Pozirk_online"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/189663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=189663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"rubric","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rubric?post=189663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}