Bishop Benjamin of Minsk elevated to rank of Metropolitan in Moscow

Yesterday, Sunday, September 6, His Grace Bishop Benjamin of Minsk, formerly of Borisov and Marinogorsk, was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan during the Divine Liturgy at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral.

Vladyka Benjamin was unanimously elected as the new Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on August 25.

A delegation of bishops, clergy, monastics, and laity of the Belarusian Church also traveled to Moscow to witness their new primate being elevated to the rank of Metropolitan by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ during the Small Entrance, reports the site of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Pat. Kirill announced the Synodal decree:

“To His Grace, His Beatitude Benjamin, bishop of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus:

In connection with your appointment as Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, you are elevated to the rank of Metropolitan and are granted the right to wear a second Panagia within the territory of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.”

Following the service, Met. Benjamin of Minsk addressed the gathered hierarchs, clergy, and faithful, telling them that his appointment as primate of the Belarusian Church was completely unexpected for him, but that he has found solace in Sacred Scripture and in the history of the Church.

“I understand that this ministry is both high and responsible; I understand that the words that our Lord once addressed to the apostle Peter: Lovest thou Me? and Feed My lambs (Jn. 21:15), also apply to me,” he explained.

He could never carry out this new ministry without the prayers of his fellow hierarchs, the clergy, and the faithful around the world, the new Metropolitan told the people.

“I am worried now for my native Belarus,” he continued, “and now, imitating the youth Samuel, I say: Here I am, Lord. Speak; for thy servant heareth (1 Kg./1 Sam. 3:10.”

Then the Patriarch addressed the new Belarusian primate, expressing his joy at Met. Benjamin’s election and at the fact that he was elected unanimously, which “shows a high level of trust in you”—a trust based on his life and work and his approach to modern Church issues.

The Synod has hope that Met. Benjamin will be able to lead the Church in this difficult time, wisely avoiding all schisms and divisions, that peace and justice may prevail in Belarusian society.

And presenting His Eminence with an episcopal cross and two Panagias, His Holiness wished for the Lord to guide him and the Mother of God to keep him under her most pure protection.

Later that day, Pat. Kirill met with all the visiting hierarchs of the Belarusian Church, explaining why Bp. Benjamin was elected to head the Belarusian Church:

When you are placed at the head of the flock, your people become your flock, and you become their father, and all national divisions disappear. However, the national factor is becoming more important in Belarus now, and therefore we have come to the conclusion that today the head of the Belarusian Church should be someone who was born in Belarus, knows the Belarusian language, and was brought up in the Belarusian environment. So that even those who seek to see in our Church something foreign in relation to Belarus, to Belarusian culture, to Belarusian life, will see in the primate of the Belarusian Church, the head of the Exarchate, flesh of the flesh, and bone of the bones of his people.

It is very important that no ecclesiastical divisions arise, as in Ukraine, thus His Holiness called on all the Belarusian hierarchs to support their new Metropolitan in his new ministry. He also called for the Church to be open to all, especially to young people.

In turn, Met. Benjamin said that they will do all they can to encourage the Belarusian people to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven.

In his first act as head of the Belarusian Church, Met. Benjamin called on the people to extend their Dormition Fast for three days, as an offering to the Lord that He might restore peace to Belarus, and in a new address he calls on all the clergy and faithful to continue fervently praying for their homeland both in church and at home. In particular, he encourages the faithful to pray the Canon and Akathist to the Mother of God and to add increased reading of the Psalter to their daily prayer rule.

Source: Orthodoxtimes.com