Quantcast
Exiled archbishop returns to Belarus after Pope lobbies Lukashenko – Ifax – Metro US

Exiled archbishop returns to Belarus after Pope lobbies Lukashenko – Ifax

Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz conducts a service on Christmas Eve in
Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz conducts a service on Christmas Eve in Minsk

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Minsk’s exiled Catholic archbishop has returned to Belarus after Pope Francis successfully lobbied Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to allow him back, the Interfax news agency reported on Thursday.

Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz angered Lukashenko by defending the rights of anti-government protesters and was denied entry in August as he tried to return from a ceremony in neighbouring Poland.

(Reporting by Anastasia Teterevleva; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alison Williams)