On November 16, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The celebration of the 250th anniversary of the laying of the Holy Epiphany Cathedral, associated with the name of Symeon of Polotsk, will take place in Polotsk on November 17, the local diocese informed a BELTA correspondent. The central event will be the Divine Liturgy with the participation of the clergy of the Polotsk Diocese, led by Archbishop Theodosius of Polotsk and Hlybokaye. As Denis Duk, Head of the Department of National and World History at Polotsk State University, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, explained, the history of the church is unique, and it can rightfully be called a people's church. After the Livonian War, when Orthodox churches throughout Belarus were widely becoming Uniate, the Orthodox community of Polotsk managed to defend its rights and, with the permission of King Władysław IV, built a wooden church and monastery complex on the lands allocated to them in the city center. Thus, the church and monastery became a symbol of the struggle of the Orthodox for their faith. Later, in the 17th century, a brotherhood Orthodox school was established at the monastery, where Symeon of Polotsk taught. In 1761, the construction of a stone cathedral began. Funds were raised by the entire Orthodox community. To this day, the bodies of the "titors" – wealthy townspeople who donated to its construction, maintenance, and repair – are interred in the church. It is noteworthy that the tradition of fundraising for the church was continued in the 21st century. A few years ago, four more bells were cast for the beautiful cathedral, in addition to the existing three, using public funds. The monastery building, preserved to this day, houses the Symeon of Polotsk Museum-Library and the only Museum of Printing in Belarus. The Epiphany Church was restored in 1981 and housed the city art gallery. In 1991, the church was returned to believers.-0-

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