21 September 2001
Orthodox church rebuilt near Brest

 Bishop of Brest and Kobrin Sophroniushas consecrated the newly rebuilt Assumption of Our Lady (Prechistinskaya) Church in the village of Shchebrin not far from Brest in southwestern Belarus.
The church, classical in style, was built by the Uniates in the 1790s and was later taken over by the Russian Orthodox Church. The building was used as a barn under the Soviets and had turned into a roofless ruin by the early 1990s, when it was finally earmarked for restoration as one of the oldest stone churches in the area.
The rebuilding effort was funded by the government. Perhaps that is the reason why it took so long. The work was not over until several weeks ago. A small bell, cast in Minsk with private donations, was installed in the bell tower on September 20.
The consecration ceremony took place on September 21, the birthday of the Virgin Mary. From now on, a Brest-based priest will come to Shchebrin on weekends and holidays.