Bishop Edward Samsel’s relations with the Church of the East were a major part of his pastoral ministry. As a patriot, he felt the obligation to help the Poles which remained within the borders of the Soviet Union, and suffered the torment of the local life. If possible, he tried to involve himself in the rebirth of religion in Belarus. Most contacts Bp E. Samsel had with the Grodno Diocese which was founded in 1991. The author analyzes the pastoral and material assistance, which was provided by Bp Samsel to resurgent church communities in Belarus, as well as his care for priests and seminarists.
Bishop Edward Samsel’s memoirs of his visit in the Grodno region were written at the end of 1988. They are an important source for knowing the history of the Church in Belarus (mainly of its western part) in the time of the communist regime and the formation of the Belarusian state. The memoirs refer to the folowing parishes: Adamowicze, Bala Koscielna, Grodno, Holynka, Indura, Labno, Sylwanowce, Teolin and Perstun. They are written in a lively language which makes reading interesting.
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