A Priest Detained Near Vileika Suffered A Heart Attack In The KGB Detention Center

• 25.04.2026, 14:40

The priest spoke out against Russia's attack on Ukraine, condemned the war, and called for peace and repentance.

Parson Anatoly Parakhnevich, who serves as a rector in Vileika district and has been in detention for more than a month, has suffered a heart attack. According to the believers, the 65-year-old priest remains in the detention center in serious condition, writes Katolik.life.

Also, as far as the Belarusian believers have learned, the priest is accused of "treason against the state." There is no information about what exactly. It is assumed that the priest is kept in the KGB detention center. Unknown masked men in several cars came to arrest him, his house was sealed.

We should remind that the detention of Anatoli Parakhnevich, rector of a small parish in Olkovichi, Vileysk district, became known on March 16th. The law enforcers searched his house and church.

Anatolai Parakhnevich is 65 years old. He has no relatives and friends, so there is no one to find out anything about him except the bishops. The priest has been serving in Olkovichi since 2007, before that he served in Rakov and Zaslavl, and studied in the Polish city of Bialystok. Last year he celebrated the 30th anniversary of priestly ordination - like Archbishop Joseph Staniewski.

The local district newspaper called the priest "shepherd of human souls, historian and collector of antiquities", noted his ability to decorate the altar and the entire church with unique floral arrangements. He grew flowers in his own garden, also had his own apiary, made pies and cakes.

The church was closed for some time after the search, but then the keys were returned - now another priest comes to serve in the parish. The rector's house is still closed.

Anatoliy Parakhnevich openly opposed Russia's attack on Ukraine, condemned the war, called for peace and repentance.