Address by Archbishop Stefan of Gomel and Zhlobin on the occasion of Teacher's Daytranslated

Dear teachers, educators and mentors!

I cordially congratulate you on Teacher’s Day!

Teaching has always been associated with great responsibility. By passing on knowledge, you help a young person develop character, learn to distinguish between good and evil, respect parents, history and culture of his people, and be responsible for his choice and future.

Your personal testimony is of particular value - patience, fairness, attentive attitude towards the child, the ability to support and guide in a timely manner. It is these qualities that often remain in a person’s memory for the rest of his life.

The Holy Scripture says: “Train up a young man when he begins his way; he will not turn away from it when he is old” (Prov. 22:6). These words contain a special measure of teacher responsibility. Knowledge becomes truly valuable when it helps a person grow internally, teaches him to think, make choices and see his neighbor next to him.

In the Gomel diocese, we value the established cooperation between the Church and the pedagogical community in the spiritual and moral education of the younger generation, the preservation of Orthodox traditions and the historical memory of our people.

Thank you for your daily work...