On Palm Sunday, known in the Orthodox tradition as the Feast of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem, a new bronze sculpture depicting Christ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey was blessed at the St. Elisabeth Convent in Minsk. The consecration ceremony was led by Metropolitan Veniamin, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus and Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl.

According to the convent’s official website, the installation of the sculpture marks a significant milestone — exactly 27 years since the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the site of the then-unfinished St. Nicholas Church on April 12, 1998, laying the foundation for what would become the present-day monastic community.

The sculptural composition is the work of Belarusian artist Dmitry Oganov, who spent nearly a year bringing the vision to life. At its center is Christ peacefully entering Jerusalem, accompanied by two prominent female saints: St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk, the heavenly patroness of Belarus, and the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth, the patron saint of the convent.

“This was a dream of mine — to create a sculpture like this,” said Father Andrey Lemeshonok, the spiritual father of the convent. “It expresses the essence of the feast: the Savior moves toward His suffering, and behind Him follow saints who walked His path of humility and love.”

The installation stands not only as a work of art but as a profound spiritual symbol, reminding the faithful of Christ’s humility and the enduring presence of holiness in the land of Belarus.