With the blessing of the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, a seminar for clergy of the Minsk Archdiocese "Harmony of soul and Body: Joint steps towards mental health" (medical and pastoral aspects) was held at the Minsk Theological Academy on June 19, 2026. 
The seminar was organized by the Synodal Department for Family, Maternity and Childhood Protection of the Belarusian Orthodox Church in cooperation with the Health Committee of the Minsk City Executive Committee as part of the implementation of the State Program "Health of the Nation" for 2026-2030 and the Program for the development of the confessional sphere for 2026-2030.
The event was attended by more than 120 people — representatives of healthcare institutions in Minsk and the clergy of the Minsk, Borisov, Slutsk and Molodechno dioceses.
The seminar was opened by the chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, a teacher at the Minsk Theological Academy, Priest Roman Artyomov.
The chief physician of the Minsk City Clinical Center of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, chief freelance psychiatrist of the Health Committee of the Minsk City Executive Committee, I.V. Kononovich, also greeted the audience.
The reports of the seminar participants were followed.
The report by N.M. Gordopolova, Deputy Chief Physician for Borderline Psychiatry at the Minsk City Clinical Center for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, chief freelance psychotherapist of the Minsk City Executive Committee's Health Committee, was devoted to the mental health of Minsk residents, key challenges, statistics and the system of targeted assistance.
O.S. Litvinova, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Minsk City Clinical Center for Child Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Chief freelance child psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, spoke about the organization of psychiatric care for minors and clinical markers of suicidal risk in children and adolescents.
Priest Roman Artyomov made a presentation on the topic "The practice of collaboration between a doctor and a priest: possible joint projects and areas of work," in which he spoke about existing and developing educational projects related to the prevention of suicidal behavior offered to the clergy of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.
The Synodal Department for Family, Maternity and Childhood Protection of the Belarusian Orthodox Church presented its experience of working in crisis situations related to the state of mental health of citizens, primarily in situations of unauthorized death of a family member. The secretary of the Synodal department, cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas of Japan in Minsk, Priest Alexy Mosesov, made a statement about this.
The seminar addressed the mechanisms of interaction between clergy, medical professionals and families in situations involving the unauthorized death of close relatives, as well as ways to detect anxiety symptoms early. Emphasis was placed on the need for doctors and priests to cooperate in mental health. They also outlined possible joint projects and areas of cooperation in which church communities and medical institutions can join forces in the interests of people experiencing mental health crises and suffering from mental disorders.
The event ended with a discussion, during which the participants discussed problematic issues, exchanged experiences and outlined possible steps to organize further work in the field of preserving the mental health of citizens.