Religious construction of Muslim Tatars in Belarus on the example of Nekrashun parish

Abstract

This article is devoted to the cult construction of the Tatar-Muslims of the Nekrashun parafia. The author introduces into science materials from the collections of the Grodno State Museum of the History of Religion concerning the mosque in Nekrashuntsy. The article notes that this mosque is one of the ancient religious buildings of the Tatar-Muslims of Belarus. It was completely destroyed in 1915, then in the interwar period it was rebuilt anew. The mosque in Nekrashuntsy was of great importance for the local Tatar-Muslim population. It performed a consolidating function, contributed to the preservation of the Tatar community. The mosque was repaired and reconstructed more than once, but, unfortunately, it was destroyed in the 1950s, which contributed to the extinction of religious life. At the present day, only the preserved mizars (tombs) are evidence about existence of a once significant Tatar-Muslim settlement here.