Church received registration in a move seen as official recognition, of the group news reports said Wednesday, October 30.
"It is hard to say why the whole process took so long," the Church lawyer, Gatis Senkans, told Keston News Service (KNS), which monitors religious persecution.
He added that although the Riga-based community was registered in Latvia before Soviet occupation ended the small Baltic country’s independence in 1940, the government’s Religious Affairs Board so far declined to give it the status of a "traditional faith".
DOCTORS
Church analysts say that the Christian Science Church faced difficulties registering in Latvia because of its teachings. Founded in the 19th century by American Mary Baker Eddy, the Church believes that spiritual healing through prayer is a reality and is usually the first choice in cases of illness.
However, the Church does not forbid members to seek medical treatment and they are free to choose whichever form of treatment they need. Lawyer Senkans admitted that the Latvian Doctors’ Association "blocked" the registration every time the church applied for it.
Inesa Gloudina, the head of the 25-strong Christian Science community in Riga, was quoted by KNS as saying that she was pleased her group had now finally achieved its aim. "We’re very happy about the registration. We can now act openly."
STALIN
She recalled that the Christian Science Church was founded in Riga in 1909 and that there were two communities in the capital by the time the Soviet annexation of Latvia began. But under Soviet leader Stalin most Christian Scientists were exiled to Siberia, she said. "Unfortunately the law doesn’t recognize this truth that we have been here for nearly 100 years."
The recognition of the Christian Scientists comes while Latvia is trying to become a European Union member in 2004, as one of ten mainly former Communist countries that are expected to join. Respecting human rights of religious and ethnic minorities are among key conditions for entry into the EU.
