Father Alexander Nadson shared a long and close friendship with Ivonka Survilla, President of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic. This year, Ivonka Survilla took part in the Nadson Readings, held in Vilnius in April. Below we publish a translation of her speech from Belarusian.
Much has been said during these Readings dedicated to Father Alexander Nadson—about the priest so dear to us all, the distinguished scholar who left behind an outstanding scholarly legacy, the founder of the Belarusian Radiation Relief Appeal, the mathematician, and above all the man who devoted his life to his homeland, Belarus.
For my part, I would like to say a few words about a kind and generous friend whom I had known since 1951. I met him at conferences and gatherings, at the dedication of the Belarusian Cross in Midland, and in many countries around the world, including, of course, in Finchley.What struck me from the very beginning of our friendship was Father Alexander’s extraordinary ability to gather people around him and quickly turn them into scholars of Belarus.
I have always believed that one of the greatest assets of the Belarusian diaspora was the ability to win friends for Belarus. So often in our history events might have unfolded differently had we been surrounded by loyal friends. We have always had too few of them. If President Wilson had had a Belarusian Paderewski at his side, perhaps we might have preserved our independence in 1918.
In London alone we had Vera Rich, Arnold McMillin, Jim Dingley, and so many other Belarusianists who worked tirelessly for Belarus.
Through his tolerance, his warm smile, and his kind heart, Father Alexander expanded the circle of Belarus’s friends with every passing year.
For me personally, it was always a great joy to come to London and spend a few days at the Skaryna Library or at Marian House. And with what happiness we welcomed Father Alexander in Ottawa at our first Baćkaŭščyna Festival, and in Paris!
We were all immensely fortunate to have among us a truly holy man—our dear compatriot, Father Alexander Nadson.
May his memory be eternal!Ivonka Survilla