Diocese of Kaišiadorys
I. Priests Murdered by Russian Soldiers in 1941:
1. The Rev. Andrius Juknevičius, Dean of Merkinė — taken from his home and shot in the fields.
2. The Rev. Matas Lajauskas, Dean of Molėtai — taken from his home, murdered and his corpse hidden.
3. The Rev. Jonas Daugėla, pastor of Stirniai — taken from his home and shot by the lake.
4. The Rev. Jonas Tutinas, pastor of Palomenė — bayonetted in the churchyard and disemboweled. After the soldiers left, the martyr died.
5. The Rev. Valentinas Balčius, Pastor of Pusnė — taken with his brother from his home and shot.
II. Priests Who Perished in Russian Prisons:
1. The Rev. Petras Liutkus — sentenced to 25 years, died in Vorkuta in 1946.
2. The Rev. Steponas Rudžionis, pastor of Gegužinė — sentenced to 25 years, died in Vorkuta.
3. The Rev. Donatas Linartas — sentenced to ten years, died in 1947.
4. The Rev. Zenonas Baužys, pastor of Kernavė — sentenced to 4 years.
5. The Rev. Vladas Mironas — former Prime Minister, died in 1952 in the Vadimir Prison (murdered).
6. The Rev. Juozapas Gustas, Salesian Father, former Pastor of Saldutiškis — returneed from labor camp in 1956 and of his own will again returned to the Krasnoyarsk District for pastoral work. He died there (people say he was poisoned) 3/13/58.
7. The Rev. Adolfas Stasevičius, pastor of Krivonys — sentenced to 10 years, died in November 1949 in Vilnius.
8. The Rev. Juozapas Rakickas, Marian Fathers — died in
1946 in In'v
III. Priests who Returned from Labor Camps with Broken Health and Have Since Died:
1. Archbishop Teofilius Matulionis — three times served in Bolshevik labor camps. The last time, he was sentenced to 7 years. He returned from Mordovia 5/6/56 and was exiled to Šeduva where he died 8/20/62.
2. Msgr. Bernardas Sužiedėlis, Diocesan Administrator — sentenced to ten years, returned an invalid in 1955, died in 1967.
3. The very Rev. Matas Cijūnaitis, Dean of Žasliai — returned from labor camp in 1949 and governed the diocese until his death in 1955.
4. The Rev. Zigmas Neciunskas, Pastor of Nedzingė — sentenced to ten years, from 1956-1958 conducted pastoral work in the Krasnoyarsk District.
5. The Rev. Pranas Cibulskis, Pastor of Kalviai — sentenced to 25 years, returned from labor camp in 1956.
6. The Rev. Kazimieras Liesevičius — sentenced to ten years, returned in 1955.
7. The Rev. Jonas Mikučionis — returned in 1955.
8. The Rev. Vaitiekus Želnia, Pastor of Nemunaitis — sentenced to ten years, returned in 1956.
9. The Rev. Juozapas Stasiūnas, Pastor of Ryliškiai — sentenced to ten years, returned in 1955.
10. The Rev. Petras Jakulevičius — tried twice, the second time sentenced to 25 years, returned in 1969.
11. The Rev. Antanas Mažeika, Pastor of Joniškis — returned in 1957.
12. The Rev. Stasys Čelkus, Pastor of Skudutiškis — sentenced to ten years, returned in 1956.
IV. Priests Sentenced to Prison and Labor Camp:
1. Bishop J. Matulaitis-Labukas — sentenced to lOyears, returned in
1955.
2. The Very Rev. Stanislovas Kiškis, Chancellor, tried twice, served a total of 14 years.
3. The Rev. Liudas Puzonas, Pastor of Čiobiškis — sentenced to ten years.
4. The Rev. Jonas Zvinys, Pastor of Viliūnai — sentenced to 25 years, returned in 1956.
5. The Rev. Jonas Jonys, Pastor of Birštonas — sentenced to 4 years, returned in 1960.
6. The Rev. Marijonas Petkevičius — sentenced to 10 years, after serving his term ministered in Russia and was again sentenced to two years (1929-1961).
7. The Rev. Juozas Voveris, Pastor of Joniškis — sentenced to 8 years, returned in 1955.
8. The Rev. Jonas Kaušyla, Pastor of Pivašiūnai — returned from labor camp in 1955.
5. The Rev. Alfonas Šatas — sentenced to ten years, returned in 1956.
10. The Rev. Zigmas Komaras — returned in 1956.
11. The Rev. Alfonsas Ažubalis, Pastor of Musninkai — shot by the Bolsheviks in 1941 but survived, sentenced to 10 years.
12. The Rev. Bronius Bulika, Pastor of Zibalai — sentenced to ten years, returned in 1955.
13. The Rev. Petras Valatka, Pastor of Paparčiai — sentenced to five years, returned in 1951.
14. The Rev. Kazimieras Pivariūnas, Pastor of Kernavė — sentenced to ten years, returned in 1956.
15. The Rev. Česlovas Kavaliauskas — returned in 1956.
16. Father Jonas Danyla, S.J. — returned in 1956, was again interrogated in prison for a half year 1962-1963.
17. Father Petras Lygnugaris, S.J. — sentenced to ten years, after completing his term he did pastoral work in Siberia and was again sentenced to three years, returned to Lithuania in 1970.
18. Father Antanas Šeškevičius, S.J. — returned from labor camp in 1956, then did pastoral work in Siberia and was again sentenced to seven years, sentenced a third time to one year in strict regime labor camps from 1970 to 1971 for instructing children.
19. The Rev. Juozapas Čaplikas — sentenced to ten years, returned tin 1955.
20. The Rev. Česlovas Zažeckas, Pastor of Kuktiškiai — sentenced to 25 years, returned in 1956.
V. Exiled Outside the Diocese:
1. Bishop Vincentas Sladkevičius.
2. The Very Rev. Juozapas Meidus, Administrator of the Diocese.
VI. Churches Burned Down by the Bolsheviks:
1.Wooden church of Varėna.
2.Wooden church of Ryliškiai.
3.Wooden church and chapel of Dubingiai.
4.Wooden church of Kiaukliai.
5. Masonry church of Aukštadvaris, built in 1518 by King
Sigismund (Demolished).
VII. Six Parishes in the Diocese Have no Pastor. All church building and rectories have been confiscated.
The Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania requests information on the repression of priests in the Kaunas Archdiocese, the Vilkaviškis Diocese and the Vilnius Archdiocese.
