THE DIOCESE OF PANEVĖŽYS
SALOČIAI
In December of 1972, Stapulionis, the vice-chairman of the Pasvalys Rayon Executive Committee, visited Saločiai. Failing to find the pastor at home, he himself began "taking charge" in the church and removed explanations about the season of Advent from the bulletin board.
Later, he rebuked Father Balaišis, pastor of Saločiai, for supposedly alarming people by predicting the end of the world to be at the end of this century. The explanation about Advent which Stapulionis stole from the bulletin board had mentioned that the second coming of Christ would be at the end of the world.
Stapulionis ordered the pastor of Saločiai not to accompany the deceased to the cemetery in a funeral procession.
KRINČINAS
On January 5, 1973, Stapulionis, the vice-chairman of the Pasvalys Rayon Executive Committee, summoned Father Raščius, pastor of the parish in Krinčinas, and indicated to him the following:
1. Priests are forbidden to accompany the deceased to the cemetery in a funeral procession since this interferes with traffic. The cemetery is 400 meters away from the church.
2. Participation in a church procession while wearing the national costume is prohibited, since nationalism is thus allegedly propagated within the Church.
3. Priests are strictly forbidden to collect contributions in church.
"You priests pounce upon money like dogs!" shouted Stapulionis hysterically.
