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This issue dedicated to the arrested priest, Jonas Kastytis Matulionis.
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA, No. 65 
In this issue:
1. The 500-Year Jubilee is Upon Us, But
8. From the Archives of the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania
9. New Underground Publications
Lithuania, January 6, 1985
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 65
A Translation of the Complete Lithuanian Original LIETUVOS KATALIKŲ RAŽNYČIOS KRONIKA Nr. 65 Documenting the Struggle for Human Rights In Soviet-Occupied Lithuania Today
Translated by: Rev. Casimir Pugevičius
Translation Editor: Marian Skabeikis
Published by Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid, Inc.
351 Highland Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11207
©Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid, 1985
ISSN 0197-0348
Franciscan Fathers Press 341 Highland Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11207
COVER:
Priests lead a procession of believers around the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Vilnius during the closing ceremonies of the 500th anniversary since the death of St. Casimir, Lithuania's patron saint. August 26, 1984.
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 65
Introduction
In 1940, when the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania by force, 85.5% of the country's more than 3 million inhabitants were Roman Catholic, 4.5% Protestant, 7.3% Jewish, 2.5% Orthodox and 0.2% of other persuasions.
In the two archdioceses and four dioceses were: 708 churches, 314 chapels, 73 monasteries, 85 convents, three archbishops, nine bishops, 1271 diocesan priests, 580 monks, of whom 168 were priests. Four seminaries had 470 students. There were 950 nuns.
Nuns cared for 35 kindergartens, 10 orphanages, 25 homes for the aged, two hospitals, a youth center, and an institute for the deaf-mute.
On June 15, 1940, the Red Army marched into Lithuania; the independent government was replaced by a puppet regime.
On July 14-15, rigged elections were staged. On July 21,with the Red Army surrounding the assembly house, the new People's Diet "unanimously" declared Lithuania a Soviet Socialist Republic.
On June 25, 1940, the Church was declared separate from the state, and the representative of the Holy See was expelled.
Parish lands were confiscated, clergy salaries and pensions were cut off, and their savings confiscated. Churches were deprived of support. Catholic printing plants were confiscated, and religious books destroyed.
On June 28, 1940, the teaching of religion and recitation of prayers in schools was forbidden. The University's Department of Theology and Philosophy was abolished, and all private schools were nationalized. The seminaries at Vilkaviškis and Telšiai were closed, and the seminary at Kaunas was permitted to operate on a very limited scale. The clergy were spied upon constantly.
On June 15, 1941, 34,260 Lithuanians were packed off in cattle-cars to undisclosed points in the Soviet Union. After World War II, the mass deportations resumed and continued until 1953.
Vincentas Borisevičius, Bishop of Telšiai, was arrested on February 3, 1946, and condemned to death after a secret trial. Before year's end, his auxiliary, Bishop Pranas Ramanauskas, was also arrested and deported to Siberia. Bishop Teofilius Matulionis of Kaišiadorys and Archbishop Mečislovas Reinys of Vilnius were deported to a Siberian labor camp. Archbishop Reinys perished in prison at Vladimir, November 8, 1953. By 1947, Lithuania was left with a single bishop, Kazimieras Paltarokas, of Panevėžys. He died in 1958.
In 1947, the last convents and monasteries were closed, their communities dispersed, and all monastic institutions were outlawed
After Stalin's death in 1953, there was a slight improvement in the religious situation. Bishops Matulionis and Ramanauskas were allowed to return to Lithuania, but not to minister to their dioceses or to communicate with the clergy or laity.
Bishop Ramanauskas died in 1959, and Archbishop Matulionis in 1963.
In 1955, two new bishops were appointed by Rome and consecrated: Julijonas Steponavičius and Petras Maželis. Steponavičius has never been permitted to administer his diocese.
Bishop Vincentas Sladkevičius, consecrated in 1957, was kept under severe government restrictions until 1982. In 1965, Monsignor Juozas Labukas-Matulaitis was consecrated in Rome to head the Archdiocese of Kaunas and the Diocese of Vilkaviškis. Two new bishops were consecrated in 1969: Bishop Romualdas Krikščiūnas was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Panevėžys, and Bishop Liudvikas Povilonis was appointed auxiliary to Bishop Labukas, and succeeded him after his death in 1979.
In 1982, Bishop Sladkevičius was permitted to return to his diocese as Apostolic Administrator of Kaišiadorys. Father Antanas Vaičius was named bishop and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Telšiai and the Prelature of Klaipėda.
Relaxation of pressure on religious believers soon revealed that the Lithuanian people were still deeply religious. It was decided in the mid-fifties to resume the attack. The principal means of attack would be unlimited moral pressure, since physical terror seemed only to strengthen and unify the faithful.
In 1972, the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, clandestinely published in that country, began to reach the free world at irregular intervals. Primarily intended to keep Catholics in Lithuania informed of the situation of the Church there, these Lithuanian samizdat also serve as a constant appeal to the free world not to forget the plight of a people struggling against overwhelming odds to defend their religious beliefs and to regain their basic human rights.
Rev. Casimir Pugevičius Translator
INDEX OF PERSONS
... ,Bronė, 37
... , Jonas 5
Abraitis, 23 Adomonis, Father Petras, 48 Anilionis, Petras, 4, 29, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 38 Antalieptė, 42, 43 Antanaitis, Canon Bronius, 48 Antanavičius, Father Juozapas, 49 Ažubalis, Father Petras, 50
Bagdonas, Father Juozapas, 41 Bagdonavičius, K., 20 Bakučionis, Jurgis, 13, 33 Balakauskas, Father Vytautas. 49 Balsas, J, 25, 26, 27 Baltrimas, Father Stanislovas, 47 Balčiūnas, Father Jonas, 41 Balčiūnas, Father Vytautas, 50 Bardišauskas, Father Juozapas, 47 Baronas, Father Kazimieras, 42 Baublys, 37 Beinoravičius, Father Boleslovas, 47 Bengsch, Cardinal Alfred, 20, 21 Bernatonis, 37 Bieliauskienė, Jadvyga, 13, 53 Bitvinskas, Father A. 30 Bičiūnas, Father Jonas 50 Blynas, Father Laimingas Feliksas 23 Bogušauskas, 23 Boneris, Blessed Isaiah, 6 Briliūtė, Birutė, 13 Bubąs, Father Jonas 42 Bugenis, Father Mykolas, 42 Bukevičius, Visvainis, 9 Buliauskas, Father Jonas, 42 Buliauskas, Father Jonas, 42 Bulota, 23 Burkus, Father Jonas, 50 Butkus, Father Kazimieras, 50 Butkus, Father Viktoras, 20 Butvilą, Msgr. Vladas, 40
Chernenko, Dr. Konstantin, 36 Čegelskas, Father Boleslavas, 22 Čepėnas, Father Juozapas, 42 Čiplys, Father Kazimieras, 47
Dagys, 15 Danielius, Artūras, 23, 24 Danys, Canon Jurgis, 41 Darius, Stasys, 41 Deksnys, Bishop Antanas, 51 Didžiokas, Father Vladas, 47 Dilys, Father Antanas, 21 Dulksnys, Msgr. Kazimieras, 40 Dylys, Father A.G., 8
Edmundas, Žemaitis, 10 Eritas, Juozas, 52
Gajauskas, Balys 15, 53 Garėnas, Steponas, 52 Gasiūnas, Father Jonas, 50 Gižinskas, Father Leonarda- 50 Giedraitis, 4 Giedraitis, Bishop Jozefas Arnulfas, 7 Giedraitis, Bishop Merkelis, 7 Giedraitis, Blessed Mykolas, 4, 5, 6,7,8 Giedraitis, Martynas, 7, 8 Gražys, Father Alfonsas, 49 Gudžiūnas, 9 Gudonis, 24 Gurskis, Gintas, 25 Gutauskas, Father Algis-Kazimieras 13, 29 Gutauskas, Father Jonas , 50 Gylys, Father Mykolas, 49
Iešmantas, Gintautas, 53
Jatulis, Father Jonas, 42 Jatulis, Father Povilas, 50 Jogaila, 5 Jogailaitis, Kazimieras (Sainl Casimir) 6 Jokubauskas, Father Antanas, 28, 30, 31 Jokubauskas, Father Feliksas, 50 Jonaitis, Father Petras, 50 Juodelis, Father Jonas, 43 Juodelis, Father Mykolas, 43 Juozevičius, Father Juozas, 50 Jurgaitis, Father Jonas, 43 Juška, Father Antanas, 43, 50
Kadžius, Father Alfonsas, 43 Kalinauskas, Father Leonas, 33, 34 Kanaverskis, Father Juozapas, 52 Kapočius, Father Vytautas, 25 Kariačka, Father Zenonas, 43 Karosas, Msgr. Mykolas, 41 Karvauskas, K., 38 Karvauskas, Karolius, 39 Karuža, 25, 28 Kasparevičienė, Mrs. 25, 26 Kazmierczyk, Blessed Stanislaw, 6 Keina, Father Algimantas, 31, 32, 33 Kemėšis, Father Fabijonas, 47 Kibildis, Jonas, 13 Kilikevičius, 23 Kireilis, Father Fabijonas, 51 Kirkilas, Father Mykolas, 51 Klimavičius, Algirdas, 23, 24 Kojalavičius, Albertas, 5 Komaras, Zigmas, 8 Koroyedov, 36 Kovaiev, Sergei, 53 Krivickas, Father Jonas, 51 Krištonaitis, Father Stanislovas, 43 Kuzmickas, Father Petras, 43 Kuzminskas, Father Kazimieras, 51 Kvedarauskas, Father Bapolas, 48
Lankelis, Stasys, 31, 32 Lapienis, Vladas, 4, 13, 14 Laurenčikas, Father Juozapas, 44 Lenin, 27 Levulis, 25 Liepa Father Petras (Geidžiūnai), 47 Liepa, Father Petras (Viešintos) 47 Lipniūnas, Father Alfonsas, 48 Lomanas, Father Juozapas, 44 Lukoševičius, Father Alfonsas, 52 Lukošiūnas, Father Leonas, 51
Mažeika, Father Leonas, 48 Makštutis, 37, 38, 39 Memeniškis, Algirdas, 27 Margevičius, Father Margevičius, 47 Martinaitis, Hieronymus, 25 Masilionis, Father Stanislovas, 44 Masys, Father Vytautas, 49 Matelionis, Father Juozapas, 44 Matulevičius, Father Juozapas, 52 Matulionis, Father Jonas Kastytis 3,4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 24, 53 Matulis, Jonas, 44 Merkelienė, Mrs., 40 Meškauskas, Father Anicetas, 44 Mickevičienė, Mrs, 23 Mikelinskas, Father Kazimieras, 44 Mileika, Father Aleksandras, 45 Milius, 45 Miniotas, Vytautas, 22 Morkūnas, M., 27 Motiejūnas, Vladas, 35 Musteikis, Father Leonardas, 51
Nagulevičius, Father Jonas, 45 Narbutas, Father Titas, 51 Naudžiūnas, 37 Našlėnas, Father Petras, 24
Pacas, Feliksas, 8 Pakala, V., 37 Pakala, Vytautas, 37 Papečkys, 23
Pasilauskas, Father Algirdas, 22,23,24 Palešynas, Father Steponas, 44 Petkus, Viktoras, 16, 17, 53 Petrėnas, Father Jonas, 51 Pipynė, G., 23, 24 Pociūnėliai, 28, 31 Pogoželskas, G., 12 Poltarackas, 37 Pope John Paul II, 29, 52 Povilonis, Bishop Liudvikas, 22, 28, 35, 36Pranevičius, Father Jonas, 26 Praniškis, Jonas, 5 Pranskietis, Father Augustinas, 45 Pratkelis, Msgr. Leopoldas, 41 Prieškienienė, Angelė, 37, 38 Prijalgauskas, Father Henrikas, 45 Prince Casimir, 6 Prusevičius, 37 Puriuškis, Father Izidorius, 45 Puzonas, Father Rokas, 28
Redvila, Cardinal Jurgis, 7 Ragažinskas, Father Paulius, 51 Rauda, Canon Petras, 41 Rakašius, Father Liudvikas, 45 Riauba, Father Antanas, 47 Rudamina, SJ, Father Antanas, 47 Rugienis, 43, 48, 49
Saint Casimir, 4, 6, 13, 22, 26, 29, 31, 52 Saint Dominic, 25 Saint John Capistrano, 6 Saint John Kanty, 6 Saint Mark, 5, 7 Saint Theresa, 32 Sasnauskas, Julius, 53 Selickas, Father Mykolas, 45 Senulis, Father Petras, 45 Simon of Lipnica (Blessed) 6 Simonavičius, P., 27 Simonavičius, Povilas, 26 Skuodis, Vytautas, 53 Sladkevičius, Bishop Vincentas, 38 Spurgis, Father Albinas, 51 Spūdas, Father Gasparas, 45 Stasys, Father Adolfas, 51 Steponavičius, Bishop Julijonas, 26 Stepšys, Father Sigitas, 25 Stonys, Father Mykolas, 46 Strielčiūnas, Father Alfonsas, 49 Svarinskas, Father Alfonsas 12,13,16, 18, 28, 31, 32, 53 Sušinskas, Father Alfonsas, 51 Sventoslaw the Quiet, 6 Svirskas, Father Paulis, 49 Sėža. Kazimieras, 26 Samsonas, Father Vytautas, 47 Šapoka, Father Leonas, 23 Šarakauskaitė, Ona, 13 Šateika, Father Bronislavas, 51 Šermukšnis, Father Matas, 45 Šiaučiūnas, Father Ignacas, 46 Šidlauskas, Father Paulius, 41 Šimašis, Father Konstantinas, 46 Šimonėlis, Father Jurgis, 46 Šumskis, Father Juozas, 49 Šveikauskas, Father Benediktas, 47
Tamkevičius, Father Sigitas, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 28, 31, 32, 53 Tamošauskas, Father Leonardas, 46 Tavoraitis, Father Petras, 34 Terleckas, Antanas, 53 Točintietis, Jonas, 7 Traškevičius, Father Antanas, 51 Turauskas, 40 Turauskas, A., 40 Turauskas, Modestas, 40 Tverečius, 8 Tvirbotas, D., 27, 28
Uždavinys, Father Sigitas, 50 Urbonas, Juozas, 35
Vaišnora, Father Eduardas, 46 Vaičius, Bishop Antanas, 29 Valaitis, Gintaras, 23, 24 Vembrė, Father Mykolas, 51 Venckus, Father Paulius, 50 Vilimas, Juozas, 27 Vinkšnelis, Father Titas, 46 Vinča, Kęstutis, 40
Zaremba, 25 Zygmuntas, J., 30 Žakevičius, Father Antanas, 48 Žališkevičius, 23 Žališkevičius, Renatas, 23, 24 Žemaitis, Edmundas, 10 Žemaitis, Msgr. J., 25, 26 Žemaitis, Romas, 10, 11, 12, 53
INDEX OF PLACES
Abez', 44 Adomynė, 42, 45 Aktyubinsk, 39 Alanta, 44, 46 Aleksandravėlė, 49 Alizava, 49 Alksninė, 48 Alytus, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 Antalieptė, 42, 43Antašava, 49 Anykščiai, 49 Ančinskinė, 49 Ančiškis, 45 Archangel, 45 Aviliai, 43, 45, 49
Baltriškė, 46 Baltininkas. 48 Biržai, 41, 43, 46, 47, 49, 57 Bistričiai, 5 Bogatynia, 8 Briškiai, 47 Budapest, 7 Bugonys, 37, 39 Burbiškis, 47, 48, 49 Butirka, 42Byelorussia, 8, 52
China, 7 Choladilnik, 43 Cracow, 5, 6, 7, 8 Čedasai, 47, 49 Čelkiai, 50
Dapšionia:, 45 Darsūniškis, 52 Datunchka, 42 Daugailiai, 42 Debeikiai, 44, 46, 51 Dusetos, 42, 44 Dzhezkazgan, 42
Geidžiūnai, 47, 50 Gižai, 22, 23, 24 Giedraičiai, 46 Gružiai, 43 Gulbinėnai, 46 Gružiai, 43
Hill of Crosses, 34, 23
Imbradas, 47 Inta, 46 Irkutsk, 40, 48
Josvainiai, 33 Jūžintai, 8, 50
Kėdainiai, 33 Kaišiadorys, 36, 41 Kaliningrad, 9, 10 Kamajai, 44 Kapsukas, 22, 23Karaganda, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47 Kaunas, 20, 28, 30, 35, 36, 41, 42, 44, 49, 50, 51 Kazakhstan, 43, 46 Kelmė, 40 Kiaukliai, 27, 28 Klaipėda, 49 Klepočiai, 37 Komi, 42, 43, 44 Krekanava, 45, 48, 49 Kriaunai, 48 Krikštanas, 31 Krinčinas, 43, 51 Kudirkos Naumiestis, 35 Kulautuva, 41 Kunashak, 43 Kupiškis, 13, 24, 46, 47 Kurkliai, S Kursk, 42 Kvetkai, 8Kybartai, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Lėna, 42 Lapės, 52 Leliūniai, 45 Leningrad, 45 Limanowa, 8 Linkuva, 41, 44, 46, 49, 51 London, 20 Lubyanka, 42 Lukiškiai, 10, 42, 47 Lukštai, 46
Mariinsk, 8 Marosas Mūriai, 8 Medininkai, 8 Merkinė, 41 Mikailiškės, 8 Mordovia, 41, 52 Moscow, 7, 45
Naujamiestis, 43, 45 Nedzingė, 41 Nemirov, 47 Nemunaitis, 37 Nemunas, 37 Nendrės Dusetos, 49 Nesterov, 9, 10 Nevėžys, 47 Norilsk, 44, 47
Obeliai, 41, 45 Omsk, 39, 42, 43 Onuškis, 46 Orsha, 42
Pabaiskas, 34 Pabiržė, 43 Pakruojus, 42 Palėvenėlė, 50 Palanga, 22 Pamūšis. 41, 48 Pandėlys, 42, 46, 47 Panemunė, 8 Panemunėlis, 44 Panevėžys, 21, 40, 41, 42, 45, 47, 48,49, 50, 51, 52 Papilis, 8 Papilys, 43, 47 Pasvalys, 42, 48, 50 Pavlodar, 39 Pilzno, 8Pociūnėliai, 28, 31 Poland, 8, 21 Potma, 42 Prussia, 52 Pušinas, 37, 38, 39
Radviliškis, 28, 31 Raguva, 44, 48 Ramygala, 43, 50 Rokiškis, 40, 42, 48, 50, 51 Rome, 52 Rosalimas, 41, 44 Rugienis, 43, 48, 49 Ryliškiai, 35, 37, 39 Rūdai, 49
Salaka, 41, 44 Salakas, 8, 49 Sidabravas, 45, 51 Skardupiai, 22 Skiemonys, 44 Skrebotiškis, 48 Smalviai, 8 Smilgiai, 44 Solov'yevsk, 42 Spitrėnai, 25 Stuthoff, 48 Subačius, 50 Sudeikiai, 45, 46, 49 Suoatas, 45, 46 Suvainiškis, 8, 46, 50 Suvalkija, 48, 49 Svėdasai, 41, 46 Švedriškė, 43 Šakiai, 25 Šaukėnai, 40 Šeduva, 34, 41, 45, 50, 51 Šiauliai, 34 Šilingas, 23 Šilutė, 41, 42 Šiluva, 17, 18, 31 Šimonys, 13, 24, 51 Šipulskis, 23 Širvintai, 27 Šlėnava, 42
Tayshet, 42, 43 Telšiai, 29 Tengobozh,8 Troškūnai, 50 Tverečius, 8
Užpaliai, 44 Užupis, 8 Uglich, 34' Ukmergė, 34 Uliūnai, 43 Utena, 12, 25, 26, 27, 41, 44, 45, 51
Vabalninkas, 43, 44 Vagaraksha, 42 Valdimir, 42 Vaiki, 43 Valkininkai, 31 Varėna, 31 Verlaukis, 46 Vaškai, 46 Velykiai, 42, 45, 47 Videniškiai, 5, 8 Vidsodis, 40 Viešintos, 12, 33Vilkaviškis, 10, 13, 22, 23, 28, 35, 36 Vilnius, 4,5,8,10,12,13,20,28,29,30 31, 32, 33, 41 Vorkuta, 41, 42, 43, 44 Vyžuonos, 45
Zarasai, 43, 47 Žalioji, 35, 36 Žemaitija, 46 Žemaičių Kalvarija, 52
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