VALKININKAI
Father Algimantas Keina, pastor of this parish, was testing two little girls in the sacristy on July 10, 1973, to see whether they were ready to receive their First Communion. Unexpectedly Šalna, a Varėna Rayon official and Daugėla, a correspondent, burst into the sacristy. The latter photographed the little girls, and the other shouted:
"It is forbidden to catechize children or to test their knowledge! In fact, it is forbidden to bring children to church. There is only one official school!.. .'*
The woman who had brought the two girls courageously defended the girls' rights:
"We have the right to take our children to confession. We ask the priest to test their knowledge of religion. You don't have the right to forbid this. If you don't allow us to do this publicly, we shall go underground and take our children to church in secret."
The government officials badgered the woman to tell them her name. When she refused, a Varėna security officer arrived and took her away to the office of the locality.
Since the Varėna Rayon commission had found only two children being tested, they did not penalize the pastor. Apparently they had expected to take by surprise a large number of children in the sacristy of the church.
