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- Title
SIMNO DEKANATO PARAPIJŲ PADĖTIS XVII A. ANTROJOJE PUSĖJE.
- Authors
KAMUNTAVIČIENĖ, VAIDA
- Abstract
The Simnas deanery of Vilnius Diocese was formed in the mid-seventeenth century. The synod of 1669 convened by Vilnius Bishop Aleksandras Sapiega mentioned that the deanery in question consisted of thirteenth parishes: Rudamina, Lazdijai, Simnas, Balbieriškis, Ūdrija, Meteliai, Seirijai, Šventežeris, Leipalingis (Leipūnai), Veisiejai, Berznykas, Seinai and Punskas. Such structure of the deanery remained until the nineteenth century. From the early twentieth century three parishes of the old deanery, i.e. Punskas, Seinai and Berznykas, became a part of the state of Poland and the other parishes remained in the territory of Lithuania. The aim of this article is to describe the material and spiritual position of parishes of the Simnas deanery in the second half of the seventeenth century based on the materials from visitations of the deanery churches in 1669 and 1674. The Simnas deanery was established in the highly forested and little settled location with a substantial domain of the ruler. The Catholic parishes appeared there rather late, only in the sixteenth century. During the Reformation the most influential family of the region, the Radvilos, became Calvinists. In the second half of the sixteenth century the influence of the Calvinists and Catholics on the residents was more or less the same. The position of parishes at the Simnas deanery in the seventeenth century was still quite problematic. Churches were poor, influential supporters were scarce and the ruler as a patron of many churches received little support from the public. The major families of noblemen concerned with the position of Catholic churches were the Sapiegos, Gosevskiai and the Cartoriskiai (the latter replaced the Gosevskiai). The large estate of the Radvilos was situated in the deanery and the Calvinism was strongly-established. The mid-seventeenth century wars destroyed the material background of the parishes and nearly halved their already modest income. The main problem of the Catholic Church in the seventeenth century was shortage of parish priests. They were unwilling to take such positions in poor parishes surrounded by Calvinist residents. Another problem was negligence of the existing parish priests and their failure to reside at benefices. As a result a number of churches of the deanery were in a deplorable state with leaking roofs. Visitors were appalled by the badly kept churches of Simnas and Rudamina, as well as by hopelessly untended churches of Seirijai and Šventežeris. The old church of Berznykas badly needed repairs and Meteliai needed a new church since after the Moscow's fire the location had only a chapel. All those problems impeded pastoral counseling in the deanery. Despite those difficulties two miraculous paintings of Virgin Mary are mentioned in the deanery (in Seinai and Simnas) indicating devotion to Virgin Mary. Fellowship of Holy Rosary was active in Simnas and Rudamina. The Dominican monastery of Seinai was also highly significant in pastoral counseling of the deanery. The parish schools teaching parishioners the religion basics were open irregularly and in certain periods most probably functioned in Balbieriškis, Lazdijai, Simnas, Berznykas, Seirijai, maybe in Ūdrija, a learned person was maintained in Punskas. Shelters/alms-houses were mentioned in Simnas, Lazdijai, Balbieriškis, Leipalingis, maybe at some point a similar institution was in Rudamina.
- Subjects
PARSONAGES; CHURCH property; COUNCILS &; synods; PARISHES (Local government); KINGS &; rulers; CHURCH buildings; DEVOTION to the Blessed Virgin Mary; HISTORY
- Publication
Year-Book of Lithuanian History / Lietuvos Istorijos Metraštis, 2010, Issue 1, p39
- ISSN
0202-3342
- Publication type
Article