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LTDzūkija ir jos sostinė Alytus mena didingą praeitį. Tai vienas seniausių Lietuvos miestų, viduramžių kronikose paminėtas 1377 m. Alytaus krašte išlikę piliakalniai, pilkapiai, vietovardžiai liudija, kad šioje žemėje gyveno karingos jotvingių gentys. Netoli miesto, 12 kilometrų į pietvakarius, pasukę nuo kelio Alytus–Seirijai–Lazdijai pora kilometrų į vakarus, rastume Miroslavo miestelį. Dabar čia įsikūręs seniūnijos centras, veikia gimnazija, vaikų darželis, senelių globos namai, ambulatorija, vaistinė, keturios parduotuvės, bet daugiausia kiekvieno akys krypsta į istoristinę, turinčią neoklasicizmo ir neobaroko bruožų, dvibokštę bažnyčią [p. 168].

ENThe Dzūkija region and its capital Alytus remember the glorious past. The town of Miroslavas is located 12 kilometres southwest of Alytus. In 1744 a parish was established there. This year is also considered to be the date of the establishment of the town, as the area was first mentioned in written sources. In 1763 a wooden church and a monastery were built in Miroslavas with the care and funds of Antanas Važinskas, the treasurer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Bendriai manor owner, and his wife Teresė Venckavičiūtė-Važinskienė. This year is also considered to be the beginning of the establishment of the Marians Monastery. On February 1, 1769 Jurgis Husčia, the Dean of Trakai and the Pastor of Punia, officially introduced the Marians to the parish. Priest Juozas Lelešius was twice destined to visit the parish of Miroslavas: as Vicar (1911-1922), and as Pastor (1925-1938). With his care, with the help of the parishioners, the church, which was destroyed during the First World War, was rebuilt, and later, on his return as Pastor, continued to nurture it. He founded the Congregation of St. Francis of Secular Tertiary and was its spiritual father. Priest, bookseller (knygnešys) Vincentas Čitavičius (September 17, 1870 - October 29, 1943) served as an altarist in the parish of Miroslavas for the last couple of years of his life.Jurgis Krasnickas (1902-1922) was not only persistent in his pursuit of science, he was an active public figure, and devoted a great deal of time and energy to the Lithuanian Catholic students’ organization Ateitis. He was an active participant in Ateitininkai conventions, conferences and congresses, and gave substantial speeches. He ‚tried a pen’ by writing reviews, short stories, poems that he printed in the press at the time. He was robbed and tortured by a murderer near his homeland. It has been 100 years since the senseless death of a talented and promising student. V. Čitavičius, priest, bookseller (knygnešys), J. Krasnickas, a student and a fosterer of Lithuanian self-consciousness, as well as priests, B. Smolenskas and J. Lelešius should be inspiring examples for everyone, especially for young people even today.