Vilniaus vyskupijos kunigų tautybė ir jų paskirstymas 1908–1918 m

LTStraipsnyje, daugiausia remiantis kunigų asmens bylų anketomis ir suvestiniais kunigų paskirstymo sąrašais, nustatytas bendras kunigų kontingentas, jo administravimas atsižvelgiant į tikinčiųjų tautybę ar ją ignoruojant. Iškeliami administravimui darę įtaką tautinio sąjūdžio ir rusų politikos veiksniai. Atskleidžiama tautinė kunigų sudėtis, jų geografinė ir luominė kilmė, mokamos kalbos, daugiau ar mažiau sąlygoję sielovados darbą ir tautinius santykius daugiatautėje Vilniaus vyskupijoje.

ENOn the basis of the personal files of priests and compiled lists of priests, the national affiliation, place of birth, class, and language proficiency of the priests in the diocese were determined. The nationality distribution of Catholics and their priests in the diocese did not correspond. Belarusians accounted for 56% of believers, but only 3–4% of priests. Lithuanians and Poles each comprised about 21–22% of parishioners, but 39–40% and 55–56%, respectively, of priests. Lithuanian priests worked mostly in the Vilnius Province (comprising 51–52% of all priests), especially in Lithuanian and mixed parishes, and Polish priests in the Gardinas Province (75–76%). This was a result of a more modern administration of priests than in the past, partly conditioned by the rise of the Lithuanian national movement and the policy of depolonization pursued by the Russians. In the Vilnius Province, where Lithuanians were concentrated, almost two thirds of all the churches had priests of the same nationality as the majority of the parishioners. This did not mean, however, that all of them were allowed to use the Lithuanian language in additional masses and rites. The majority of the Lithuanian priests were descended from peasants of the adjacent Žemaičių (Samogitian) Diocese, whereas the Polish priests came from the gentry and the urban population of the Vilnius Diocese. Almost all of the Lithuanian priests knew Polish. Only 11% of the Polish priests could speak Lithuanian. Of the priests of these nationalities, 12% could speak Belarusian. The origin and language proficiency of the priests had a direct effect on the pastoral work and national relations in the diocese.