Telšių vyskupija

ENThe book presents the Telšiai Diocese, its history, churches, organizations and personalities. The Telšiai Diocese takes its origin from the ancient Samogitian Diocese. Established back in 1417 and endowed with the charitable foundations from Vytautas the Great, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, the Samogitian Diocese played a significant role in preserving the Lithuanian identity and developing the Lithuanian statehood. From 1417 to 1926, the Samogitian Diocese was overseen by about 60 Samogitian bishops together with suffragan bishops. The Lithuanian history has largely benefited from many shepherds of the Samogitian Diocese. Bishop Duke Merkelis Giedraitis opened up a diocesan seminary, took care of the training of priests who knew the local language, developed a folk singing tradition, was the patron of Canon Motiejus Strijkovskis, the author of the first history of Lithuania, and the patron of Canon Mikalojus Daukša, and he published the Catechism and the Postilla translated by the latter, as well as the first Lithuanian books in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, he also helped the Jesuits to settle in Kražiai, and the Franciscans in Kretinga. Bishop Earl Jurgis Tiškevičius is credited for opening the Dominican and Carmelite monasteries in the Diocese and the Way of the Cross in the Samogitian Calvary that has become the center of devotion in the region, he is also known for having started the publication of the first Lithuanian Catholic hymnal. Closely involved in the Samogitian cultural movement, Bishop Juozapas Arnulfas Giedraitis took care of the Lithuanian language development and education, and parish schools, he also did the first translation and publication of the catholic New Testament into the Lithuanian language. [...].The Apostolic Constitution “Lituanorum Gente” of Pope Pius XI of 4 April 1926 established the Ecclesiastical Province of Lithuania, consisting of Kaunas Archdiocese, the Dioceses of Kaišiadorys, Panevėžys, Telšiai and Vilkaviškis, as well as the Prelature of Klaipėda. [...] Bishop Justinas Staugaitis established Telšiai Priest Seminary in 1927. The following year, in 1928, a new Seminary building was constructed. In 1926-1939, 20 new parishes were established and 22 churches were newly built or adjusted for the purpose. The Diocese held numerous Eucharist Congresses, including a Diocesan Synod in 1935. The Diocese was home to the following orders and congregations: the Order of Friars Minor, the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate, the Sisters of St. Benedict, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Elisabeth, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Catherine of Alexandria, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Casimir, the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus, the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sisters of the Poor), the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Providence, the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Perpetual Help. The congregations took care of schools and social establishments. The Diocese also had the following catholic organizations: the Catholic Action Centre, the Catholic Youth organization “Pavasaris”, the Catholic Youth Organization “Ateitis”, the the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Society of the Sisters Servants of St. Zita, and others. [...].Following the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union in 1940, the Soviet authorities disrupted the Concordat with the Holy See as well as the state support for the Church, abolished religious teaching in schools, religious holidays, dismissed army and prison chaplains, banned religious organizations and religious press, nationalized religious organizations’ property [...] In 1941, Lithuania was occupied by the Nazi. Bans continued as regards the establishment or rehabilitation of religious organisations, religious periodical press, and book publications. [...] During World War Two, churches of Akmenė, Endriejavas, Gargždai, Jokūbavas, Klaipėda, Kražiai, Kretinga, Kruopiai, Kuršėnai, Kvėdarna, Laižuva, Mažeikiai, Micaičiai, Nemakščiai, Pajūris, Palanga, Rietavas, Skuodas, Tauragė, Vegeriai, and Žarėnai were destroyed, burnt, plundered, or otherwise ravaged. In 1944, the Soviet occupation government seized the Telšiai Diocesan Palace, and the following year - the Priest Seminary. The Bishop of Telšiai Vincentas Borisevičius and the Reverand Pranciškus Gustaitis were arrested and shot dead in 1946. [...] In i960, a new church in Klaipėda was built (the current Mary the Queen of Peace Church). The Soviet government seized the church right before its dedication. [...] In 1978, priests of the Telšiai Diocese, the Reverend Jonas Kauneckas and the Reverend Vincentas Vėlavičius, together with the Reverend Sigitas Tamkevičius, the Reverend Alfonsas Svarinskas, and the Reverend Juozas Zdebskis, founded a Catholic Committee for the Defence of the Rights of Believers. [...] Back in 1988, Mary the Queen of Peace Church in Klaipėda was returned to the believers, and the Telšiai Priest Seminary was reestablished in 1989, (it has trained 125 priests by 2016). The year 1990 saw the adoption of the Act of Restitution of the Status of the Catholic Church in Lithuania. [...] Today, the Telšiai Diocese consists of 11 deaneries. [...].