Palaimintasis arkivyskupas Jurgis Matulaitis MIC apaštalinis vizitatorius Lietuvai 1925-1927
LTReikšminiai žodžiai: 20 amžius; Katalikų bažnyčia; Nunciatūra; Vyskupai; Pal. Jurgis Matulaitis; The Lithuanian XX c. history; Catholic Church; Nunciature; Bishops; Blesed Jurgis Matulaitis.
ENThe occupation of Lithuania by Tsarist Russia left its deep marks on Lithuanian national life. This harsh oppression was also felt in religious and ecclesiastical spheres, and the wounds inflicted during long occupation did not heal quickly, as this was apparent betwenn 1914- 1925. Variuos problems were emerging in the Church at this time in Lithuania which needed prompt attention. To normalize this intricate affair in the Lithuanian Church the Holy See has entrusted this task to Jurgis Matulaitis, bishop of Vilnius, later archibishop and Apostolic Visitator for Lithuania. Amongst most urgent matters that called for a swift action at that time was to form Lithuanian Ecclesiastical Province and establish the Concordat with the Apostolic See. No one has written yet a thorough work about this archbishop’s activity which has been so important for Lithuanian Church. It is with this object in mind that author has written this book which deals primarily with the formation of Lithuanian Ecclesisatical Province and the establishment of Concordat with the Holy See. The other works carried out by Apostolic Visitator archbishop Matulaitis have been surveyed by this author in this previous elucubration (Archiepisco- pus Georgius Matulaitis-Matulevičius, M.I.C., Visitator Apostolicus pro Lituania 1925-1927. Roma 1948). Outline history of the Church in Lithuania (1251-1925) is given in the first part of first part of this book and a brief account as to how it was administered during 1918-1925 period until the arrival of Apoctolic Visitator, archbishop J.Matulaitis.The second part describes an intensive work done by Apostolic Visitator which he had to perform while establishing Ecclesisatical Province in Lithuania (1925-1926). In the third part we are seeing all the efforts and contributions which the archbishop J.MatuIaitis had to make in order to bring about the Concordat between Lithuania and the Apostolic See. Most of the material used in this book is taken from Marian central archive in Rome. Because archbishop Matulaitis was also a Superior General of Marian Congregation, most ot the documents or their copies found their way here in this archive. Additional sources of information were also obtained from Lithuanian Marian archive in Lithuania and from Lithuanian Legation at the Apostolic See. Some very useful information was obtained orally from bishop P.Būčys, M.I.C., as he was a close friend and cooperator of archbishop Visitator at the time when he was setting up Lithuanian Ecclesiastical Province. Some printed sources and literature were also supplied by Vatican, Marian, Oriental Institute, Lithuanian Legation and other Roman libraries. [From the publication]
