Seinų vyskupijos dvasininkų pastoracinė, socialinė ir kultūrinė veikla XIX a. - XX a. pradžioje

ENIn the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century the liturgical language was Latin. Local languages were used in supplement services, preaching, catechizing, and singing. In the first half and the middle of the19th century in the Diocese of Seinai (Augustavas) the Polish language was used for various reasons in the additional services and singing. It is hard to say how much of the services and singing was performed in the Lithuanian language: there is a lack of historical data about this fact. However, it was definitely used in the Lithuanian parishes. The beginning of the movement in the churches for the replacement of the Polish language needs to be linked to the Lithuanian national revival. This movement began after the repression of the 1863-1864 rebellion and it achieved its peak at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. First of all, this national revival began with the seminarians studying at the Seminary of Seinai. Upon the completion of the seminary, the priests who understood the nationality sought to spread the ideas of national revival in the parishes. They quickly discovered abnormal situation when the Polish language was used in the Lithuanian parishes. In pure Lithuanian parishes the transition from Polish to Lithuanian took place without any major incidents. Misunderstandings, and even disputes that led to bloodstocks, arose in mixed parishes (mainly in the ethnic divide), and in those in which fewer or more Polish people lived. As far as the Polish community is concerned, it should be noted that there were few ethnically pure Poles, and ethnic Lithuanians, who were becoming Polish for one reason or another, called themselves Poles (here the priests of the Polish orientation who worked in the parishes played a significant role in the process of becoming Polish).However, it should be noted that in the Diocese of Seinai (Augustavas) there were few problematic parishes where the struggle for the language took place. Linguistic disputes in the parishes essentially ended before the First World War. As regards the social activity of the priests of the Diocese of Seinai (Augustavas) it should be emphasized that in the first half and in the middle of the 19th century it was poor. The clergy in the parishes confined themselves more to pastoral concerns. However, during this period, the clergy, who took care of education issues, tried themselves in literature. A larger involvement in the public cultural activities is associated with the transportation of illegal Lithuanian press (“knygnešystė”), its distribution, and the organization of its spreading. Now, according to available data, about one hundred of diocesan priests in Seinai (Augustavas) Diocese were involved with secret Lithuanian press. Widespread cultural opportunities appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. During this period, the social activity of the clergy was mainly expressed through the participation in the activities of associations. The priests of the Lithuanian Diocese of Seinai (Augustavas) were mostly involved in the activities of the Education and Charity Society “Žiburys” („Light“). This association was founded at the beginning of 1906 in Marijampolė, and its priests were the main creators. The branches of the „Žiburys“ Society were established in 63 locations. The significance of priests in the activities of this society is evidenced by the fact that in 57 units the priests occupied the position of the Chairman of the Board. A number of priests were still the members of the Board of Directors. One of the main goals of the Society was the creation of parish schools. Libraries and reading rooms were an important form of work in the units. The society took care of the shelter creation and charity.The clergy also participated in the organization of farmers and workers. One of the most significant manifestations of the cultural and intellectual activity of the clergy was the establishment of a printing house in the centre of the Diocese and the publication of the weekly publication “Šaltinis” („The Spring“). The „Šaltinis“ became one of the most read not only in the Diocese of Seinai (Augustavas) but was widely known elsewhere in Lithuania. Other periodicals were also published in Seinai, e.g. “Vadovas” (“The Handbook”) for the priests. The Seinai Printing House did a lot of work in book publishing. Thus, Seinai in the beginning of the 20th century became one of the three Lithuanian press centres after Vilnius and Kaunas.