Conflicts over the Language of Additional Services in the Diocese of Sejny or Augustów in the Second Half of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries

• Authors: Algimantas Katilius

Abstracts

EN

In 1898, a questionnaire was sent the parish clergy on behalf of Antanas Baranauskas, Bishop of Sejny, in which, among other things, they were asked about the local languages used in church practice. An analysis of the clergy’s answers shows that at the end of the nineteenth century, there were not many potential parishes in the diocese of Sejny or Augustów where conflicts over the use of languages in the additional services could arise. The Lithuanian language was well established in most Lithuanian parishes or in those with few Polish believers. The most important source for studying the causes and development of linguistic conflicts in parishes is the parishioners’ petitions written to their spiritual superiors and to the civil authorities. These petitions include demands of each side, explain the situation, and ask for a change in the situation with regard to one language or the other. In the appeals written by the Lithuanian believers, the justification of the introduction of the Lithuanian language in additional services was that the majority of the believers in the parish were of Lithuanian nationality and that most of the parishioners did not understand Polish. The reason given by the Polish believers in their petitions was the tradition, i.e., that the Polish language had been around for a long time or that their ancestors built a particular church. The reactions of the hierarchs of the diocese of Sejny or Augustów to linguistic conflicts in the parishes depended on the number of believers of one nationality or the other in a parish. This was to maintain the principle of fairness, so that neither side would be disadvantaged. In the parishes discussed, the majority of the believers were Lithuanian parishioners, and this was taken into account in determining the proportions of sermons, hymn-singing, and other liturgical rites. The use of Polish in additional services was thus given its proper place.

Keywords

EN

Diocese of Sejny or Augustów; Language; Poland; Lithuania

• Publisher: Wydawnictwo Diecezjalne Adalbertinum
• Journal: Studia Ełckie
• Year: 2022
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 501-524

Dates

published

2022

Contributors

author

Algimantas Katilius

• The Lithuanian Institute of History, Vilnius, Lithuania

• https://orcid.org/0000000349425053

References

• Aleksandravičius E., Antanas Baranauskas: szlak wieszczia, tr. J. Rogoza, T. Błaszczak, Sejny 2014.
• Aleksandravičius E., Giesmininko kelias, Vilnius 2003.
• Gustaitis M., Kunigas Juozapas Galeckas. Dzūkijos darbuotojas, [b. v.], 1924.
• Jakštas A., Lenkų ir rusų spauda apie Lietuvą, „Draugija” 1907, no. 8, p. 374-375.
• Jemielity W., Język nabożeństw w parafiach mieszanych polsko-litewskich przed I Wojną Światową, in: Przeszłość natchnieniem dla teraźniejszości, ed. K. Brzostek, Ełk 1996, p. 260-282.
• J-is, Kalvarija, „Šaltinis” 1907, no. 14 (kovo 21/balandžio 3), p. 220.
• Kalvarija, „Šaltinis” 1907, no. 1 (1906 m. gruodžio 20/1907 m. sausio 2), p. 12.
• Katilius A., Konflikty polsko-litewskie o język nabożeństw w mieszanych (polsko-litewskich) parafiach na przełomie XIX i XX wieku, in: Pozostawione historii. Litwini o Polsce i Polakach, ed. K. Korzeniewska, V. Sirutavičius, Kraków 1999, p. 109-120.
• Katilius A., Pridėtinių pamaldų kalba Seinų vyskupijos bažnyčiose: XIX a.–XX a. pradžia, in: Vyskupo Antano Baranausko anketa dvasininkams (1898 m.), ed. A. Katilius, Vilnius 2012, p. 11-58.
• Kučas A., Kunigas Antanas Staniukynas. 100 metų sukakčiai nuo jo gimimo paminėti, Roma 1965.
• Kun. J. Krokininkas, Vištytis, „Šaltinis” 1911, no. 28 (liepos 5/18), p. 331.
• Kviklys B., Lietuvos bažnyčios, vol. 2: Vilkaviškio vyskupija, Chicago 1982.
• Maksimavičius P., Karališkasis miestas, „Aušra” 1997, no. 15, p. 16-19.
• Mikšytė R., Antanas Baranauskas, Vilnius 1993.
• P. A. (Pranciškus Augustaitis), Seinų dijecezijos bažnyčių monografija, „Vadovas” 1911, no. 32.
• Sermėgius [J. Sabiška], Kalvarija, „Šaltinis” 1906, no. 31 (spalio 18/31), p. 491-492.
• Sermėgius [J. Sabiška], Kalvarija, „Šaltinis” 1906, no. 35 (lapkričio 15/28), p. 554-555.
• Skrebenius, Kalvarija, „Šaltinis” 1906, no. 25 (rugsėjo 6/19), p. 394.
• Žinnešys, Kalvarija, „Šaltinis” 1906, no. 7 (gegužės 3/16), p. 110.
• Žinnešys, Kalvarija, „Šaltinis” 1906, no.12 (birželio 7/20), p. 188.
• Valentas, Kodėl uždarė Beržininko bažnyčią, „Vilniaus žinios” 1905, no. 81 (kovo 30/balandžio 12 d.), p. 1.
• Vyskupo Antano Baranausko anketa dvasininkams (1898 m.), ed. A. Katilius, Vilnius 2012.

Identifiers

DOI

10.32090/SE.240424

Biblioteka Nauki

30146562