| Popis: |
2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the «LKB Kronika» («LCC Chronicle»), the herald of the Lithuanian Religious and Civil Rights Movement. In 2018, the 80th anniversary of Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevičius, the editor of this underground publication, was commemorated. These two anniversaries seem to give us a glimpse into the underground press, and the meaningful way of life of Cardinal Sigitas Tamkevičius, the distinguished son of Dzūkija, dedicated to this work. During the profound years of the Soviet occupation, the Catholic press, the Chronicle of the Catholic Church of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as «LKB Kronika»), was reborn in the underground. On March 19, 1972, on St. Joseph›s Day, the first issue of the «LKB Kronika» appeared. The first editor, priest Sigitas Tamkevičius, deliberately chose this date to pay tribute to the priest Juozas Zdebski, who was imprisoned in Pravieniškės camp. The «LKB Kronika» reached the West through Moscow dissidents, and later through the guests coming to Lithuania from the West. The publishers were proficient at transcribing the texts into microfilm and transmitting them to toothpaste tubes and elsewhere. The LithuanianAmerican community translated the «LKB Kronika» into English and other languages, and sent it to the free-world governments, parliaments, and international organizations. Then the world became aware of the violations of the freedom of the Church, religion, and conscience in Lithuania, and about the forced occupation of Lithuania in 1940, etc. Priest Sigitas Tamkevičius was the editor of the underground publication for 11 years. While he was in camps and in exile, this work was undertaken by priest John Boruta (now Bishop). The publishing of «LKB Kronika» was discontinued when the Sąjūdis (the Independence Movement) press came out, which wrote boldly and openly about everything. The future Cardinal Sigitas Tamkevičius was born on November 7, 1938, in Gudonys village, Alytus County. The harmonious family of Motiejus and Anelė Tamkevičiai raised four sons: Jonas, Vladas, Albinas, and the youngest Sigitas. He was the only one destined to attain higher education. In 1955 he graduated from Seirijai High School, and entered Kaunas Interdisciplinary Seminary. In the winter of 1957, he had to drop out of education because he was called to the Soviet Army. Having finished the service in the army, he completed his education, and on April 18, 1962, Petras Maželis, the Bishop of Telšiai, gave him his priesthood sanctification. The KGB tried to recruit young priest Sigita Tamkevicius several times as their agent by offering good parishes and studies in Rome, but they failed. For fourteen years he was a vicar in the parishes of Vilkaviškis Diocese: Alytus, Lazdijai, Kudirkos Naumiestis, Prienai, Vilkaviškis, and Simnas. In 1969 regarding the action for Kaunas Priest Seminary, the Soviet authorities forbade him to perform the duties of a priest, so he worked at the factory in Vilkaviškis and later at the Prienai Reclamation Building Board as an ordinary labourer. He served as pastor for eight years in Kybartai. In 1978, along with other priests, Jonas Kauneckas, Alfonsas Svarinskas, Vincas Žižavicius, and Juozas Zdebskis, he founded the Catholic Committee for the Protection of the Rights of the Congregation. In 1983 he was arrested at the trial of priest Alfonsas Svarinskas. The Soviet Supreme Court, which accused priest Sigitas Tamkevičius of antiSoviet propaganda and agitation, sentenced him to six years of harsh regime camp and four years of exile. He was imprisoned in the camps of political prisoners in Permė, Mordovija, and again in Permė. In 1988 he was deported to Tomsk region, but returned to Lithuania six months later, after the Independence Movement began. [...] |
