Moterų pogrindžio vienuolijos sovietmečiu: tarp tęstinumo ir naujų iššūkių

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: KGB; Katalikai; Katalikų bažnyčia sovietmečiu; Kaunas; Moterų pogrindžio vienuolijos; Moterų vienuolija; Sovietinė Lietuva; Sovietmetis; Vilnius; Catholic Church in soviet period; Catholics; Female religious order; Female underground congregations; KGB; Kaunas; Soviet Lithuania; Soviet times; Vilnius.

ENThe article presents the first results of the research focused at the experiences of female religious orders during the Soviet period, when they were officially banned and continued their activities clandestinely. It examines the ways female congregations reacted to the wide demographic shifts, which took place in Soviet Lithuania, arguing, that adaptation was inadequate. Many of elder communities were slow to establish their units in quickly growing cities such as Vilnius and Klaipėda. Instead of it they preferred to remain in Kaunas, which has retained its status as the center of Lithuanian Catholicism during the Soviet occupation. The article also investigates changes in the organisational structure of female congregations, which was fully restored in the middle of the sixties. Most of them since then have been not only accepting new members, but also organising common recollections, choosing their ruling bodies. In the last section of the article the reasons are exposed why female religious orders were growing and even new ones established in times when possibilities of religious life were reduced considerably. The clear difference with male orders was visible in this regard and author is trying to explain such a contrast by pointing to some specific developments under the Soviet rule. First of all there was no other option rather than entering congregation for more devoted women to express their religious commitment when every forms of lay apostolate were totally banned in the Soviet Union. Unofficially functioning communities of women didn’t attract much attention of the Soviet authorities, which surely would be reacting much more eager in the case of similar unsanctioned gatherings of men. [From the publication]