Blaivybės sąjūdžio sūkuryje

LTSkapiškėnų dalyvavimas blaivybės sąjūdyje ir jo detalus nagrinėjimas atskleidžia visos blaivybės brolijos veiklos epizodą iki galo. Blaivybės sąjūdis visad asocijuojasi su Žemaičių vyskupo Motiejaus Valančiaus 1858-1864 m. veikla. Po 1850 m. nominacijos Žemaičių vyskupas visų pirma siekė susipažinti su visa vyskupija, jos parapijų vadovais bei kitais kunigais, išsiaiškinti jų pasiruošimą ir norą uoliai atlikti sielovados darbą. Antra vertus, vyskupui ypač rūpėjo tiesioginis susipažinimas su tikinčiųjų padėtimi, jų katalikiškų pareigų vykdymu ir socialine, materialine bei kultūrine (pvz., raštingumo) būkle. Vyskupija anuomet susidarė lyg iš dviejų ganėtinai skirtingų dalių: senosios - Žemaičių vyskupijos ir neseniai prie jos prijungtos Vilniaus vyskupijos dalies. Vyskupui ypač rūpėjo susipažinti su pastarąja, kurioje anksčiau sielovados reikalais nesilankė. Tad 1851 m. vasarą ėmėsi vizituoti šios dalies bažnyčias, neaplenkdamas nė Skapiškio. [Iš straipsnio, p. 461]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Skapiškis; Blaivybės sąjūdis; Motiejus Valančius; Skapiškis; Temperance Movement; Motiejus Valančius.

ENParticipation of Skapiškis dwellers in the temperance movement reflects entire scale of activities by the temperance brotherhood and Samogitian (Žemaičių) Bishop Motiejus Valančius in 1858-1864. After several decades of forced break at the eastern flank of the diocese, the Sacrament of Confirmation (a prerogative of Bishop) had been conferred again. In 1851 and 1858, 1420 and 1839 persons had been taken in Skapiškis, correspondingly. On December 25, 1858 in his pastoral message to all Catholics, Bishop Valančius declared the virtue of temperance, and during three Sundays and Saturdays accepted 3512 dwellers of Skapiškis (85.77% parishioners) into the Temperance Brotherhood of Samogitian (Žemaičių) Diocese; and it was the unique event in all Catholic dioceses of Russian Empire, including Polish Kingdom, where this bishop managed to legalise such brotherhood. Beside the propagation of religious ethical culture among the parishioners for the salvation of their souls, he took care of their physical and economic state, ethnic self-consciousness, culture and patriotism, involving peasants into the society and promoting public interest among the landlords. The brotherhood in Skapiškis was led by church administrator Dominykas Sakalauskas. Execution of temperance swearing was controlled by 17 supervisors appointed by him. Due to the efforts of the Bishop and major part of Skapiškis parish dwellers, the church (closed by Russian Tsar administration) of former Dominican monastery had been regained. Vicar M. Skarupskis took care about the repair of devastated church, teaching parishioners to read at the church and the schools in the villages. Because of different ethnic orientation of church administrator D. Sakalauskas and vicar M. Skarupskis, some friction occurred.Complaints reached Bishop Valančius that Skapiškis people broke their temperance oath. On January 24, 1860, he sent a special pastoral message to the parishes of Skapiškis and Kamajai demanding to renew the temperance oath and respect it strictly. Skapiškis people felt wrongly accused and sent back a protest letter written in local dialect as an appeal. They described what works they did in the church on their own forces and expenses: the church repair done, chapels at the Stations of the Cross erected, two almshouses (Szpital) built. The appeal letter was signed by 30 persons. On April 18, 1864 Czar's vicegerent for the North-Western Region, Vilnius Governor-General Mikhail Muravyov banned the temperance brotherhood in the Diocese. The spiritual and material merits of Skapiškis temperance brotherhood were perpetuated in 1862, when the most magnificent and nicest monument in Lithuania had been erected in Dailiūnai (now Skapiškis territory). Under its cornice bottles are bricked, 7 ones at each side, to remind that temperance oath should be respected all 7 week days. During the battles in the summer of 1944, artillery partly destroyed the monument, and in 1961 the ruins had been removed. At the start of Sąjūdis (Reform Movement of Lithuania), due to the initiative of folk artist Bronius Bičkus and teacher Stanislava Mažeikytė, as well as others, the monument has been rebuilt after the design of the original projected restored by Rimas Valeckas by means of photogrammetry. The building materials have been donated by Algirdas Notkus-lead kolkhoz, and many people contributed building it. Its consecration ceremony has been held on May 19, 1991 during the Pentecost. The monument witnesses unity of people grown inside the vortex of temperance movement, the merits of parishioners during the battles for liberation of serfs from estate slavery and reminds about the steps of the rebirth of Independent Lithuania along the road leading to the victory.