His Excellency Juozapas Skvireckas | |
---|---|
Archbishop of Kaunas | |
Church | Roman Catholic |
Archdiocese | Kaunas |
Appointed | 5 April 1926 |
In office | 1926–1959 |
Successor | Vincentas Sladkevičius |
Orders | |
Ordination | 24 June 1899 |
Consecration | 13 July 1919 by Antanas Karosas |
Personal details | |
Born | |
Died | December 3, 1959 Zams, Austria | (aged 86)
Nationality | Lithuanian |
Juozapas Skvireckas (18 September 1873 – 3 December 1959) was a Lithuanian archbishop of Kaunas (1926–1959). [1]
Skvireckas was born in Pašilaičiai [2] or near Pumpėnai. [3] He attended high school in Panevėžys and the seminary at Žemaičių Kalvarija, [3] and he was ordained in 1899. [2] During the First World War, he performed pastoral duties in Smolensk and Tula. [3] He was made a titular bishop in 1919, and in 1925 he became archbishop of Kaunas. [2]
From 1911 to 1937, he translated the Bible into Lithuanian; it was published in six volumes by the Society of Saint Casimir. [4] During the occupation of the Baltic States by the Nazis, Skvireckas and his assistant, Bishop Vincentas Brizgys, initially welcomed the Nazis. [5] Skvireckas provided chaplains for Lithuanian-manned Nazi auxiliary units. [6] Later, however, Skvireckas issued multiple protests to Nazi authorities regarding the conditions of the Catholic Church in Lithuania. [7] He also sent reports to the Vatican, and in 1942 he started receiving instructions from the papal office. [7] He intervened on behalf of the Jewish population, [3] and in 1942 it was reported he was wounded by the Nazis in an incident that left another priest dead [3]—however, it was in fact Archbishop Mečislovas Reinys that had been injured. [8] In 1944, Skvireckas, Brizgys and over 200 other Lithuanian clergymen left Kaunas with retreating German forces and went into exile. [6] He settled in Austria, where he died in Zams in 1959. [2] [9] After his death, the post of (arch)bishop of Kaunas was vacant until 1989.
His Excellency Juozapas Skvireckas | |
---|---|
Archbishop of Kaunas | |
Church | Roman Catholic |
Archdiocese | Kaunas |
Appointed | 5 April 1926 |
In office | 1926–1959 |
Successor | Vincentas Sladkevičius |
Orders | |
Ordination | 24 June 1899 |
Consecration | 13 July 1919 by Antanas Karosas |
Personal details | |
Born | |
Died | December 3, 1959 Zams, Austria | (aged 86)
Nationality | Lithuanian |
Juozapas Skvireckas (18 September 1873 – 3 December 1959) was a Lithuanian archbishop of Kaunas (1926–1959). [1]
Skvireckas was born in Pašilaičiai [2] or near Pumpėnai. [3] He attended high school in Panevėžys and the seminary at Žemaičių Kalvarija, [3] and he was ordained in 1899. [2] During the First World War, he performed pastoral duties in Smolensk and Tula. [3] He was made a titular bishop in 1919, and in 1925 he became archbishop of Kaunas. [2]
From 1911 to 1937, he translated the Bible into Lithuanian; it was published in six volumes by the Society of Saint Casimir. [4] During the occupation of the Baltic States by the Nazis, Skvireckas and his assistant, Bishop Vincentas Brizgys, initially welcomed the Nazis. [5] Skvireckas provided chaplains for Lithuanian-manned Nazi auxiliary units. [6] Later, however, Skvireckas issued multiple protests to Nazi authorities regarding the conditions of the Catholic Church in Lithuania. [7] He also sent reports to the Vatican, and in 1942 he started receiving instructions from the papal office. [7] He intervened on behalf of the Jewish population, [3] and in 1942 it was reported he was wounded by the Nazis in an incident that left another priest dead [3]—however, it was in fact Archbishop Mečislovas Reinys that had been injured. [8] In 1944, Skvireckas, Brizgys and over 200 other Lithuanian clergymen left Kaunas with retreating German forces and went into exile. [6] He settled in Austria, where he died in Zams in 1959. [2] [9] After his death, the post of (arch)bishop of Kaunas was vacant until 1989.