Vienuolių skaičiaus kaita Kauno benediktinių vienuolyne XIX a.
Kaunas Benedictine convent: quantity dynamic of sisters in the 19th century

Summary/Abstract: Straipsnyje, remiantis rankraštiniais šaltiniais, daugiausia Kauno benediktinių vienuolyno ataskaitomis caro administracijai apie vienuolyno sudėtį, vizitacijų medžiaga, susirašinėjimo su bažnytine vyresnybe medžiaga ir pan. dokumentais, aptariama Kauno benediktinių vienuolyno sudėtis 1795–1905 m., įvertinamas Rusijos imperijos vykdytos politikos poveikis seserų skaičiaus kaitai. Tyrimo metu nustatyta, kad per tiriamą laikotarpį vienuolynas pasipildė apie 60 naujų vienuolių, tačiau 30 iš jų buvo atkelta iš kitų uždarytų ar ketintų uždaryti vienuolynų. Straipsnis parengtas pagal Lietuvos mokslo tarybos finansuotą projektą (sutarties Nr. MIP-104/2012). The article analyzes the composition of Kaunas Benedictine convent from 1795 until 1905. The research is based on handwritten sources, mostly on reports of the convent to the Tsar administration, materials of visitations, the correspondence with the superiors of the Church and other documents. The impact of Russian authorities on the dynamics of the number of sisters in the convent has been taken into account. The research showed that the number of sisters had increased during the investigated period by approximately 60 new members, but 30 of them were moved from other closed or planned to be closed convents: Benedictine convents in Vilnius, Slonim and Kražiai, as well as Bernardine one in Kaunas. Chronologically, the period has been divided into three parts: 1795–1842, 1842–1864 and 1864–1905. The research focuses on the dynamics of change in the number of sisters and on the problems that occurred when admitting new members. During the first period, 1795–1842, Napoleon’s war with Russia, weak economical situation of Kaunas Benedictine convent and the construction of new convent’s house in the years of 1818–1828 were the main obstacles that halted the increase in the number of members of Kaunas Benedictine convent. At the time when new convent house was in the process of construction, sisters of Kaunas Benedictine convent lived in Vilnius and Nesvizh Benedictine convents. Two more sisters temporarily lived in Kaunas Bernardine convent and kept care of construction works. Despite these troubles, during this period 14 novices made eternal professions in Kaunas. There were approximately 9 to 13 of sisters of St Benedict in Kaunas. During the second period, 1842–1864, Kaunas Benedictine convent was turned into the first class tenure. 19 sisters were allowed by the Tsarist’s regime to live in this convent. During this period only 10 novices were allowed to join Kaunas Benedictine convent. 11 sisters, more than a half, were transferred to Kaunas from closed Slonim and from planned to be closed Vilnius Benedictine convents. Sometimes the number of 19 sisters was overpassed: in 1847 and 1848, 21 sisters lived in it, and in 1864, 20 sisters of St Benedict lived in Kaunas.

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