Filia katarzynek z Braniewa na Żmudzi
The Branch of St. Catherine’s Sisters of Braniewo in Samogitia

The Convent of St. Catherine’s Sisters in Krakės in the 18th Century

Summary/Abstract: The Samogitian bishop Jerzy Tyszkiewicz founded the Convent of St. Catherine in Krakės in 1645. The research on St. Catherine’s Sisters in the 18th century has received the least attention from researchers. On the basis of manuscripts and published sources, the article discusses the attitude of the Samogitian bishops towards St. Catherine’s Sisters; it provides data about the material situation of the convent and the church, the relations of St. Catherine’s sisters with the community, and directions of piety. In addition, the research on the collective biography of St. Catherine’s Sisters has been carried out. The research has revealed that the community of St. Catherine’s Sisters in Krakės was relatively small; at a certain point, it consisted of 12 nuns of noble origin from Samogitia and the neighbouring territories. Some information has been found about 48 nuns who gave eternal vows in 1680–1797. They lived and prayed in a wooden church built in 1692 and a wooden convent built in 1722. In the Church of St. Trinity and St. Catherine, Virgin and Martyr, there were six altars; the convent consisted of 15 cells, a refectory, a parlatorium, and an infirmary. The main sources of material livelihood of St. Catherine’s Sisters in Krakės were donations of the Samogitian bishops and the nobility and dowries of the novices; however, the convent was not rich. Even though St. Catherine’s Sisters in Krakės adopted the regulation of the Congregation of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr, in 1673, they developed independently and established local traditions; for instance, at some point they followed a strict clausura, which limited their possibilities to carry out apostolic activities behind the walls of the convent. St. Catherine’s Sisters focused on the education of children (especially orphans) and performed caritative functions. In addition to the prayers indicated in the regulation of St. Catherine’s Sisters, the nuns in Krakės prayed the Liturgy of the Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Immaculate Conception, the Stations of the Cross, and other prayers. They also took care of the Fraternity of St. Barbara and Holy Mary Scapular, which operated at the convent.

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