Simno dekanato parapijų padėtis XVII a. antrojoje pusėje

Abstract

The Simnas deanery of Vilnius Diocese was formed in the mid-scvcntccnth century. The synod of 1669 convened by Vilnius Bishop Aleksandras Sapiega mentioned that the deanery in question consisted of thirteenth parishes: Rudamina, Lazdijai, Simnas, Balbieri kis, Udrija, Meteliai, Seirijai, vente˛eris, Leipalingis (Lcipunai), Veisiejai, Bcrznykas, Seinai and Punskas. Such structure of the deanery remained until the nineteenth century. From the early twentieth century three parishes of the old deanery, i.e. Punskas, Seinai and Bcrznykas, became a part of the state of Poland and the other parishes remained in the territory of Lithuania. The aim of this article is to describe the material and spiritual position of parishes of the Simnas deanery in the second half of the seventeenth century based on the materials from visitations of the deanery churches in 1669 and 1674.[...]