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Vol. 106 (2006): Our Past

Articles

The accounts of the Kaunas Benedictine Sisters

  • Małgorzata Borkowska
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.2006.106.261-278  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2006-12-30

Abstract

The Benedictine Convent of Kaunas, founded in 1627, escaped the 19th century suppression but in the Soviet times (1948-1992) it could exist only in a clandestine way. The community however grew in podpoliye, and it also managed to keep a part of its archives. There is among them a receipt book which notes the takings from 1748 to 1779. An analysis of these shows that the convent lived in a rather hand-to-mouth way on the interest of a capital sum consisting of the nuns’ dowries. This, added to the proceeds from a few farms and woods it owned, was not always enough, however, and it was necessary (although illicit) to use up some of the capital. In some cases the convent had even to borrow money from its own nuns, who owned small sums to meet their personal needs; after using up such sums the convent was obliged to pay the interest to these nuns. Even so, since the time was one of general calamities, the convent buildings were found in 1818 practically roofless and so dilapidated that it was absolutely necessary to build the whole premises once again from the foundations. This was paid for by other (and richer) Benedictine convents. The interesting thing is that in spite of the very visible dilapidation candidates kept joining; this shows that the convent was seen by the local community as a matter-of-fact and necessary part of their Church life.

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