“And if the courts don’t judge us priests today, the nation will judge us!” 90th anniversary of the birth of priest Juoz Zdebskis

Prepared by Povilas Girdenis, Head of the Documents Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Lithuania

I carry the word of the gospel like a singing bird

For this deaf and increasingly impoverished world, it seems more bitter…

Bernard Brazdzionis

in 1929 May 10 One of the most famous Lithuanian dissidents, an active fighter for the rights of believers, priest Juozas Zdebskis, was born in the village of Naujienai, Marijampole county, Krosna township.

While studying at Kalvarija Gymnasium, the future priest gathered a group of future students. in 1947 was arrested by Soviet security on charges of belonging to the Lithuanian national underground, but released due to lack of evidence.

1948‒1952 J. Zdebskis studied at Kaunas Seminary, 1952. September 21 bishop Kazimieras Paltaroks conferred priesthood ordinations. He was ordained in Šiluva (Raseiniai district), Raseiniai, Šiupylaii (Šiauliai district). Since 1956 continued his theological studies, serving as a vicar in Kaunas Vilijampolė church. “Deeply religious, strong-willed and very simple” – described the priest “Beržas”, an agent of the State Security Committee of the Lithuanian SSR (KGB), in 1956. November 28 in the notification provided.

Father J. Zdebski often had to change parishes. He was a priest in Šakiai, Gudelei (Marijampolė district), Alytus, Leipalingi, Kapčiamiestis, Valakbūdy (Šakiai district), Prienai, Šlavantai (Lazdijai district), Rudamina (Lazdijai district). While performing his clerical duties, he ignored the strict restrictions on the catechization of children. “Children need to be shown God. If we don’t do that work, history will condemn us,” he used to say. J. Zdebskis in 1964 for violating the “laws on the separation of the church from the state and the school from the church”, that is, for preparing children for First Communion. and in 1971 was convicted and served prison sentences.

“We priests have to thank you for this and similar trials. These facts force our consciences to speak, prevent us from falling asleep, force us to make a decision,” J. Zdebskis said in 1971. in November in the courtroom, despite the fact that the judges tried several times to interrupt his final speech. “And if the courts don’t judge us – the priests – today, the nation will judge us!” At last the hour of Supreme Justice will come. May God help us priests to fear this more than your judgment!”

Trials, imprisonments, warnings, threats, persecution did not affect the persistent clergyman. During his sermons, he boldly criticized the Soviet repressive policy, spoke about restrictions on the rights of believers, urged people not to trust Soviet propaganda, encouraged sobriety, and repeatedly declared from the pulpit that he was being followed by the security forces. From the first years of his priesthood, he organized the production of religious literature, cooperated in publishing anti-Soviet press, participated in the creation of an underground seminary for priests, and was a member of the Catholic Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Believers.

The priest constantly traveled around Lithuania collecting signatures of protest against the violations of the rights of believers, he maintained contacts with dissidents from Russia and other republics of the USSR. He went on missionary trips many times: he visited the Germans of Pavolgis who kept their Catholic faith, Catholics living in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Altai region, Kazakhstan. J. Zdebskis also visited exiles, political prisoners, young people who served in the Soviet army. Thanks to the priest’s efforts, the world public learned about the future priest Robert Griga, sent to Kazakhstan for military service, who refused to take the Soviet soldier’s oath and suffered physical violence as a result.

1974‒1985 while serving as a priest in Šlavantai (Lazdija district), 1985‒1986. In Rudamina (Lazdija district), J. Zdebskis continued to ignore the restrictions on children’s catechization, paid great attention to the patriotic upbringing of children, teaching the true history of Lithuania, gathered groups of believing youth, organized camps, hikes to Šiluva, the Hill of Crosses, organized the holidays of St. Christmas, St. Easter, February 16 commemorations. in 1982 together with the members of the believing youth circle, prepared a dramatic montage dedicated to the decade of the burning of Rome Kalanta.

Security has systematically followed the priest since the 1960s. spring in 1971 for “anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda in oral and written form masked by religious dogmatism”, he was put under an operational investigation case, codenamed “Akipläsa” (Russian: “Naglec”), which aptly reflected his unbreakable character and uncompromising behavior. More than a hundred agents participated in the surveillance of Mr. Zdebski, his house was often searched, correspondence was checked, and conversations were listened to.

Security and militia officers committed more than one brutal provocation against the persistent cleric. in 1976 March. a priest in Vilnius who had not consumed alcohol at all was stopped by militiamen and accused of drunken driving, was punished: his driver’s license was revoked, and the news about it was published in Lazdiju district. in the press.

in 1982 September 14 The service certificate of the KGB 5 of the Lithuanian SSR records that in relation to Mr. Zdebski “measures were carried out with the aim of compromising him as a clergyman in relation to the church leadership”. 1979‒1980 security distributed letters compromising the priest, written by women he allegedly seduced. in 1980 October month. a “special measure” was carried out in which poisonous chemicals of unknown origin were sprayed on the seat of a priest’s car in order to cause injuries to his lower body and spread rumors that he had contracted a venereal disease. In the document, the security officials noted that after the execution of the “special measures”, the priest “was finally compromised”, his activity decreased. In the future, it was planned to continue to monitor him and compromise between the clergy and the faithful.

in 1985 J. Zdebskis was transferred from Šlavantai to Rudamina (Lazdija district). And in the new parish, the KGB actively followed him, collected information about his activities, suspected him of involvement in the publication and distribution of the “Chronicle of the Lithuanian Catholic Church” and other underground publications, sought to recruit more agents in his new place of residence, and tried to reduce the priest’s influence on the youth.

in 1986 February 5 priest J. Zdebskis died in an accident. St. Rudamina was buried. In the cemetery of the Trinity Church (Lazdija district). Until now, there is no silence that the painful traffic accident could have been orchestrated by the security forces.

https://virtualios-parodos.archyvai.lt/lt/virtualios-parodos/34/jei-musu-kunigu-neteis-teismai-siandien-mus-teis-tauta-lya/exh-136/jei-musu-kunigu- the-courts-doesn’t-judge-us-today-the-nation-lya/case-707?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0cDULT2wUzBWrGpZa0doXIN0hhXok7efZkEf8bJloji_E1DBrhD8SWSeg_aem_AdwT1m5UQMuoe6iaByyIJIUW5la9MJY6t9gQWe2qF4iS7VVPP5W_Lx vupStcyEBAdOoHp7vgTAjAjgrHRa1YerU0#slide1