On 1 October, priest Bernardas Augaitis, who speaks both Polish and Lithuanian and held separate services for Lithuanian and Polish communities, was recalled from Sejny. The local Lithuanian community has already turned to Vilnius Archbishop Audrys Juozas Bačkis over the matter.
Algirdas Vektorius, chairman of the St. Casimir's society of Lithuanians in Poland, told BNS that church services last Sunday were held in the Polish language only.
In his words, Lithuanians want to pray in Lithuanian and expect a priest speaking the language to reside in Sejny or at least come from Lazdijai or Marijampolė, towns just across the Lithuanian border, to hold services.
"Bishops should meet and discuss the matter – the bishop from Vilnius and the bishop from Elk (...). We have put everything in writing to Archbishop Audrys Juozas Bačkis," Vektorius said.
He also said that a Lithuanian choir was now invited to sing during Polish-language services, dismissing this as a bad attempt to integrate Lithuanians.
According to data provided by the Lithuanian Embassy to Poland, about 15,000 people of Lithuanian descent now reside in Poland, mainly Sejny and Punsk regions close to the Lithuanian border.
