History of the Punskas parish in the documents of king Sigismund III Vasa

1597 metų spalio 27 dieną karaliaus Žygimanto III dekretu buvo įsteigta Punsko parapija. Tai svarbus mūsų krašto istorijos momentas ir visiems mums įsimintina data, kadangi nuo jos prasideda Punsko miestelio ir parapijos istorijos raida. Nemažai yra dokumentų ir publikacijų apie parapijos pradžią bei tolesnę jos istoriją. Šia tema XIX a. pabaigoje domėjosi Punsko klebonas, aušrininkas ir literatas Simonas Norkus. Jis 1888 m. Przegląd Katolicki numeryje išspausdino išsamų straipsnį „Punsko bažnyčia (Seinų diecezijoje)“, kuriame aptarė Punsko parapijoje saugomas Lenkijos karaliaus Žygimanto III Vazos fundacines privilegijas, aprašė Punsko bažnyčią ir jos inventorių. S. Norkaus rašiniu naudojosi kun. Pranciškus Augustaitis, kurdamas Seinų dijecezijos bažnyčių monografiją, Jonas Totoraitis, rašydamas Sūduvos Suvalkijos istoriją, ir kt. Į lietuvių kalbą išverstas S. Norkaus straipsnis buvo perspausdintas istorijos paveldo metraštyje Terra Jatwezenorum. Jotvingių kraštas (2009, p. 201–212). Svarbios taip pat šių laikų lietuvių istorikės Vaidos Kamuntavičienės įžvalgos. Iš akių negalima išleisti ir mūsų kraštietės Julijos Račiuvienės magistro darbo, kuriame pateikiama nemažai informacijos iš Punsko parapijos istorijos. Jos knygą Dzieje osadnictwa w parafii Puńsk od r. 1597 do końca XVIII w. 1997 m. išleido Punsko „Aušros“ leidykla. Apie Punsko parapijos įkūrimą yra rašę ir lenkų istorikai. Tarp jų: kunigas Vladislavas Klapkovskis (Władysław Kłapkowski), kuris 1938 m. publikavo Punsko parapijoje saugomas bažnyčios privilegijas, Ježis Visnevskis (Jerzy Wiśniewski) ir kiti.A church in Punskas was erected by a decree of the Polish king Sigismund III Vasa on October 27, 1597. There are various sources and publications about the origins of the Punskas parish, however, the information provided is not always compatible. The author of the article tries analyse the information very precisely, however, in order to exclude any misrepresentation, additional research of the sources is needed The most important documents are the founding acts and privileges for the church of Punskas from 1597, 1600 and 1606 signed by the king Sigismund III Vasa, which are kept in the parish office. The first of the acts issued by the king Sigismund III Vasa was signed on October 27, 1597 in Warsaw. The king legitimized the church built by the forester Zalivskis, erected the parish and generously endowed it. He also reserved himself the right to appoint a parish priest of Lithuanian nationality or the one who can speak this language (idque nonnisi Lithuanum aut linguae Lithuanice gnarum relinquimus). The second document issued in Warsaw by the king Sigismund III Vasa is dated February 23, 1600. In this document the privileges granted by the first royal decree were repeated, and therefore, the fact of the erection of the parish and its remuneration was confirmed. It was acknowledged that the granted benefice was insufficient and it should have been increased. It further stated that in the founding document of 1597 the boundaries of the square for the construction of the church had not been defined precisely and therefore they needed to be clarified. The third decree of the king Sigismund III Vasa dates back to March 13 1606. In this act Sigismund III Vasa reaffirmed the erection of the parish and the benefice granted to the parish priest in Studena village. In addition, 15 morgen by the road to Vižainis were granted and a meadow on both sides of Šešupė, called Wigri, was passed to the priest. It was also confirmed that the forester had to pay annually to the parish 50 Polish florins while the residents had to do the same - pay 6 Lithuanian grosz from one volok. The documents prove that the initiator, organizer and founder of the parish in Punskas was Stanislovas Zalivskis - the ensign of Liw, the forester of Seivai, Lazdijai and Merkinė. Thanks to his efforts a church was built near Punskas Lake, which was later sanctioned and erected by the king Sigismundus III Vasa. At the request of the forester the king endowed the parish and gave the privileges. It is likely that at the founder's request there was a record made in the royal document that "the parish priest of Punskas must be a Lithuanian or the one who can speak the Lithuanian language"