Bishop Sipovich new file

8 Three priests were chosen initially for this project, namely Abrantovich, Charniauski (after he had finished his novitiate) and Hermanovich. With the appointment of Abrantovich to Harbin and the resignation of Charniauski, the project had to be abandoned. Tsikota wrote to Buchys on 7 January 1928: "This affair is very painful for our monastery and for the Church in our country. We are so few, and even what we have is taken away from us... There remains nothing for us, except getting ready for this task (i.e. Union work in Belarus A.N .) in the future, leaving to the Most High and Good God, when it would please Him to call from among us other workers to His harvest". It can be said that the events of 1928 marked the beginning of the decline of Druia. This, however, was not evident at the time to a 14-year-old boy who knew nothing about the politics and machinations behind the scenes. He might even have felt a sense of pride that it was Druia which had been chosen to play such an important part in the work of "conversion of Russia". At the same time the dignified deportment of the Belarusian Marian fathers in the face of Polish political pressure, and their dedication to their pastoral work seemed only to strengthen his affection and respect for them. Life in the juniorate was not easy. Rise at 4 a.m., Mass, breakfast, school from 6.30 to 12.30, lunch, short recreation with manual work, preparation of lessons, supper, recreation, evening prayers and bed at 7.45 p.m. The conditions of life were spartan. The church was unheated and freezing cold in winter. Food was plentiful but simple. There was usually buckwheat porridge and tea for breakfast; lunch consisted of two courses, with dessert only on great feasts. After lunch recreation was usually spent in manual work such as chopping wood for heating in winter. There was not much free time, but boys did not seem to mind: most of them came from peasant families and were used to hard work. On the whole, according to Sipovich, despite the hardships it was a happy time. This was to a large extent due to Father Joseph Hermanovich, a priest with a merry twinkle in his eyes. He joined the Marian Fathers in 1924, after ten years of pastoral experience in various parishes of the Vilna diocese, where he encountered strong opposition from the Polish clergy when he tried to preach in Belarusian and establish Belarusian schools. A man of friendly disposition and simplicity, he could be hard and uncompromising in defending the principles in which he believed, in particular when it came to the question of the legitimate rights of the Belarusian people. Hermanovich was a born teacher who, in the words of Ceslaus Sipovich, "knew how to educate boys, excite their interest, and especially how to make them love their native tongue" 8 . He was also a talented poet and writer, signing his works with the pen-name "Vintsuk Advazhny" or just the initials "V. A.". It was under these intials that his book of poetry, Belaruskiia tsymbaly (Belarusian Dulcimer) appeared in Vilna in 1933. In the preface to the book his great friend, Father Adam Stankievich, wrote: "It appears that V. A. is the only Belarusian writer who today, however much he might want to, cannot reveal his own name, and must hide under the above initials. Such are the socio-political circumstances in which we live" 9 . The circumstances referred to were the fact that many of Fr Hermanovichs poems had a strong Belarusian patriotic character and might have been used by Polish nationalists 8 Ja. Vuchan, "Vintsuk Advazhny", Konadni , No.7, New York Munich, 1963, p.93. (Ja. Vuchan one of the pennames of Ceslaus Sipovich) 9 Ad. Stankiewic, "Ab zycci i tworstwie W.A."; in the book: W. A. Bielaruskija cymbaly , Vilna, 1933, p.V