Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas

Vincas Mykolaitis, known by his pen name Putinas (literally Viburnum; 6 January 1893 in Pilotiškės, Suwałki Governorate – 7 June 1967 in Kačerginė), was a Lithuanian poet and writer. He was also a priest, but renounced his priesthood in 1935.

Vincas Mykolaitis

Biography

In 1909, Mykolaitis enrolled to the Seinai Priest Seminary, after few years he published his first poem. In 1915 he was ordained as a priest, however he questioned his mission as a priest. Later he continued studies at the Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy. In St. Petersburg, Mykolaitis published his first collection of poems in 1917. After St. Petersburg, Mykolaitis continued his studies at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and received doctoral degree in 1922.

After studies in western Europe Mykolaitis settled in Lithuania, teaching at the University of Lithuania. During his stay in France, Mykolaitis started to work on his most famous novel — Altorių šešėly (In the Shadow of the Altars). The 3-part novel was published in 1933 and caused a scandal in Lithuania as it described a priest doubting and eventually renouncing his calling. In 1935 Mykolaitis renounced his priesthood. In 1940 he started to work at Vilnius University, there he became professor.

Mykolaitis died in 1967 and was buried in Rasos Cemetery, Vilnius. Among other notable works of Mykolaitis were novel Sukilėliai (Rebels) (unfinished), Tarp dviejų aušrų (Between Two Dawns) and others.

References
  • (in Lithuanian) Lithuanian Classical Literature Anthology. Biography. Retrieved on 2007-09-22
  • (in Lithuanian) Lithuanian Classical Literature Anthology. Major works. Retrieved on 2007-09-22


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