On cemeteries in Vilnius Region – collection for Rasos

Social Committee for Care over the Old Rasos and Polish Medical Association in Lithuania invite all willing to participate in the collection dedicated to the Vilnius Rasos, which is going to be held on the 1st and 2nd November on all major cemeteries of the Vilnius Region.

Polish Medical Association in Lithuania came up with an invaluable social proposal (president Barbara Komorowska). Dariusz Żybort, a doctor from the Physicians Association is the originator of this proposal. He suggested conducting on those days a collection for Vilnius Rasos on all major cemeteries of the Vilnius Region and in this way supporting the Social Committee for Care over the Old Rasos.

The committee has already been collecting cash for the restoration of the old monuments on this oldest necropolis in Vilnius (the cemetery is over 200 years old) for over 20 years. Time and people contribute to the fact that monuments are deteriorating and require restoration. It is also necessary to remember that a large part of the graves doesn’t have a caretaker anymore. Uprisings, wars, transportations to Siberia contributed to the fact that residents of Vilnius had found themselves far from their beloved city, to which they would never come back. Graves left without care deteriorated. The cemetery started gradually dying.

In order to save the cemetery a committee was formed 25 years ago. During this period over 60 monuments were renovated, 4 new commemorating the well-deserved Countrymen were built. With help came pupils from Polish schools, scouts, young people, and social organizations from the Vilnius Region. Thanks to them the cemetery is being cleaned in spring and autumn, bushes are being cut out and an action “Light for Rasos ” has been going on for a few years, during which collected memory lights glow on the abandoned graves on the All Saints’ Day.

This new, valuable initiative – collection on cemeteries in Vilnius Region – won’t be possible without You ladies and gentlemen, pupils from Polish schools, scouts. Therefore we invite all interested to the House of Polish Culture (Naugarduko 76 Street, room 305, 3rd floor) to the organizational meeting on the 13th October at 5 p.m. We hope that you’ll come and help. We thank you in advance for the participation.

Social Committee for Care over the Old Raso , Polish Medical Association in Lithuania.