The Rosary of Mary and the Name of Jesus Fraternity in Kaunas' Dominican Church in the 17th-19th Centuries

The article considers the work of Valerijonas Andzejovicius "The Rose Garden" (1646), the work of Jurgis Kasakauskis "The Rosary" (1681), the book of the members of the Kaunas Rosary Fraternity (1776-1855) and other sources. The article describes the structure, aims, tasks and spirituality of the brotherhood, which was active in the Dominican Church in Kaunas in the 17th-19th centuries. It is noted that the Brotherhood was very Lithuanian, with many Lithuanian surnames among its members. The text of the vows was in Lithuanian and the prayers were recited from a Lithuanian prayer book. The main purpose of the Brotherhood was to encourage the recitation of the Rosary, to participate in common rites, to develop the cult of Mary and Jesus, to guard against blasphemy, to help the members of the Brotherhood materially, to seek the salvation of souls, etc. The most important feast of the Brotherhood was the feast of the Rosary on the first Sunday of October, but the members of the Brotherhood met and celebrated on every first Sunday of the month and on Mary's feast days.