Antanas Strazdas

Who was Antanas Strazdas?

Antanas Strazdas was a Lithuanian priest and poet. Because of his humble origins and lifestyle, he became somewhat of a folklore hero.

Born to a poor serf family, he attended many schools established by monasteries, including ones in Polatsk and Daugavpils. In 1789 he finally graduated from Varniai theological seminary. Due to his restless nature, he traveled from one parish to another, often living on his own as a farmer. In 1820 he settled more permanently in Kamajai, where he bought land and kept up a farm, only sometimes performing his duties as a priest. In 1828 he was accused of improper behavior for a priest and confined in the Pažaislis Monastery. Next year he left the monastery and returned to Kamajai, where he died just four years later.

During his lifetime only two thin poetry books were published. One of them, Secular and Holy Songs published in 1814, contains nine secular verses and two hymns written in the Lithuanian language. The second, Ode to Riga, was published in the Polish language in 1824. The third collection of Lithuanian poems was destroyed by the censors. As many as 50 songs are attributed to Strazdas and passed by word of mouth to this day. However, the authorship is hard to establish because of lack of written proof and because of the tendency of Strazdas' songs to become part of folklore.