The Faculty of Theology of the Stefan Batory University in Vilnius 1919–1939

Abstract

The Faculty of Theology was one of the smallest at the SBU, both in terms of the number of employees and students. In its first year of existence, there were only two professors employed at the FT. In the following years, there were 4–5 professors and since the academic year 1935/1936 from 6 to 8. They were all Catholic priests. In the first year, only eight people signed up for the classes at the FT and in the two consecutive years there were 12 and 27 students respectively. In the following years, these numbers increased considerably. The number of students at the FT increased steadily until 1930/1931, when 183 students enrolled, then started decreasing. The Council of the Faculty of Theology of the SBU was a small structure. It consisted of only a few people. Throughout the interwar period there were five Deans at the FT. Despite the small number of professors at the FT, the representatives of the Faculty were chosen as Rector of the SBU. The Rectors from the FT were: Czesław Falkowski and Aleksander Wóycicki. As for the process of teaching, the students of the FT of the SBU were always divided into two lecture groups: one consisted of clerics of the Vilnius Seminary and the other of lay people and priests. The studies lasted five years, every year (in June) students had to take a promotional exam before the commission and a failed exam could be retaken in September, once again, with the consent of the Faculty Council.