The Council of Trent established that all convents had to adhere to strict enclosure. Western historiography notes that this Tridentine decree met with resistance in many countries and was only partially implemented. The article deals with the case of the Bernardine convent in Kaunas, which existed from the end of the sixteenth century until 1864. The Bernadine nuns of Kaunas followed the Rule of the Third Order of St Francis, which was adapted for the Bernardine monasteries of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and printed in 1740. It placed great emphasis on enclosure, poverty, and communality and foresaw severe physical punishment for transgressions. In practical life, however, this did not stop the development of distinctive customs in the Bernardine convent of Kaunas. Occasional visitations (1767, 1781) or the nuns’ letters to the bishop showed that the convent was in violation of enclosure and poverty and that there was no fence separating the enclosed part of the nuns’ living quarters from the folwark. The Bernadine nuns of Kaunas had their own understanding of enclosure and poverty: they interacted
with the servants (even male servants), maids, residents, and pupils, who lived on the territory of the convent. In this way, the nuns were not detached from the worldly affairs, but communality was endangered. Although enclosure was observed formally and the Bernadine nuns of Kaunas did not appear in public, only they knew what went on behind the high walls of the convent. The Church hierarchy tried to change this, but the results of the reforms were only partial
and temporary. The Bernardine convent of Kaunas attracted women of all back-
grounds, especially the relatives of the nuns; here they found shelter from various
life situations and became involved in the spiritual life of the convent. On the other
hand, they often distracted and divided the community, and the funds allocated
for the nuns’ needs were used for their upkeep.
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