Apraksts
One of the saddest pages in the history of the Vanagi parish began in the autumn of 1944, after the Red Army entered Latvia. Many Latgale residents began resisting Soviet rule and communist supporters. During this time, Antons Juhņevičs (b. 1905 - d. 4 February 1947) served as a priest of Vanagi parish. He was a remarkable figure, known for his sharp mind, patriotism, and deep faith in God. In his sermons, he called for resistance against the Soviet rule. His determination and faith led him to join the National Resistance Movement, eventually becoming one of its leaders. Later, priest Antons Juhņevičs chose a nickname for himself - Antons Loner - Monahos. To learn more about these stories, you can visit Vanagi in Upmala parish, Preiļi Municipality, where you can explore the church, the parish house, and the former Vanagi Primary School, now the IAC "Vanagi." Visitors can also watch the 2014 documentary film Alias Loner, directed by Normunds Pučs, in which several well-known Latvian actors portray historical figures. The film's soundtrack was composed by Rihards Dubra, and it became the most-watched Latvian documentary of 2014. The school corridors feature a large-format photo exhibition about the making of the film, as well as the film crew's experience of living in Vanagi Primary School during the production. At the parish house, visitors can enjoy a traditional partisan meal—porridge cooked over an open fire—and walk the partisan trails in the nearby forest by the church.
