The Society of Saint Casimir was a Lithuanian society that published Lithuanian-language books and periodicals, many on Roman Catholic church and faith. Established in 1905, right after the Lithuanian press ban was lifted, the society published a total of about 740 books and several periodicals, including the first full Roman Catholic Bible translation into Lithuanian in six volumes in 1911–1937. From 1918 it operated its own printing press Šviesa. The society was liquidated after Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union in June 1940.
Former building of the printing press Šviesa
The Lithuanian press ban was a ban on all Lithuanian language publications printed in the Latin alphabet in force from 1865 to 1904 within the Russian Empire, which controlled Lithuania proper at the time. Lithuanian-language publications that used Cyrillic were allowed and even encouraged.
Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas published in 1547
Russian sign proclaiming that speaking Lithuanian is strictly forbidden
Image: Auksa altorius latin
Image: Auksa altorius cirillics