Liudas's neighbour who steals his blanket. Announces his final day, sells a cheap coat, says goodbye and leaves the seminary

Protagonist, a new seminarian awakening to seminary life. Liudas experiences deep spiritual emptiness, adopts a bead‑based conscience examination, confesses pride, envy and other sins, and is described as closed by a peer. First meeting with his parents in the seminary, humiliating address as “kunigėli,” increased caution during silentium, observes rector/inspector movements Liudas gains choir prominence, is praised, experiences a vision of an unknown woman, and learns of Liucė’s upcoming visit Liudas becomes bolder, critiques elders, deepens literary activity, hides illegal books, publishes poems under pseudonym, assumes senior role in dormitory reflects on his lifelong physical insecurity and perceives his appearance as still unsatisfactory despite seminary growth Vasaris attends the manor, engages in contentious dialogue on love, tries a cigarette, receives books Vasaris visits Rainaki manor, sorts books, engages in philosophical debate with the baroness, and deepens his vocational conflict Vasaris struggles with confession work, delivers a failed sermon, and participates in Christmas visitation to Paliepių, confronting Žodelis. Vasaris feels monitored, receives baroness's note, attends her confession, struggles with moral dilemma, decides to seek her out Rejects parish priest role, reflects on war memories, sees changed village, feels internal conflict between vocation and secular ambitions Returned home after ten years abroad, performed a Mass without recent confession, officiated family exequies, and engaged in political discussion with villagers Appointed director of the Catholic gymnasium; continues priestly duties while managing school; deepens inner conflict involving poetry and romantic feelings for Liucija Brazgienė. Vasaris’s drama, which critiques monastic vows, is mentioned as Auksė’s recent literary interest, and his desire to stay faithful to the bishop is noted. Vasaris participates in the New Year’s party and engages in intense philosophical dialogue. Deepens crisis about priesthood, spends summer in Nida, reunites with Auksė, finishes drama and plans to submit it, considers renouncing priesthood Vasaris renounces priest duties, debates marriage, premieres his drama, receives warning from Meškėnas, and publishes his work. Decides to quit the priesthood and focus on writing, deepening inner conflict about vocation and marriage Liudas Vasaris dies on 17 May, 19**

Friend who comments on Liudas's clothing. Participates in the clandestine gathering in the zirkininkas room, protests Liudas taking the pot Petryla returns to the village and discusses differences between his priest and Liudas' parish priest, highlighting clergy habits and drinking culture. teases Liudas about his poetry and calls him a poet during the jubilee

Oversees all liturgical ceremonies and coordinates assistants

Talented singer who teaches music and leads the seminary choir

Senior student who assigns rooms and reports to the rector

Polish inspector who enforces Polish traditions and language policy

Provides medical assistance to sick seminarians

Rotating confessor and spiritual guide for the seminarians Provides counsel on avoiding emotional pleasure and accepting small merits during confession

Rector of the seminary, short, gold‑glasses‑wearing, strict, enforces discipline and denies Lithuanian language use

A fellow seminarian who comments that Liudas is closed and overly modest during Easter break

A junior acolyte with weak eyesight who struggles lighting candles and jokes about the need for candles. Quotes Latin at the gathering, warns about inspector arrival Informs Liudas about Liucė's imminent visit

Third‑year clerk, library assistant, discusses seminary monotony and private initiative with Liudas Organizes the trip and shares train anecdotes

Organizes the secret food gathering, makes jokes about the meager provisions Joins the journey and comments on the rector’s possible reaction

Visits Liudas, kisses his hand, addresses him as "kunigėli" and feels embarrassed Recounts wartime hardships, expresses cynicism about Lithuanian politics and clergy, suggests parish priest position for son

Weeps with joy, also calls Liudas "kunigėli"

The local parish priest who hosts Liudas, organizes meals, and allows drinking after services. now holds the honorary title “kanauninkas” and warns Liudas against following his example Still alive according to Liudas' father

Barmaid who serves coffee at the parish dinner and catches Liudas’s attention. Liucė reveals she is the daughter of a Polish countess and expresses longing for Liudas Liucė is described as bitter, spiteful, and pestering everyone on Sundays; she refuses to marry that summer appears older, calmer, and more composed at the jubilee; engages in flirtatious yet distant interaction with Liudas Liucė announces she will soon marry and maintains a flirtatious exchange with Vasaris during the farewell gathering. Now married to Dr. Brazgys, lives in Kaunas, remains a vivid memory for Liudas Liucė is now Liucija Glaudžuvienė, married to Glaudžius and mother/step‑mother of Vytukas Liucija is now married to the wealthy industrialist Glaudžius, attends high‑society balls, and meets Vasaris at the theatre, revealing lingering feelings and reflecting on past choices. Liucija confronts Liudas about his feelings and prepares to leave for Palanga Liucija commits suicide by poison and leaves a suicide note for Liudas. committed suicide by poison at Dr. Brazgys's apartment, leaving a suicide note for Liudas

Nicknamed “apaštalas”, a strict vicar who quarrels with the priest over alcohol and observes Liucė.

Mysterious woman seen by Liudas during the Nativity mass

Third‑year tenor reprimanded by the rector during a musical dispute between Lithuanian and Polish singers.

Third‑year clerk who leads the "Šviesa" literary circle in reciting Maironis's poem, provoking a severe reprimand and expulsion. Writes a letter to Jonelaitis praising Liudas's recent verses as improved yet cold. Varnėnas returns as a literature professor, meets Liudas, urges him to decide on priesthood and pushes his literary career. Varnėnas is among the audience at the premiere.

Penitent who confesses a kiss (Osculavi Caiam) in a moral‑theology case study, prompting Liudas to analyse the sin’s gravity.

Friend and confidant who encourages Liudas to write poetry and offers perspective on clerical life

A fifth‑year seminarian from a wealthy family, removed from the seminary amid scandal for being deemed unfit for subdeaconate.

First appearance as a fellow seminarians who mocks Liudas makes a joking comment about Liucė possibly marrying, adding pressure to Liudas Brazgys continues courting Liucė and later departs for Moscow to practice medicine.

New professor who annoys younger seminarians with absurd questions, previously a simple vicar

Former gymnasium classmate, now a student, invited to Vasaris's farewell

Former gymnasium classmate, now a student, invited to the farewell

Distant relative, a university student, expected to arrive with an unknown companion

A new, serious seminarian who appears during the recitations and conference.

Liucė's husband, a doctor, attends Vasaris's primice ceremony Dr. Brazgys hosts Vasaris, praises his poetry, and his wife Brazgienė reveals her pregnancy. Married Liucė, possibly serving in the war

First vicar of Kalnynų, pragmatic, welcomes the new second vicar for extra assistance. Now serves as vicar of Kalnynų parish, interacts with Liudas, discusses wheat prices, cooperatives, and offers Liudas gifts and choir duties Stripaitis escorts Vasaris, behaves boisterously in the salon, argues with Sokolina Former vicar now serves as a member of the Seimas Stripaitis greets Liudas flamboyantly, delivers political rantings about clergy power and Moscow, and mocks Liudas’s Westernized look. Visits Liudas, delivers sarcastic political lecture, debates clergy hypocrisy. Stripaitis appears in the audience at the drama premiere.

Parish maid supervising the vicarage repairs, comments on the new vicar’s living conditions. Wife of vicar Stripaitis, prepares lunch, flirts subtly with Liudas, shows him his home Julė becomes obsessively attached to Vasaris, forces frequent confessions, and tries to manipulate his behavior Julë delivers and hides baroness's note, spies on Vasaris, worries clergy may harm him

Senior priest of Kalnynų parish, near sixty, also runs a farm, opposes the appointment of a second vicar. Platūnas reluctantly joins the visit, clashes with Vasaris, discusses estate, shows resentment toward the invitation Platūnas reprimands Vasaris for associating with the baroness, labeling her of low reputation and warning against secular friendships. Platūnas publicly reprimands Vasaris for his poetic activities and breaches of order

Introduced as a farmer‑trader complaining about the cooperative ‘Žagrės’

Introduced as a itinerant merchant who argues with vicarage over candle payments and prices Wealthy farmer who initially rebuffs then hosts Vasaris, demanding catechism duties and questioning the priest.

Mentioned as a lady associated with Dr. Brazgys, possibly a romantic interest in rumors Brazgienė discloses that she is pregnant, likely with a child related to priest Kimša.

Baron Rainakis owns the manor near Kalnynų, inherited it from his uncle, learned some Lithuanian, and is described as comedic, maniacal yet good‑hearted. Baron Rainakis invites three priests to his manor for tea, speaks multiple languages, discusses estate matters and shows his weapon collection Host of the manor where Vasaris visits Baron participates in the afternoon tea, praises Vasaris’s Lithuanian, and comments on the visit.

Baroness Rainakienė is the Polish‑Catholic wife of Baron Rainakis, cultured and supportive of the Church. Baroness Rainakienė, former Warsaw café actress, hosts the tea, flirts with Vasaris, debates love and celibacy, offers cigarettes and books Baroness hosts Vasaris, offers books, and debates pleasure versus duty Baroness openly flirts with Vasaris, kisses him, offers books, and hints at a future romantic meeting in May. Baroness arrives, sends secret note, appears as penitent, confesses affairs, expresses love for Vasaris, threatens potential excommunication

Sokolina is the sister of Baron Rainakis, present at the manor meeting. Sokolina argues with Stripaitis that priests should be allowed to marry Sokolina hosts Vasaris, wishes him well for winter, and observes his interaction with the baroness. Sokolina accompanies baroness, comments on spiritual instability, shares the baroness's frustrations

Borvikis is a 50‑year‑old bearded farmer and cooperative member who confronts Stripaitis over financial matters.

Skripkelė is a local musician present at the tavern during the fight.

Vingilas is the proprietor of the tavern where the village brawl breaks out.

Host of the Naujapolis indulgence, probes Vasaris about parish issues and secrecy. Girvydas engages Vasaris in a lengthy discussion about the modern priest’s duties and the need for active, politically aware clergy.

Chaplain and philosopher who debates priestly celibacy and morality with Vasaris. Laibys delivers a scathing sermon on the Church’s need for active, worldly clergy and warns Vasaris against naive poetry.

Former love of Vasaris who meets him at the indulgence and recalls their past. Now married to industrialist Povilas Glaudžius; encountered Liudas at the opera; described as sophisticated city woman. Glaudžiuvienė hosts Liudas, reveals her bitterness and past drug use Liucija loses her son Vytukas, experiences intense grief, and confronts Glaudžius about divine punishment.

Piktupis Andrius, a severely ill village elder, becomes the focus of Vasaris’s failed last‑rites visit.

Maid who delivered the baroness’s invitation note

New priest appointed to replace Stripaitis in the parish A senior priest newly assigned to Kalnynų parish, helps Vasaris move books and offers calm, spiritually grounded guidance.

Solo priest of the remote Šlavantų parish, meets Vasaris Warns Vasaris about the danger of becoming habituated to the confessional’s endless rhythm.

Baroness Rainakienė’s distant relative from Poland, arrives at the manor with her adult daughter and son Kozinskis.

The son of Kozinskienė, a flamboyant, self‑confident young man who monopolizes service to the baroness, provoking Vasaris’s jealousy. Kozinskis appears cold and distant toward the baroness during Vasaris’s visit.

Engineer Gruberis attends the Rainakis manor party, joins the brooch hunt, and flirts with Baroness Rainakienė.

A newly mentioned priest who appears later in the chapter, observed by Vasaris while walking through the manor grounds. Ramutis’s relationship with Vasaris becomes cold and distant Kun. Ramutis concludes mass, gives communion after baroness's confession

Introduced as a recommended author for proper, religious literature. issues a restrictive decree ordering Liudas to remain in clerical duties and forbidding theatrical activities

Wife of Žodelis who assists with the lunch and tries to ease tensions during the visitation.

Former academy friend, now university professor of theology and philosophy, greets Liudas at Virbalio station Professor Meškėnas hosts Liudas and asks him to substitute for a liturgical rite (gregorijanką). Professor Meškėnas defends Liudas’s drama and comments on Lithuania’s cultural climate. Meškėnas attends the drama premiere, praises the work, warns Vasaris about ecclesiastical surveillance, and mentions Gražulytė. Housemaid who discovers Liucija's body and calls the doctor.

Advocate Indrulis attends the dinner, jokes about Vatican domination, offers Liudas lodging, and speaks of an American fiancée. Lawyer Indrulis observes the discussion and later escorts Auksė home. Brings newspaper, urges Liudas to comment on church‑state legislation. Indrulis reveals obsessive jealousy toward Auksė and Liudas Vasaris, attempts to manipulate Auksė, and leaves in anger after a confrontation. Indrulis congratulates Vasaris after the premiere and offers drinks. Declares love for Auksė, demands marriage, and argues with her about Liudas

A Franciscian monk who approaches Vasaris in the Virbalio hotel seeking a confessor for a sick brother.

An attractive American woman engaged to Indrulis, described in vivid physical detail and as a subject of Liudas’s imagination. American guest Gražulytė, nicknamed Auksė, performs piano and provides feedback on the drama. Auksė Gražulytė’s American‑Lithuanian background, education, family wealth, and personal theories of love are detailed.

Composer suggests the drama could become an opera libretto.

Genulienė appears as a lady accompanying Indrulis, later engages in brief conversation. Genulienė is noted as present at the theatrical performance.

Poet participates in the debate, urging poetry to confront social evils.

Editor of the literary journal “Spinduliai” attends the gathering and debates literary responsibility.

Drama artist expresses desire to stage Liudas’s drama.

Wealthy industrialist, husband of Liucija Brazgienė, attends opera with wife.

Husband of Liucija Glaudžuvienė, former soldier who fought with Germans, now an older gentleman Glaudžius interacts with Vasaris during Vytukas’s illness, offers bleak commentary, and later works with Vasaris on a newspaper article.

Ten‑year‑old boy, son/step‑son of Liucija Glaudžuvienė, loves nature and geography Vytukas passes his gymnasium entrance exam

Wealthy industrialist husband of Liucija, non‑jealous, generous patron of her aristocratic lifestyle, host of lavish social events.

Composer‑musician Aidužis plays piano at the party.

Auksė hosts the New Year’s party in her father’s apartment. suggested a road trip through Suvalkija, Alytus, Birštonas Auksė arrives, shares olives, engages in intimate encounter with Liudas, later confronts him about his infidelity with Liucija and urges him to end that relationship Auksė departs, ending her relationship with Liudas Reunites with Liudas in Nida, encourages him to finish his drama and consider abandoning the priesthood Auksė urges Vasaris to admit love, pushes for marriage, and debates his reluctance. relationship with Liudas becomes public and draws city gossip; her father accepts Liudas Supports Liudas emotionally, urges present‑focused action, and confronts Indrulis about their relationship American woman who learns of Liucija's suicide and reacts emotionally. deepens relationship with Liudas, discusses his artistic struggle and the bishop's decree Narrator married Auksė after leaving priesthood

Auksės tėvas welcomes the guests and greets Vasaris.

Poet Kalnius attends the New Year’s party.

Drama artist Lapelytė attends the gathering.

husband of Liucija

Aleksandras appears as a guest with Indrulis during a visit to Vasaris's home

monk who confronts Liudas about his relationship and rebellion

Auksė's father who accepts Liudas

young artist who designs dual‑sided political posters for the May election campaign

Vytukas, son of Liucija Brazgienė, falls gravely ill with pneumonia and dies. Physician who confirms Liucija's death and attributes it to heart illness.

hosts Liudas at his apartment, provides a space for discussions and music

Servant who sets the table and serves the appetizers

Guest who sits with the director, engages in literary debate about modern poetry, and leads the card game

Vasaris’s old gymnasium friend, arrives at the party, rekindles friendship and discusses their past and Vasaris’s recent foreign doctorate

Guest paired with the director, contributes to the literary conversation and praises Pushkin

Female director seated beside Meškėnas and Genulis, part of the host's seating plan

University professor who hosts a lavish banquet, loves fine food and drink, invites Seimas members, and publicly presents Vasaris as a poet