Mincevič was a Doctor of Theology and the vice-mayor of the Vilnius district. 35 years ago he established a folk song and dance ensemble ‘Wileńszczyzna’, of which he was an unchangeable manager. Mincevič was also the initiator of the Festival of Polish Culture in Lithuania ‘Kwiaty Polskie’, the initiator of the religious songs and poetry contest ‘Ciebie, Boże, wysławiamy’. Moreover, he was a member of the Lithuanian Seimas during several previous terms, an outstanding musician, author of many popular songs and music textbooks for Polish schools, a catechist, a great educator of postwar generations of Polish youth in Lithuania, a great man and patriot of the Vilnius Region.

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Chairman of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania - Christian Families Alliance Valdemar Tomaševski on the loss of Gabriel Jan Mincevič.

I have learned about the death of Dr Jan Mincevič with great regret and sorrow. He was a greatly deserved person for the Vilnius Region.

There were many people meritorious for the Vilnius region, for the faith, for the Polishness of people. However, in terms of achievements, merits, talent and his attitude to life, the loss of Jan Mincevič can be comparable to the loss of the Priest Pralate J. Obrembski, who died 5,5 years ago and was the Patriarch of the Vilnius Region, Person symbolizing the entire post-war era. In person of Jan Mincevič Poles in Lithuania lost a great patriot, poet, and composer, one of the leading founders of the Polish structured environment in Lithuania after the last war.

Yet in distant '60s Mincevič was the founder of the secret religious organization ‘Promień’. He was the founder of the representative song and dance ensemble ‘Wileńszczyzna’, which he managed until his last days. In turn, during the period of the national revival in Lithuania, after the co-called perestroika, he was one of the founders of the Association of Poles in Lithuania and the first chairman of its leading and biggest branch in the Vilnius district. It was namely Jan Mincevič who managed the Association of Poles in Lithuania in its hardest times in 1991 just after the unlawful termination of Polish local authorities in the Vilnius Region.

His personal attitude in promoting and defending Polishness was often the inspiration for my social activities. I met closer Jan Mincevič in autumn 1991, during the hardest period of the Association of Poles in Lithuania. I have always discussed many important for Poles in Lithuania matters with him. had the honour to sit in a parliamentary bench with Gabriel Jan Mincevič for 4 years since 2000. His energy and deep faith was an example for me.

Recently, while holding the position of the vice-mayor of the Vilnius district, Mincevič placed his enormous efforts to strengthen the Vilnius Region, attract investments, including the ones from EU projects for Polish education and culture.

The Vilnius Region is thankful to the Providence that such a Great Man was born, lived and worked here. Its residents will undoubtedly contribute to the prolongation of the great works and ideas realized by Mincevič and certainly our common task is to commemorate his achievements. We believe, that ‘for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended.‘

07-12-2016