Kazys Lozoraitis was a prominent Lithuania

Lithuania

Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...

n diplomat and cultural activist. He was the first ambassador of Lithuania to the Holy See

Holy See

The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

 and to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. On 2007 August he died in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

.

Biography

Kazys Lozoraitis was born into a family of diplomats and politicians in Berlin

Berlin

Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...

 in 1929. In 1933 he moved with his family to Lithuania. Soon afterwards, his father was appointed to a new position in Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, and the family moved to Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

. In Rome he finished gymnasium (preparatory school)

Gymnasium (school)

A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...

 and then studied journalism. He worked for over ten years at Radio Italia, and began working for Radio Vatican in 1972. In 1960 he was appointed secretary of the chief of the Lithuanian diplomatic service in exile, as Lithuania was then occupied by the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

. Between 1985 and 1992 he served as Head of the Chancellery of Lithuanian Representation to the Holy See; after 1980 he served as vice-chairman of the Italian Lithuanian Community

Lithuanian World Community

The Lithuanian World Community is a non-governmental and non-profit organization established in 1949 that unifies Lithuanian communities abroad. The Constitution of the Lithuanian World Community declares that it consists of all Lithuanians living abroad...

.

In 1992 Kazys Lozoraitis was accredited as the Lithuanian Ambassador to the Holy See; two years later he was named Lithuanian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Maltese Order, becoming the first person to hold these positions after the re-establishment of Lithuania's independence in 1990. He held this post until 2004. Kazys Lozoraitis was active in the cultural life of both Lithuania and Italy. In 2007 he donated his family’s personal library, consisting of more than 16,000 publications, to the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania is a national cultural institution which collects, organizes and preserves Lithuania’s written cultural heritage content, develops the collection of Lithuanian and foreign documents relevant to research, educational and cultural needs of Lithuania,...

; he also donated his unique collection of historic photographs and records to the museum at the Historical Presidential Palace in Kaunas

Historical Presidential Palace, Kaunas

The Historical Presidential Palace is a Neo-baroque building in the Old Town of Kaunas, Lithuania that served as the Presidential Palace during the interwar years. Today, the palace is a branch of the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum.-History:...

. Kazys Lozoraitis died on August 13, 2007, in Rome, of cancer. He was temporarily interred in Rome, but since one of his last wishes was to be buried in Lithuania, arrangements were made for his reburial in Kaunas

Kaunas

Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...

. The President of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus

Valdas Adamkus

Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next...

, issued his condolences:
On 2007 September Kazys Lozoraitis was reburied in Kaunas' Petrašiūnai Cemetery

Petrašiunai Cemetery

Petrašiūnai Cemetery is Lithuania's premiere last resting place formally designated for graves of people influential in national history, politics, arts, and science.- Location :...

, near his brother's grave. Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, as well as other prominent Lithuanian politicians like Vytautas Landsbergis

Vytautas Landsbergis

Professor Vytautas Landsbergis is a Lithuanian conservative politician and Member of the European Parliament. He was the first head of state of Lithuania after its independence declaration from the Soviet Union, and served as the Head of the Lithuanian Parliament Seimas...

, attended the ceremony.

Awards

Kazys Lozoraitis was awarded several decorations:

• Grand Cross of Commander of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
  Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
  The Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas is the Lithuanian Presidential Award which was re-instituted to honour the citizens of Lithuania for outstanding performance in civil and public offices. Foreign nationals may also be awarded this Order. The Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke...
  
  
• Grand Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania
  Order for Merits to Lithuania
  The Order for Merits to Lithuania is an award, presented by the President of Lithuania, which may be conferred on the citizens of Lithuania and foreign nationals for distinguished services promoting name of Lithuania, expanding a develop international relationships, for distinguished merits in...
  
  .
• Chevalier of the Order of St. Sylvester
  Order of St. Sylvester
  The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Sylvester Pope and Martyr , sometimes referred to as the Sylvestrine Order, or the Pontifical Order of Pope St Sylvester, is one of five Orders of Knighthood awarded directly by the Pope as Supreme Pontiff and head of the Catholic Church and as the Head of...
  
  .