Švedavičius seeks removal from priesthood, archbishop says

Vilnius Archbishop Metropolitan Gintaras Grušas says Tadas Švedavičius, who is accused of sexual crimes, has asked to be removed from the priesthood, LRT reported on Wednesday.

“We send the material from the canonical investigation to the Vatican, which responds on which procedures should be followed next. It may leave the decision to the bishop to make by decree, or a church process may take place. There can be various decisions, including removal from the clerical state. Priest Tadas has already asked for this,” Grušas told the 15min news portal.

Grušas said that only the pope can return a priest accused of sexual crimes to the lay state.

“During the process, the priest has the right to make such a request, but the only one who can return him to the lay state is the Holy Father. Everything then goes to the Vatican, which indicates which procedures must be carried out. When those procedures are completed, the bishop sends his decision to the Vatican again, and it confirms or adjusts it, whatever the decision may be,” he said.

According to Grušas, Švedavičius did not initially admit the crimes but did so later.

“He did not admit it at first. He admitted it when it was put on the table that there was a victim and contact with her. The police began and continued the investigation, and from then on there was no denial,” Grušas said.

BNS reported that the cases of two priests accused of sexual crimes against children were sent to court this summer.

One priest is accused of sexual crimes against 11 minors. Law enforcement authorities recorded 34 criminal episodes, ranging from forcing children to consume alcohol to sexually assaulting them. The crimes allegedly took place over 23 years, from 2002 to 2025. The case was sent to the Vilnius Regional Court.

In a separate case sent to the Vilnius City District Court, another priest is accused of possessing child pornography. There are no victims in that case.

The accusations have renewed discussion about the need to establish a public sex offender register in Lithuania.