▁fair s ▁in ▁the ▁town . ▁Before ▁mon ks ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Saint ▁Bas il ▁the ▁Great ▁arrived ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 9 , ▁it ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁Pad ub ys ys ▁( liter ally : ▁near ▁Dub ys a ). ▁The ▁Bas ilian ▁F athers ▁established ▁a ▁parish ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 3 . ▁After ▁ 2 0 ▁years , ▁the ▁school ▁had ▁ 1 9 2 ▁students ▁and ▁was ▁re organ ized ▁into ▁six - year ▁school . ▁The ▁monaster y ▁and ▁school ▁was ▁closed ▁by ▁the ▁Ts ar ist ▁authorities ▁after ▁the ▁failed ▁u pr ising ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 0 . ▁The ▁town ▁church ▁was ▁transformed ▁into ▁an ▁Eastern ▁Orth odox ▁one . ▁After ▁Lith u ania ▁reg ained ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁the ▁church ▁was ▁reform ed ▁back ▁to ▁a ▁Catholic ▁one . ▁Before ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁Jewish ▁community ▁of ▁the ▁village ▁had ▁ 1 3 0 ▁members . ▁All ▁of ▁them ▁were ▁murder ed ▁in ▁a ▁mass ▁execution ▁perpet r ated ▁ ▁by ▁an ▁ein s atz gru ppen ▁of ▁Germ ans ▁and ▁Lith uan ian ▁national ists ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁Website ▁of ▁B az il ion ai ▁community ▁ ▁Category : T own s ▁in ▁Lith u ania ▁Category : T own s ▁in ▁Š ia ul iai ▁County ▁Category : Sh avel sky ▁U ye zd ▁Category : Hol oca ust