About the Church
The Roman Catholic church of St Ignatius of Loyola in Aknīste stands in the centre of the town of Aknīste, in the Selonia region, near the border with Lithuania. It belongs to the Diocese of Jelgava.
The first wooden church dedicated to St Ignatius was built here in 1774; it was a filial church of the Rokiškis parish. The idea of a new masonry church arose in the early 20th century, but construction was interrupted by the First World War. The foundations of the new shrine were blessed in 1934, and construction, which began in 1937, was prolonged by the Second World War – the church was completed and consecrated in 1948, when it was blessed by Bishop Pēteris Strods.
The church is built of pale brick, and its design loosely followed the reduced forms of the Church of the Resurrection in Kaunas. The building reflects the features of sacred architecture of the first half of the 20th century.
The first wooden church dedicated to St Ignatius was built here in 1774; it was a filial church of the Rokiškis parish. The idea of a new masonry church arose in the early 20th century, but construction was interrupted by the First World War. The foundations of the new shrine were blessed in 1934, and construction, which began in 1937, was prolonged by the Second World War – the church was completed and consecrated in 1948, when it was blessed by Bishop Pēteris Strods.
The church is built of pale brick, and its design loosely followed the reduced forms of the Church of the Resurrection in Kaunas. The building reflects the features of sacred architecture of the first half of the 20th century.