About the Church
The church of St Casimir at Baltriškiai is a unique wooden architectural monument, situated in the village of Baltriškiai, in the Diocese of Panevėžys, Zarasai district. This church, built in the folk-architecture style, was constructed in 1920, and has since become an important spiritual centre for the local community.
The church's history began as far back as 1913, when Adomas Zavadskis and his wife Elena Zavadskienė donated a valakas of land for the future shrine. It was a painful time for the family, as their son Emanuelis had died tragically in a hunting accident. Wishing to honour their son's memory, the Zavadskis family not only donated the land but also funded the church's construction. Emanuelis was buried in the church's crypt.
The first house of prayer was temporary, thatched with straw, but by 1919 a presbytery had already been built, and in 1920 the construction of the wooden church was completed. The first priest, from 1913, was Simonas Žižys, followed by Fr Justinas Ribokas and other clergymen who cared for the welfare of the parish.
The church went through no small number of trials during the Second World War. An artillery shell pierced the church's ceiling and knocked out part of a wall, but fortunately did not explode. The bells were hidden in the cemetery to protect them from destruction. After the war the church was repaired, but the main tower was demolished, as it had been used as an observation post.
Architecturally the church has a rectangular plan, a single tower, and three altars. The churchyard wall is built of stone, and the building itself is a wooden log structure, covering an area of 312 square metres. In 1970 the wooden shingles on the church roof were replaced with sheet metal. This sheet metal is now considerably rusted and lets in water, so urgent repair work is needed.
The interior of the church likewise needs renovation. Fr Edvardas Vaišnoras, who served the Baltriškiai parish from 1936 to 1950, arranged for the installation of a new pulpit and the provision of church banners. Unfortunately, he was accused of collaborating with the Lithuanian partisans and was exiled.
Today the church is cared for by the Tiberias Brotherhood, which has begun renovation work. Plans include renovating the old bell tower, installing heated floors so that it is comfortable to pray in winter, and carrying out other necessary repairs. The renovation is being carried out in cooperation with the Trakai Crafts School and the French organisation "Compagnons du Devoir". The project will restore authentic Lithuanian architecture, using larch shingles for the roof.
The church of St Casimir at Baltriškiai is not only a spiritual centre but also a witness to history, recalling the hardships faced by the local community, as well as their firm faith and determination to preserve their heritage for future generations.
The church's history began as far back as 1913, when Adomas Zavadskis and his wife Elena Zavadskienė donated a valakas of land for the future shrine. It was a painful time for the family, as their son Emanuelis had died tragically in a hunting accident. Wishing to honour their son's memory, the Zavadskis family not only donated the land but also funded the church's construction. Emanuelis was buried in the church's crypt.
The first house of prayer was temporary, thatched with straw, but by 1919 a presbytery had already been built, and in 1920 the construction of the wooden church was completed. The first priest, from 1913, was Simonas Žižys, followed by Fr Justinas Ribokas and other clergymen who cared for the welfare of the parish.
The church went through no small number of trials during the Second World War. An artillery shell pierced the church's ceiling and knocked out part of a wall, but fortunately did not explode. The bells were hidden in the cemetery to protect them from destruction. After the war the church was repaired, but the main tower was demolished, as it had been used as an observation post.
Architecturally the church has a rectangular plan, a single tower, and three altars. The churchyard wall is built of stone, and the building itself is a wooden log structure, covering an area of 312 square metres. In 1970 the wooden shingles on the church roof were replaced with sheet metal. This sheet metal is now considerably rusted and lets in water, so urgent repair work is needed.
The interior of the church likewise needs renovation. Fr Edvardas Vaišnoras, who served the Baltriškiai parish from 1936 to 1950, arranged for the installation of a new pulpit and the provision of church banners. Unfortunately, he was accused of collaborating with the Lithuanian partisans and was exiled.
Today the church is cared for by the Tiberias Brotherhood, which has begun renovation work. Plans include renovating the old bell tower, installing heated floors so that it is comfortable to pray in winter, and carrying out other necessary repairs. The renovation is being carried out in cooperation with the Trakai Crafts School and the French organisation "Compagnons du Devoir". The project will restore authentic Lithuanian architecture, using larch shingles for the roof.
The church of St Casimir at Baltriškiai is not only a spiritual centre but also a witness to history, recalling the hardships faced by the local community, as well as their firm faith and determination to preserve their heritage for future generations.